The use of 3D printing makes it possible to produce very complex structures, which were hitherto either impossible to make or required tremendous effort and significant cost using traditional production methods. To fully exploit the potential of 3D printing, it is important to optimize component designs for the freedom of the additive manufacturing process in the earliest concept development stages.

1. Prepared for By
An Company
Design Faster and Lighter: Applications of Topology
Optimization in Additive Manufacturing
ATC 2015 Jaideep Bangal

2. Prepared for By
An Company

3. Copyright © 2013 solidThinking, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
When topology optimization is utilized to generate designs for additive
manufacturing, many exciting new benefits present themselves
(lightweight parts, stronger parts, no wasted materials, cost savings,
etc.). This presentation will answer a number of questions. What is
topology optimization? Why does topology optimization makes sense
for additive manufacturing? How does topology optimization work?
Who has been applying topology optimization? Why should topology
optimization be on a designer’s desktop? What are the future
opportunities? This presentation will include multiple real-world
examples of companies using topology optimization to design for and
enhance the benefits of additive manufacturing.
Temp slide - abstract

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Agenda
Why?
Topology / Design Optimization – Concept Design
How
Technology
Who
Industry applications

5. Copyright © 2014 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
3D Printing: Changing Design and Manufacturing

6. Copyright © 2015 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
They are
cool
fancy stuff
Structural
freedom
Individual
design
democratic
design
complexity
is for free
functional
integration
No tooling
lot size 1
custom
made parts
spare parts
on demand
Why we look at the Additive Manufacturing?

7. Copyright © 2015 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
To make sure that an added value is designed into the part
• extreme performance increase
• Lightweight parts
• Stronger parts
• Part cost reduction
• Functional integration
Why design / redesign components?

8. Copyright © 2015 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
“Drafting” something like this
can take weeks with a conventional system:
Efficient Design
pictures by courtesy of Laser Zentrum Nord

9. Copyright © 2013 solidThinking, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
What is Topology Optimization?
Topology optimization is a mathematical approach that optimizes material
layout within a given design space under given operating conditions.

10. Copyright © 2015 solidThinking, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Start with original CAD design

11. Copyright © 2015 solidThinking, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Create Package Space and Load Cases

12. Copyright © 2015 solidThinking, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Inspire Concept Shape

13. Copyright © 2015 solidThinking, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Explore Different Designs / Shapes

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Validate Inspire Concept Shape / Proposal

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Inspire Results back into CAD

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Original Design vs. Inspire Design
New Design: 25% Lighter

17. Copyright © 2013 solidThinking, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
3D Printing and Topology Optimization
Images courtesy of shapeways.com
3D-Printing
Form
freedom
Complexity
made easy
Individual
product
Accelerated
production
Topology
Optimization
Maximum
performance
Free-form
Individual
design
Shortened
process

18. Copyright © 2014 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Application in Broad Industries

19. Copyright © 2015 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Application in Broad Industries

20. Copyright © 2013 solidThinking, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Design and
manufacture
based on intent
55% Mass Reduction

21. Copyright © 2013 solidThinking, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Unlock the
lightweight
potential of AM with
concept
generation
and
organic
interpretation.
32% Weight Reduction

22. Copyright © 2015 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
The Femur Stool
Designing organic
structures for ALM
with concept
optimization
‘Visuals and product design
by Assa Ashuach Studio’

23. Copyright © 2015 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Unlock the
lightweight
potential of ALM
with concept
optimization
for EADS IW
326g
918g
- 64%
“OptiStruct allowed us to maximize
the weight saving benefits of the ALM
process.”
Jon Meyer EADS Innovation Works

24. Copyright © 2014 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Engineering ability
Front loading
Only the right assumptions lead to the desired result

25. Copyright © 2015 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Unlock the
lightweight
potential of AM with
concept
optimization
and
organic interpretation
at LZN
- 26 %

26. Copyright © 2014 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Empire Cycles World’s First 3D Printed Titanium Bike Frame

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Spareparts made to
order, make products
live longer.
OptiStruct reduces
material use and
helps to make them
profitable.
Source:
“How Additive
Manufacturing Changed
the World of Engineering”
Dr.-Ing. Olaf Rehme,
Dipl.-Ing. Martin Schäfer
Siemens AG, Corporate
Technology
Material Substitution
Functionality Integration
Minimum material usage

28. Copyright © 2014 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
3D Printed Antenna Bracket for
Sentinel-1 Satellite:
• 43% weight reduction
(from 1.626 kg to 0.936 kg)
• Increased Eigen frequency
(70Hz  90 Hz)
• Improved static behaviour, strength,
stiffness, stability
From the Printer into Space

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Conceptual Optimization
Design Interpretation
Geometry creation
Evaluation of designGeometry validation
From the Printer into Space
Baseline CAD
Manufacturing 1
Image courtesy of RUAG Space
Design Process for AM

30. Copyright © 2015 Altair Engineering, Inc. Proprietary and Confidential. All rights reserved.
Simulation Driven Design unlocks the potential of Additive Manufacturing
Explore Altair's seamless
process and see
how you can benefit!
Visit us at:
www. altair.de
bromberger@altair.de
How to …