ROBODAM - ROBust Optimisation in Design for Additive Manufacturing

Networks or lattices possess an important possibility to solve several issues in additive manufacturing (AM). It can give the opportunity to design light weight structures and can be integrated in optimized solutions to increase robustness to handle e.g. loads in directions that was not anticipated during the design stage. Lattices can also be integrated into components to additionally serve as a support structure during build so that there is no need for removal after the manufacturing stage. This may significantly reduce the cost for AM processing. An additional possibility is to use lattices is to integrate these structures in heat exchange solutions for increased heat transfer through increased surface areas. Knowledge on lattice structures, their properties function and how to use them in design optimization is however not fully present.

This project is focusing on the further development and validation of a fully integrated design optimization process where both the product performance and the producibility of the product is taken into account in the design stage. The project also will build knowledge on internal properties, primarily material properties, is affected by component geometry and build direction (given the materials and process parameters) in order to build a foundation for how to use this knowledge in the design optimization process for optimal product properties and producibility. This will be done with a focus on periodic surface lattices rather than strut based lattices.