Structural Geometry

Learn how gyroid and TPMS lattices spread stress, absorb energy, and where powder removal creates trade-offs in SLS and MJF…

Dense lattice file size in CAD can exceed 1 GB with mesh-based tools. Learn how implicit modelling, smart export, and…

A graded density lattice varies cell density across a part to put stiffness and cushioning exactly where needed. Learn the…

A 3d printed lattice midsole replaces foam with thousands of tunable struts. Learn how geometry, not just material, determines cushioning…

Strength-to-weight ratio explained, and how geometric lattices beat solid material by placing mass only along the load paths. Includes how…

For lightweight strength, geometry often matters more than material choice. Learn how arrangement, not substance, determines how much force a…

Lattice energy absorption works through controlled, progressive collapse of struts or surfaces. Learn how geometry determines crush response in helmets,…

How to separate compression and tension inside a lattice so one part is stiff where needed and flexible where needed,…

Lattice mechanical testing combines FEA simulation with physical compression and tensile tests. Learn how engineers validate that a printed lattice…

Sphere architecture uses triangulated geodesic geometry to enclose large volumes with minimal material. Learn why spherical buildings are structurally efficient…

Ground stabilization methods that use open lattice geometry interlock with soil and let water drain, reducing erosion on slopes and…

Seismic energy mitigation through lattice foundations works by absorbing and redistributing ground motion through controlled flex rather than transmitting it…

A macrostructure gains strength from a repeating geometric pattern rather than bulk material. Learn how tiling a single icosahedral cell…

Learn how the same icosahedral geometry works as a microstructure within macrostructure, from fullerene molecules to building-scale lattice arrays.

A biodegradable lattice can control erosion and then break down naturally. Explore how this emerging approach compares to conventional geosynthetics.

Sustainable structural design starts with geometry. Learn how placing material only along load paths cuts mass, embodied carbon, and waste…

Sam Lanahan is the structural engineer and inventor of C6XTY, mentored by Buckminster Fuller. Learn about his path from Fuller's…

C6XTY inventor Sam Lanahan turned icosahedral geometry into a buildable structural system. Learn what C6XTY is, how it works, and…

A practical guide to designing 3D-printed lattices: choosing unit cells, sizing struts, avoiding file-size and powder problems, and validating before…

No single lattice unit cell wins every application. This guide explains strut-based and surface-based cell types, what each is good…

Geodesic dome strength increases with size because more triangles spread load more finely. Learn why triangulation avoids bending, how subdivision…

The Montreal Biosphère, Epcot's Spaceship Earth, and the Eden Project are the most famous geodesic domes. Each one teaches a…

Buckminster Fuller patented the geodesic dome in 1954. See how its triangulated geometry turns load into shared tension and compression,…

Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion principle of doing more with less, explained plainly, and how synergetics and smart geometry connect to lightweighting…

Buckyball uses span drug delivery research, electronics, lubricants, and structural geometry. Learn which applications are lab-stage and which are working…

Buckyball geometry is a truncated icosahedron: 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons. Discover why this same shape appears in soccer balls,…

Fullerene geometry is scale-independent: the truncated-icosahedron load paths that stabilise C60 work the same way at building scale. See how…

Learn what gives a buckyball its shape and strength. The truncated-icosahedron cage of 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons shares load…

A buckyball (C60) is a hollow 60-carbon cage of 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons. Learn why that shape is so…