Thermodynamic topology optimization for sequential additive manufacturing including structural self‐weight

Abstract

Topology optimization and additive manufacturing complement one another where the first one results in possibly complex structures, and the second one allows for manufacturing of those. For computing optimized components that also fit to the manufacturing limits, the building processes need to be accounted for already during the optimization process. A special characteristic of the additive manufacturing process is the step-by-step manufacturing. Herein, constructing large-scale structures, as for example buildings or bridges, by assembling pre-produced segments can also be considered as additive manufacturing. Especially, a design which also carries the manufacturing or assembling machine, as for example cranes or robots, on different positions during manufacturing is of interest. Therefore, we extend the established thermodynamic topology optimization for a sequential optimization process which considers changing manufacturing loads under structural self-weight.

Topology optimization considering self‐weight

“…Nevertheless, even when external loading is strongly dominant, the impact of self‐weight is clearly visible in the optimization result. The results were compared to the ones presented in [8, 17] and satisfactory accordance is observed although the optimizers in the referenced publications differ from the one applied in the present study as well as each other.…”