Structural optimisation for controlled deflections of additively manufactured single material beams

Area of Science:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Computational Mechanics

Background:

• Controlling beam deflection is a critical engineering challenge.
• Additive manufacturing offers precise material placement but lacks diverse material options for multi-material solutions.
• Existing methods struggle with functional part production due to material limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel cellular structured beam design for precise deflection control.
• To utilize single-material additive manufacturing for producing functional parts.
• To match predefined deflection profiles under various loading conditions.

Main Methods:

• Optimizing individual cell geometries within a single-material beam structure.
• Employing the covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy (CMA-ES) algorithm for iterative geometry optimization.
• Validating designs through numerical simulations and experimental testing.

Main Results:

• Achieved precise control over beam deflection profiles matching preset conditions.
• Demonstrated the efficacy of cellular structure optimization for tailored mechanical behavior.
• Showcased close correlation between numerical and experimental deflection responses.

Conclusions:

• Cellular structure optimization offers a viable alternative to multi-material approaches for controlling beam deflection.
• Single-material additive manufacturing combined with optimized cellular designs can produce functional components.
• The proposed method provides a pathway for engineering custom beam responses for specific applications.