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Concurrent Topological Structure and Cross-Infill Angle Optimization for Material Extrusion Polymer Additive
Ruixiao Tang1, Chenghu Zhang1, Jikai Liu1,2
1Center for Advanced Jet Engineering Technologies (CaJET), Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture (Ministry of Education), School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China.
Micromachines
|June 24, 2022
Summary
This study introduces an optimization method for additive manufacturing (AM) infill structures. The approach enhances structural stiffness by optimizing cross-infill angles, validated through numerical and experimental tests.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
- Computational Modeling
Background:
- Material extrusion additive manufacturing (AM) often results in anisotropic material properties due to layer-by-layer fabrication.
- Optimizing infill structures is crucial for enhancing the mechanical performance of AM parts.
- Understanding and modeling process-induced anisotropy is key to improving structural integrity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a concurrent topological structure and cross-infill angle optimization method for material extrusion AM.
- To model and account for process-induced material anisotropy in AM structures.
- To improve the structural stiffness of additively manufactured components.
Main Methods:
- Microscopic geometric modeling using scanning electron micrographs to capture material anisotropy.
- Numerical homogenization to determine effective material properties of cross-infilled microstructures.
- Empirical construction of material properties based on varying cross-infill angles using fitting functions.
- Formulation of concurrent optimization problems with cross-infill angles as design variables.
Main Results:
- The proposed method effectively models material anisotropy in 3D printed structures.
- A clear relationship between cross-infill angles and effective material properties was established.
- Concurrent optimization formulation enabled efficient design space exploration.
- Both numerical simulations and experimental tests confirmed significant improvements in structural stiffness.
Conclusions:
- The developed optimization method successfully enhances structural stiffness in material extrusion AM.
- Accounting for material anisotropy through optimized infill angles is critical for performance.
- The approach provides a robust framework for designing high-performance AM parts.
