Design and experimental validation of self-supporting topologies for additive manufacturing

ABSTRACT Incorporating additive manufacturing (AM) constraints in topology optimisation can lead to performance optimality while ensuring manufacturability of designs. Numerical techniques have been previously proposed to obtain support-free designs in AM, however, few works have verified the manufacturability of their solutions. Physical verification of manufacturability becomes more critical recalling that the conventional density-based topology optimisation methods will inevitably require post-processing to smooth the boundaries before sending the results to a 3D printer. This paper presents the smooth design of self-supporting topologies using the combination of a new Solid Isotropic Microstructure with Penalisation method (SIMP) developed based on elemental volume fractions and an existing AM filter. Manufacturability of selected simulation results are verified with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology. It is illustrated that the proposed method is able to generate convergent self-supporting topologies which are printable using FDM.

[1]  Zhan Kang,et al.  Level set-based topology optimization with overhang constraint: Towards support-free additive manufacturing , 2018, Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering.

[2]  Matthijs Langelaar,et al.  An additive manufacturing filter for topology optimization of print-ready designs , 2016, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization.

[3]  Robert Maas,et al.  Continuous front propagation-based overhang control for topology optimization with additive manufacturing , 2018 .

[4]  Harry Bikas,et al.  Additive manufacturing methods and modelling approaches: a critical review , 2015, The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology.

[5]  Xu Guo,et al.  An explicit length scale control approach in SIMP-based topology optimization , 2014 .

[6]  Yi Min Xie,et al.  A further review of ESO type methods for topology optimization , 2010 .

[7]  Andrew T. Gaynor,et al.  Three-dimensional projection-based topology optimization for prescribed-angle self-supporting additively manufactured structures , 2018, Additive Manufacturing.

[8]  Glaucio H. Paulino,et al.  Bridging topology optimization and additive manufacturing , 2015, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization.

[9]  Young-Jin Kim,et al.  Lasers in additive manufacturing: A review , 2017 .

[10]  Suryakumar Simhambhatla,et al.  Adopting feature resolution and material distribution constraints into topology optimisation of additive manufacturing components , 2018, Virtual and Physical Prototyping.

[11]  M. Bendsøe,et al.  Topology Optimization: "Theory, Methods, And Applications" , 2011 .

[12]  Y. Xie,et al.  Convergent and mesh-independent solutions for the bi-directional evolutionary structural optimization method , 2007 .

[13]  Grégoire Allaire,et al.  Structural optimization under overhang constraints imposed by additive manufacturing processes: an overview of some recent results , 2017 .

[14]  Takuya Matsumoto,et al.  Shape Optimization for Additive Manufacturing of Removable Partial Dentures - A New Paradigm for Prosthetic CAD/CAM , 2015, PloS one.

[15]  Xun Xu,et al.  Support Structures for Additive Manufacturing: A Review , 2018, Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing.

[16]  J. Petersson,et al.  Numerical instabilities in topology optimization: A survey on procedures dealing with checkerboards, mesh-dependencies and local minima , 1998 .

[17]  Krishnan Suresh,et al.  Support structure constrained topology optimization for additive manufacturing , 2016, Comput. Aided Des..

[18]  Martin P. Bendsøe.  Topology Optimization , 2009, Encyclopedia of Optimization.

[19]  Ian Gibson,et al.  Augmented patient-specific facial prosthesis production using medical imaging modelling and 3D printing technologies for improved patient outcomes , 2018 .

[20]  Xiaoping Qian,et al.  Undercut and overhang angle control in topology optimization: A density gradient based integral approach , 2017 .

[21]  M. Wang,et al.  Level set based topology optimization of vibrating structures for coupled acoustic-structural dynamics , 2014 .

[22]  Matthijs Langelaar,et al.  Topology optimization of 3D self-supporting structures for additive manufacturing , 2016 .

[23]  Grégoire Allaire,et al.  A model of layer by layer mechanical constraint for additive manufacturing in shape and topology optimization , 2017 .

[24]  Kaiqing Zhang,et al.  Topology optimization considering overhang constraint in additive manufacturing , 2019, Computers & Structures.

[25]  Xinhua Wu,et al.  Effect of stiffness anisotropy on topology optimisation of additively manufactured structures , 2018, Engineering Structures.

[26]  P. DijkN.,et al.  Level-set methods for structural topology optimization , 2013 .

[27]  Christopher B. Williams,et al.  Topology Optimization for Additive Manufacturing: Considering Maximum Overhang Constraint , 2014 .

[28]  Shengli Xu,et al.  Volume preserving nonlinear density filter based on heaviside functions , 2010 .

[29]  Martin Leary,et al.  Optimal topology for additive manufacture: A method for enabling additive manufacture of support-free optimal structures , 2014 .

[30]  D. V. Griffiths,et al.  Programming the finite element method , 1982 .

[31]  James K. Guest,et al.  Achieving minimum length scale in topology optimization using nodal design variables and projection functions , 2004 .

[32]  Rubén Ansola,et al.  A new overhang constraint for topology optimization of self-supporting structures in additive manufacturing , 2018 .

[33]  Jingchao Jiang,et al.  Effect of support on printed properties in fused deposition modelling processes , 2019, Virtual and Physical Prototyping.

[34]  Ole Sigmund,et al.  On projection methods, convergence and robust formulations in topology optimization , 2011, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization.

[35]  David W. Rosen,et al.  A review of synthesis methods for additive manufacturing , 2016 .

[36]  Timon Rabczuk,et al.  A multi-material level set-based topology optimization of flexoelectric composites , 2018, 1901.10752.

[37]  Xiaodong Huang,et al.  Topology optimization of photonic crystals with exotic properties resulting from Dirac-like cones , 2019, Acta Materialia.

[38]  James K. Guest,et al.  Topology optimization considering overhang constraints: Eliminating sacrificial support material in additive manufacturing through design , 2016 .

[39]  Jesús Martínez-Frutos,et al.  Evolutionary topology optimization of continuum structures under uncertainty using sensitivity analysis and smooth boundary representation , 2018, Computers & Structures.

[40]  Liang Xia,et al.  Evolutionary topology optimization of continuum structures with smooth boundary representation , 2018 .

[41]  Jikai Liu,et al.  Deposition path planning-integrated structural topology optimization for 3D additive manufacturing subject to self-support constraint , 2017, Comput. Aided Des..

[42]  Xun Xu,et al.  A benchmarking part for evaluating and comparing support structures of additive manufacturing , 2018 .

[43]  K. Svanberg.  The method of moving asymptotes—a new method for structural optimization , 1987 .

[44]  Matthijs Langelaar,et al.  Combined optimization of part topology, support structure layout and build orientation for additive manufacturing , 2018, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization.

[45]  Grégoire Allaire,et al.  Structural optimization under overhang constraints imposed by additive manufacturing technologies , 2017, J. Comput. Phys..

[46]  K. Ghabraie.  An improved soft-kill BESO algorithm for optimal distribution of single or multiple material phases , 2015 .

[47]  Y. Xie,et al.  Bi-directional evolutionary topology optimization of continuum structures with one or multiple materials , 2009 .

[48]  Stephen M. Smith,et al.  SUSAN—A New Approach to Low Level Image Processing , 1997, International Journal of Computer Vision.

[49]  G. Allaire,et al.  Shape optimization of a layer by layer mechanical constraint for additive manufacturing , 2017 .

[50]  Charlie C. L. Wang,et al.  Current and future trends in topology optimization for additive manufacturing , 2018 .

[51]  Kurt Maute,et al.  Level-set methods for structural topology optimization: a review , 2013 .

[52]  B. Bourdin.  Filters in topology optimization , 2001 .

[53]  O. Sigmund.  Morphology-based black and white filters for topology optimization , 2007 .

[54]  Kazem Ghabraie,et al.  The ESO method revisited , 2015 .

[55]  A. Groenwold,et al.  A quadratic approximation for structural topology optimization , 2009 .

[56]  Ying Liu,et al.  Self-supporting structure design in additive manufacturing through explicit topology optimization , 2017 .

[57]  Rafiq Ahmad,et al.  Light-weight shape and topology optimization with hybrid deposition path planning for FDM parts , 2018 .

[58]  Ole Sigmund,et al.  A 99 line topology optimization code written in Matlab , 2001 .

[59]  A. Kashani,et al.  Additive manufacturing (3D printing): A review of materials, methods, applications and challenges , 2018, Composites Part B: Engineering.

[60]  T. E. Bruns,et al.  Topology optimization of non-linear elastic structures and compliant mechanisms , 2001 .