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Simultaneous single‐loop multimaterial and multijoint topology optimization
Author(s) -
Florea Vlad,
Pamwar Manish,
Sangha Balbir,
Kim Il Yong
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
international journal for numerical methods in engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.421
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1097-0207
pISSN - 0029-5981
DOI - 10.1002/nme.6279
Subject(s) - topology optimization , design for manufacturability , mathematical optimization , computer science , joint (building) , process (computing) , constraint (computer aided design) , problem statement , statement (logic) , engineering design process , automotive industry , interpolation (computer graphics) , topology (electrical circuits) , mechanical engineering , engineering , finite element method , mathematics , structural engineering , electrical engineering , management science , frame (networking) , law , political science , aerospace engineering , operating system
Summary As the aerospace and automotive industries continue to strive for efficient lightweight structures, topology optimization (TO) has become an important tool in this design process. However, one ever‐present criticism of TO, and especially of multimaterial (MM) optimization, is that neither method can produce structures that are practical to manufacture. Optimal joint design is one of the main requirements for manufacturability. This article proposes a new density‐based methodology for performing simultaneous MMTO and multijoint TO. This algorithm can simultaneously determine the optimum selection and placement of structural materials, as well as the optimum selection and placement of joints at material interfaces. In order to achieve this, a new solid isotropic material with penalization‐based interpolation scheme is proposed. A process for identifying dissimilar material interfaces based on spatial gradients is also discussed. The capabilities of the algorithm are demonstrated using four case studies. Through these case studies, the coupling between the optimal structural material design and the optimal joint design is investigated. Total joint cost is considered as both an objective and a constraint in the optimization problem statement. Using the biobjective problem statement, the tradeoff between total joint cost and structural compliance is explored. Finally, a method for enforcing tooling accessibility constraints in joint design is presented.