Topology, Orientation and Fiber Path Optimization for Layered Anisotropic Materials

Topology optimization and additive manufacturing complement each other: the freedom offered by design optimization enables the creation of complex, highly efficient structures that are often feasible only with additive manufacturing. However, most structural optimization methods assume isotropic material properties, an assumption that contradicts the inherent anisotropy of structures produced via additive manufacturing. Therefore, a comprehensive optimization should consider not only the topology but also the local material orientation. We present an optimization approach for the topology of layered, anisotropic materials that includes optimizing the global print plane and the local fiber or tool paths, as well as restricting the maximum fiber curvature within the layers. This approach is grounded in thermodynamic optimization based on the stationarity condition of a variational principle used in thermodynamically consistent material modeling. We derive transient partial differential equations for the design variables, whose solutions in pseudo‐time serve as an update scheme that drives the design variables toward the optimum.