Component Development by Simulation-Driven Design Method

According to the requirements of the aerospace industry for high strength, high stiffness, and lightweight structural parts, topology optimization has been proved to be an effective product design method. As one of the most conceptual and prospective structural optimization design methods, topology optimization intends to seek the optimal layout of materials in an allowed design region under a given load and boundary conditions. Thus, the object of study in the article is the method of topological optimization of aircraft structures. The goal of this article is to analyze the existing approaches, algorithms, as well as application of the method of topological optimization in the aerospace field in applied problems. The tasks are to describe the existing various approaches methods, features, and research directions of topological optimization as well as to study the possibility of application in the manufacturing process of composite structures. The following results were obtained. The optimization methods are briefly explained and compared, and the advantages and limitations of each approach are discussed. The various ways of simultaneous optimization of fiber orientation and structural topology were described and analyzed. The features of different methods of continuous fiber orientation optimization method were reviewed. The discrete fiber orientation optimization methods were represented. The possibility of multi-scale concurrent topological optimization was described. The combination of topology optimization and additive manufacturing was considered. Finally, the topology optimization of FRC structures which have been resolved in literature are reviewed and the potential research fields requiring more investigation are pointed out. Conclusions. In the article, a comprehensive review of the topology optimization design of FRC structures was presented. The promising way is to combine topology optimization with additive manufacturing techniques. However, these proposed methods may not suitable for other more complex problems, such as bucking stability and natural frequency. Hence, the topology optimization design of complex FRC components under complicated conditions is the main challenge in the future. This can be a new trend in the topology design of FRC structures.

Response-spectrum-based design method for gain-scheduling control of active base-isolated structures with nonlinear viscous dampers

Under high gravity loads, steel double-beam floor systems need to be reinforced by beam-end concrete panels to reduce the material quantity since rotational constraints from the concrete panel can decrease the moment demand by inducing a negative moment at the ends of the beams. However, the optimal design process for the material quantity of steel beams requires a time-consuming iterative analysis for the entire floor system while especially keeping in consideration the rotational constraints in composite connections between the concrete panel and steel beams. This study aimed to develop an optimal design method with the LM (Length-Moment) index for the steel double-beam floor system to minimize material quantity without the iterative design process. The LM index is an indicator that can select a minimum cross-section of the steel beams in consideration of the flexural strength by lateral-torsional buckling. To verify the proposed design method, the material quantities between the proposed and code-based design methods were compared at various gravity loads. The proposed design method successfully optimized the material quantity of the steel double-beam floor systems without the iterative analysis by simply choosing the LM index of the steel beams that can minimize objective function while satisfying the safety-related constraint conditions. In particular, under the high gravity loads, the proposed design method was superb at providing a quantity-optimized design option. Thus, the proposed optimal design method can be an alternative for designing the steel double-beam floor system.

Topology optimisation is an effective approach to design extreme lightweight components. However, most of the resulted optimum lightweight components usually have complex structures which cannot be produced successfully by traditional manufacturing processes. Selective laser melting is one of the additive manufacturing processes. It shows powerful capacity in the manufacturing of metal components with complex structures. Therefore, the combination of topology optimisation and selective laser melting shows a promising prospect for metal components. However, support structures were usually introduced during the selective laser melting manufacturing process, which resulted to some disadvantages, for example, the support structures are generally difficult to remove from the original components because it is difficult to clamping and machining. Therefore, a design method was proposed in this study, named lightweight and support-free design method, the detailed design process and advantages were presented. In the design process, topology optimisation was applied to realise lightweight design, and support-free design process was developed to meet the support-free requirement. Finally, as a case, a cross-beam component was designed using the proposed method, and the final model was produced successfully using selective laser melting process. The case study result verified that the proposed design method is effective to design lightweight and support-free industrial metal components for SLM process.

Purpose This research presents a design method for designing greenhouse structures based on topology optimization. Moreover, the structural design of a gothic greenhouse is proposed in which its structural strength has been improved by using this proposed method. In this method, the design of the structure is done mathematically; therefore, in the design process, more attention can be focused on the constraint space and boundary conditions. It was also shown how the static reliability and fatigue coefficients will change as a result of the design of the greenhouse structure with this method. Another purpose of this study is to find the weakest part of the greenhouse structure against lateral winds and other general loads on the greenhouse structure. Design/methodology/approach In the proposed method, the outer surface and the allowable volume as a constraint domain were considered. The desired loads can be located on the constraint domain. The topology optimization was used to minimize the mass and structural compliance as the objective function. The obtained volume was modified for simplifying the construction. The changes in the shape of the greenhouse structure were investigated by choosing three different penalty numbers for the topology optimization algorithm. The final design of the proposed structure was performed based on the total simultaneous critical loads on the structure. The results of the proposed method were compared in the order of different volume fractions. This showed that the volume fraction approach can significantly reduce the weight of the structure while maintaining its strength and stability. Findings Topology optimization results showed different strut and chords composition because of the changes in maximum mass limit and volume fraction. The results showed that the fatigue was more hazardous, and it decreased the strength of structure nearly three times more than a static analysis. Further, it was noticed that how the penalty numbers can affect topology optimization results. An optimal design based on topology optimization results was presented to improve the proposed greenhouse design against destruction and demolition. Furthermore, this study shows the most sensitive part of the greenhouse against the standard loads of wind, snow, and crop. Originality/value The obtained designs were compared with a conventional arch greenhouse, and then the structural performances were shown based on standard loads. The results showed that in designing the proposed structure, the optimized changes increased the structure strength against the standard loads compared to a simple arch greenhouse. Moreover, the stress safety factor and fatigue safety factor because of different designs of this structure were also compared with each other.

Evaluation of the microscale structure and performance of asphalt mixtures under different design methods

Reliability of design approaches for axially loaded offshore piles and its consequences with respect to the North Sea

In the field of modern design, the continuous evolution and innovation of design methods are of significant importance to the competitiveness and innovative capacity of enterprises. At the same time, industry-academia collaboration, as a bridge connecting academia and industry, can effectively promote the development of design education and industrial progress. This paper explores the concepts and applications of modern design methods, analyzes the current status, challenges, and successful cases of industry-academia collaboration, and proposes practical applications and future development directions for modern design methods in such collaborations. The study shows that effective industry-academia collaboration can further enhance the application of modern design methods, foster the cultivation of innovative talents, and promote sustainable industrial development.

This study aims to enhance structural efficiency and achieve material savings by employing the topology optimization method for the lightweight design of an autonomous model vehicle chassis. During the design process, the penalty-based Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) method, available within ANSYS Academic software, was utilized. Initially, a structural analysis of the chassis was conducted, followed by the application of topology optimization based on the finite element method (FEM) results. Through iterative solutions under specified loading conditions and boundary constraints, a mass reduction of approximately 27% was achieved compared to the initial geometry. Despite the reduction in mass, the design maintained its structural integrity. Graphical analyses indicated that the optimization process reached convergence after the fifth iteration, with a stabilized distribution of material. The results demonstrate the potential of topology optimization to develop low-cost, lightweight, yet robust structural solutions, emphasizing its effectiveness as an engineering tool in systems where weight reduction is critical, such as autonomous model vehicles.

The article aims to briefly summarize the design aids which can be used nowadays, such as topology optimization and generative design, which are common in integrated CAD systems. A case study is used to present the results and comparisons provided by the previously mentioned methods.

An integrated method of topological optimization and path design for 3D concrete printing

Until recently, airfoil design has largely been a process of trial and error that has relied heavily upon the intuition and experience of the designer. Using an experimental database for airfoils, a designer would normally employ an educated guess to make modifications to the design. He would then build a new model and test it in the wind tunnel. After several of these design iterations, an airfoil with the desired characteristics would be obtained. Now, with the development of advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes, much of the trial and error process in aerodynamic design can be eliminated. A CFD code models air flow around a given geometry by numerically solving the governing equations of fluid dynamics on the computer. Rather than testing a new model in the wind tunnel at each design iteration, it is much faster and cheaper to test new airfoil designs with CFD calculations. However each new design requires many (several hundred) computationally intensive CFD calculations before an acceptable design evolves using an optimization procedure. This process is called direct design optimization. In order to alleviate the problems associated with the computationally intensive nature of the direct design methods, attempts have been made to calculate the shape of an airfoil that would have a specified flow distribution over its surface. This is essentially the inverse of a direct CFD calculation in which the shape of the airfoil is given and the flow is calculated; hence it is referred to as inverse design. Summaries of previous work in inverse design are given by Jameson [1], Cabuk and Modi [2], Lewis, Peters and Agarwal, [3] and Agarwal and Lewis [4], and Lewis [5]. In this paper, the inverse design has been formulated as a variational problem in which a control system minimizes the differences between the actual and the desired velocity (or pressure distributions) over the airfoil surface by making successive changes to the shape of the airfoil. A flow chart of the design method is shown in Fig. 1. First, an initial airfoil and the desired velocity (or pressure distribution) are input. The Mach number and angle of attack are also specified. Then a flow solver (Full Potential or Euler) computes the actual velocity and pressure distribution around the airfoil. Next, a cost functional, which represents the deviation of the actual velocity (or pressure distribution) from the desired velocity (or pressure distribution) is computed. If the cost functional has reached a minimum, then the process terminates. Otherwise, a variation is made to the shape of the airfoil such that the cost functional is reduced. The process is repeated so that the cost functional is minimized thereby minimizing the deviation between the actual and the desired velocity (or pressure distributions). The inverse design enhances the efficiency of the aerodynamic design process by several orders of magnitude. Several test cases are shown to demonstrate the method and its robust characteristics (accuracy, stability and efficiency) for aerodynamic design.

In this paper, we propose an efficient design method for a thermal camera with continuous zoom based on the research and manufacturing experience of the thermal camera. In addition, it is divided into system design method, optical design method, mechanical design method, and electronic design method. First, we propose an effective NUC compensation method and a lens-specific sensitivity design method in terms of system. Second, we propose a zoom trajectory design method considering the temperature effect on the optical aspect. Third, it suggests the minimization of optical axis shaking between magnification conversion in terms of mechanism. Finally, we propose a lens-specific temperature compensation method and a speed conversion algorithm according to the zoom interval as an electronic aspect.

This paper explores the development and optimization of artificial reefs by introducing a novel generative design method incorporating Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Optimization (BESO). Since the 1950s, efforts to create artificial reefs have been pursued to improve marine ecosystems. Our study first surveyed the existing design of artificial reefs. Addressing the limitations in existing design methods, this research employs a topological optimization strategy, focusing on optimizing space allocation for polyphony expansion within these reefs. By analyzing fluid dynamics and connecting it with an iterative optimization process, we assess the effectiveness of material exchange in these artificial structures. This is critical for the design process, considering constraints from advanced manufacturing to allow for quick production with natural-like geometries. To advance the design of artificial reefs and explore new possibilities, we introduce a novel generative design approach, where the design of the reef emerges from the interaction between CFD and BESO, through an iterative process of material removal and addition in response to the external loading condition. The artificial reef generated is compared against benchmarks of current artificial design to assess its material efficiency, structure performance, and geometrical characteristics in complex underwater conditions.

Random variable of thermo-mechanical coupling (TMC) structure is analyzed first, then the topology optimization model of TMC compliant mechanism is established. According to the uncertainty factors such as temperature, load, volume ratio and thermal expansion coefficient in the process of topology optimization, the robust reliability optimal design method is introduced into the topology optimization process. The various factors on the sensitivity of topology optimization process is analyzed, the best match between various factors is find out, which make the product has robust reliability for the change of the uncertainty. The residual analysis for the most sensitive factors is carried out. Finally the correctness and validity of the method is verified with an example. Introduction When we study the compliant mechanisms by adopting topological optimization method, we only need to give design domain and allocate input and output position, no need from the perspective of a known rigidity. The mechanism come from this method have a input and output relationship of optimized “force—displacement”, thus it attracts people’s attention. Topology optimization research is developing from certain topology optimization direction to reliable topology optimization direction. Jinqing Zhan proposed a reliable topology optimization method of compliant mechanism based on infrastructure method. KHARMANDA proposed a reliable topology optimization method. Zhaokun Li proposed a geometric nonlinear topology optimization research method based on reliable compliant mechanism. Their research turned out that the mechanism based on reliable topology optimization is more reasonable than the mechanism based on certain topology optimization. Yongcong Kuang build a level set function to design variable, stiffness minimization, and proposed corresponding optimization algorithm. Mingtao Cui established a monolithic compliant mechanism multi-target reliable topology optimization design dual mathematical model. This paper combines topology optimization process of compliant mechanism and robust reliability optimal design, analyzes the sensitivity of uncertainty random variables such as design domain’s size, external load and temperature in topology optimization process. Then get the best combination among these random variables. Random Variable Coupling Field Analysis Hot objects will produce thermal expansion, thus caused by the thermal deformation and displacement of combined action of mechanical load and temperature load structure called a hot solid coupling structure, the finite element balance equation :