Quantitative analysis of deformation mechanisms in pantographic substructures: experiments and modeling

In order to get detailed information about the mechanical behavior of pantographic elementary substructure and elements, small-scale specimens were sintered using polyamide powder, constituted by three orthogonal pairs of beams interconnected through pivots forming pantographic cells. The mechanical properties of interconnecting pivots and constituting beams are investigated by comparing experimental evidence with an enhanced Piola–Hencky model. The careful agreement between experimental and predicted results allows us to estimate: (i) the macro-shear stiffness of interconnecting pivots (corresponding to micro-torsional stiffness), (ii) extensional stiffness and (iii) bending stiffness of constituting beams.