Topology optimization of cantilever beams with non-cellular, cellular, and hybrid structures for enhanced mechanical performance

• Optimization strategies developed for cantilever beam designs. • A novel hybrid beam combining solid and lattice advantages was developed. • Optimized designs outperform uniform lattice in stress and deflection. • Hybrid and non-cellular beams show highest stress and deflection reduction. Lattice structures are widely utilized in engineering applications due to their numerous advantages, particularly their exceptional design flexibility. Topology optimization serves as a powerful tool to exploit this flexibility by enabling the design of structures optimized for efficient performance and reduced weight. In this study, topology optimization is employed to optimize the geometry of a cantilever beam in non-cellular, cellular, and a novel hybrid configuration, aiming to minimize compliance while satisfying a material volume fraction constraint. An algorithm based on the SIMP method and the optimality criterion approach was employed to optimize cantilever beams with a prescribed volume fraction of 40%. A uniform lattice beam was included in the study to provide a baseline for assessing the effectiveness of the optimized designs. To evaluate the performance of the topology-optimized beams, bending simulations were conducted using Abaqus software. The results showed that, compared to the uniform lattice beam, the application of topology optimization led to stress reductions of 83.33%, 60.63%, and 84.03% in the non-cellular, cellular, and hybrid beams, respectively. Deflection was similarly reduced by 86.83%, 65.57%, and 83.53% across these beams. The findings of the study underscore the significant potential of the optimization method to improve the mechanical performance of lattice structures.