Structural Strength Improvement of 3D Printing Parts from Topology Optimised Design Using Anisotropic Material Modelling

Additive manufacturing (AM) offers diversity, customisability and creativity, making it an important tool to lead Industry 4.0. Reducing the cost of prototyping, bespoke and small-scale production is some of the key advantages of 3D printing. Parts created by topology optimisation and generative design are usually easier to make by AM. Industrial sectors such as automotive, biomedical and manufacturing have begun to see AM as a cost-effective process for complex components. AM is not without its drawbacks, print failures, distortion, rough surfaces and anisotropic properties, and lack of material data is limiting the quality assurance of this technology. It is known that the mechanical properties of the printed parts are sensitive to specific AM process parameters, e.g. the printing direction to the anisotropic property. In this study, the improvement of the prospective mechanical property of a topologically optimised design of a wheel was carried out. As the mechanical load of a wheel is crucial in its application, the prospective mechanical properties of the wheel to be made by AM are investigated by using simulation so that better outcome from AM may be predicted with the customised process planning