A Hybrid Algorithm for Topology Optimization of Additive Manufactured Structures

Most topology (TO) algorithms involve the penalization of intricate structural features to eliminate manufacturing difficulties. Since additive manufacturing is less dependent on manufacturing constraints, it becomes necessary to adapt these algorithms for AM. We propose a hybrid algorithm consisting of an adaptive meshing strategy (AMS) and a modified form of the bidirectional evolutionary structural optimization (BESO) method. By solving a standard cantilever problem, we show that the hybrid method offers improved performance over the standard BESO method. It is proposed that the new method is more suitable for optimizing structures for AM in a computational efficient manner.Mechanical Engineerin