Additive technologies enable the production of elements with complex geometry, which opens up new possibilities in the design of lightweight and strong structures. However, the additive manufacturing process is associated with limitations that must be taken into account at the design stage. This article presents the results of research on the design and analysis of skeletal structures intended for additive manufacturing. CAD models of the robot gripper were developed and then optimized using three different approaches: the use of a shape generator, generative design, and finite element analysis (FEM). The aim of the study was to compare the strength of a robot gripper that was lightened using three different design approaches, with a fixed mass reduction of 40%, in order to determine which method provides the greatest mechanical strength. Experimental studies included numerical analysis and real tests conducted on a testing machine. The test results showed that generative design allows for the most optimal material distribution, which translates into a more favorable strength-to-weight ratio compared to other methods of reducing the weight of the structure.
Dębski et al. (Mon,) studied this question.