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Multicomponent topology optimization of functionally graded lattice structures with bulk solid interfaces
Author(s) -
Yi Bing,
Saitou Kazuhiro
Publication year - 2021
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.6700
Subject(s) - topology optimization , topology (electrical circuits) , isotropy , component (thermodynamics) , welding , material properties , materials science , structural engineering , mathematics , composite material , finite element method , engineering , physics , combinatorics , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
This article presents a topology optimization method for structures consisting of multiple lattice components under a certain size, which can be manufactured with an additive manufacturing machine with a size limit and assembled via conventional joining processes, such as welding, gluing, riveting, and bolting. The proposed method can simultaneously optimize overall structural topology, partitioning to multiple components and functionally graded lattices within each component. The functionally graded lattice infill with guaranteed connectivity is realized by applying the Helmholtz PDE filter with a variable radius on the density field in the solid isotropic material with penalization (SIMP) method. The partitioning of an overall structure into multiple components is realized by applying the discrete material optimization (DMO) method, in which each material is interpreted as each component, and the size limit for each component imposed by a chosen additive manufacturing machine. A gradient‐free coating filter realizes bulk solid boundaries for each component, which provide continuous mating surfaces between adjacent components to enable the subsequent joining. The structural interfaces between the bulk solid boundaries are extracted and assigned a distinct material property, which model the joints between the adjacent components. Several numeral examples are solved for demonstration.