Component-based 2D topology and continuous fiber layout optimization of additively manufactured parts

Abstract This paper focuses on simultaneous topology and fiber layout optimization for additive manufacturing processes. Several manufacturing limitations stand in the way of manufacturing highly efficient composite parts with additive manufacturing. Further, the use of post-processing in order to fulfill manufacturing limitations may reduce the performance of the optimized result to an unknown degree. In addition, the post-processed results may not satisfy structural constraints. This paper utilizes the Moving Morphable Components framework for topology optimization. Each component is parametrized by a skeleton curve defined based on the Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation. This formulation allows fibers to be defined parallel to the skeleton curve within a component using a novel projection method. Further, this method enables the definition of novel manufacturing constraints on the parametric component. To achieve inter-component fiber continuity, without a priori knowledge of the optimized component layout, a novel multi-objective formulation is presented. Lastly, a failure index constraint based on the Tsai–Wu failure criterion is added to the formulation. The results show that the optimized results can be manufactured with very limited post-processing required.