Ultralight patterned metal panels
Numerous phenomena can be observed in nature that are the result of controlled self-organization. Bionic vault-structuring is a method to generate a three-dimensional pattern in metallic sheets. Thanks to the controlled self-organization arrangement, a minimum of plastic deformation is required for forming the patterns. Because of their high rigidity, vault-structured, hexagonally or three-dimensional facet-structured components can be produced in stainless steel with greatly reduced wall thickness.
Vault-structured materials, even if thin and lightweight, are highly resistant to bending and to stress caused by thermal expansion, and they have other advantageous properties with application potential for lightweight structures. When flow bypasses three-dimensional profiled surfaces, there is a higher convective heat and mass-transfer coefficient compared to smooth surfaces.
Contact: Dr. Frank Mirtsch, Stahnsdorf, Germany.
For more information, see Transmaterial 3: A Catalog of Materials that Redefine our Physical Environment
