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Model-based, multi-material topology optimization taking into account cost and manufacturability

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Abstract

Multi-material topology optimization has become a popular design optimization discipline since it allows to go a step further in topology optimization of the design of lightweight components and structures. However, it also presents additional challenges in terms of managing a higher complexity in the optimization problem, reliably estimating the manufacturing cost taking into account the cost of joining dissimilar materials, or assessing the manufacturability of the design. This paper proposes a set of methods that solve generic multi-material topology optimization problems, while including several novel aspects such as a comprehensive cost model, specific design rules for multi-material design, and model order reduction techniques to improve the computational efficiency. Two different examples, consisting of a sitting bench and a car cowling, have been solved in order to support the benefits of the approach.

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Acknowledgments

This study was performed in the frameworks of the OPTIMULTI ICON project. https://www.flandersmake.be/en/projects/optimulti.

Funding

This research was supported by Flanders Make, the strategic research centre for the manufacturing industry. The Research Fund KU Leuven provided support. The research of S. Jonckheere is funded by a grant of the Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship Agency.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Core Lab CodesignS, Flanders Make. Gaston Geenslaan 8, Heverlee, 3001, Belgium

    Carlos López, Sofie Burggraeve, Pieter Lietaert & Jan Stroobants

  2. Core Lab DMMS-D, Flanders Make. Celestijnenlaan 300, Leuven, 3001, Belgium

    Xiang Xie, Stijn Jonckheere, Bert Pluymers & Wim Desmet

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, Division PMA. Celestijnenlaan 300, Leuven, 3001, Belgium

    Xiang Xie, Stijn Jonckheere, Bert Pluymers & Wim Desmet

  4. State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Xiang Xie

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  1. Carlos López
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Correspondence to Carlos López.

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Replication of results

The results presented in this article can be replicated by implementing in MATLAB the methods and algorithms detailed in Sections 2, 3, 4, and 5.

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López, C., Burggraeve, S., Lietaert, P. et al. Model-based, multi-material topology optimization taking into account cost and manufacturability. Struct Multidisc Optim 62, 2951–2973 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-020-02641-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-020-02641-0

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