Comparison of some approaches to define a CAD model from topological optimization in design for additive manufacturing

Pierre-Thomas Doutre (1) , Elodie Morretton (1) , Thanh Hoang Vo (2, 1) , Philippe René Marin (2) , Franck Pourroy (2) , Guy Prudhomme (2) , Frédéric Vignat (1)

1 G-SCOP_CPP - Conception Produit Process
2 G-SCOP_CC - Conception collaborative

Topological optimization is often used in the design of light-weight structures. Additive manufacturing allows to manufacture complex shapes and exploits the full potential of this tool. However, topology optimization results is a discrete representation of the optimal topology, requiring the designers to ‘manually’ create a CAD model. This process can be very time consuming, and hardly penalizes the design process efficiency. In this paper, several possible approaches to get a CAD model from the topological optimization results are proposed. From case studies, benefits and drawbacks of these approaches are discussed in order to help engineers in the choice of their approach.

Domaines: Mécanique [physics.med-ph]

Pierre-Thomas Doutre, Elodie Morretton, Thanh Hoang Vo, Philippe René Marin, Franck Pourroy, et al.. Comparison of some approaches to define a CAD model from topological optimization in design for additive manufacturing. Advances on Mechanics, Design Engineering and Manufacturing, Springer, Cham, pp.233--240, 2017, Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, 978-3-319-45780-2 978-3-319-45781-9. ⟨hal-01708152⟩