PSI - Issue 79

Alessandra Ceci et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 79 (2026) 73–80

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other techniques (AM or foam replication), Lost-PLA provides an attractive compromise between low cost, accessibility and achievable geometrical complexity (Ceci et al., 2024).

a d Fig 1. a) Base cell a=0.5 b=1.2, b) Structure 1 with base, c) Base cell a=0.5 b=0.8, d) Structure 2 with base. b c

PLA model

Plaster mold

Metal structure

d

g

a

b

e

h

i

c

f

Fig 2. Steps of the lost PLA process: a) CAD model, b) Slicing, c) 3D printing, d) Model preparation, e) Plaster casting on the PLA model, f) Burnout, g) Gravity casting, h) Cleaning, i) Final structure. (The images are related to Structure 1)