Load-bearing structures design using topological optimization and additive manufacturing technologies

The aim of the work is to create an integrated technology for designing load-bearing structures using topological optimization and additive manufacturing, as well as its approbation on the example of a specific task of designing and manufacturing an aerospace structure. The proposed methodology describes the main design stages for additive manufacturing. In the ANSYS system, the power scheme of the structure is designed based on topological optimization. To refine the dimensions and shape of the structural strength elements, a module was used that allows optimizing the geometric model of the structure by shifting the nodes of the design grid of the structure. The results of the verification calculation showed that the designed structure has a significantly lower mass compared to the prototype and is not inferior to it in terms of rigidity, strength and minimum values of natural vibration frequencies. The article describes the implementation of the production process for creating a workpiece using selective laser melting technology. The development of a 3D model of the design sample was carried out in the Siemens NX software. For the considered design, the method of residual stress compensation based on the optimization of heat sinks on the technological construction platform and the method of preliminary correction of the workpiece geometry in the SimufactAdditive software were applied. The results obtained in the work show the possibility of introducing additive manufacturing together with topological optimization in the design of spacecraft, including the load-bearing structures of their propulsion systems.