Design of 3D-Printed High-Durability and Ultralightweight Antennas Using Structural and Electromagnetic Analysis

This study proposes a three-dimensional (3D)-printed antenna that achieves high durability and ultra lightweight characteristics by integrating 3D printing-based additive manufacturing and an electromagnetic-structural analysis technique. The proposed antenna is based on a circular disc monopole structure, which is renowned for its ultrawideband characteristics. To minimize material consumption, the radiator was designed as a hollow structure comprising a cross-shaped support integrated with an outer ring. Through multiphysics analysis using ANSYS HFSS and Discovery software, the tradeoff between the thickness of the support structure and its impact on the antenna’s bandwidth and mechanical strength was analyzed. The proposed antenna operates within the 1.15～6.31 GHz range, maintaining its wideband performance. Furthermore, it ensures structural stability up to a maximum load of 461 N while remaining within the material’s yield strength of 51 MPa.