Elsevier

Additive Manufacturing

Volume 35, October 2020, 101231
Additive Manufacturing

Research Paper
Computational design synthesis of additive manufactured multi-flow nozzles

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2020.101231Get rights and content
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Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) enables highly complex-shaped and functionally optimized parts. To leverage this potential the creation of part designs is necessary. However, as today’s computer-aided design (CAD) tools are still based on low-level, geometric primitives, the modeling of complex geometries requires many repetitive, manual steps. As a consequence, the need for an automated design approach is emphasized and regarded as a key enabler to quickly create different concepts, allow iterative design changes, and customize parts at reduced effort. Topology optimization exists as a computational design approach but usually demands a manual interpretation and redesign of a CAD model and may not be applicable to problems such as the design of parts with multiple integrated flows. This work presents a computational design synthesis framework to automate the design of complex-shaped multi-flow nozzles. The framework provides AM users a toolbox with design elements, which are used as building blocks to generate finished 3D part geometries. The elements are organized in a hierarchical architecture and implemented using object-oriented programming. As the layout of the elements is defined with a visual interface, the process is accessible to non-experts. As a proof of concept, the framework is applied to successfully generate a variety of customized AM nozzles that are tested using co-extrusion of clay. Finally, the work discusses the framework’s benefits and limitations, the impact on product development and novel AM applications, and the transferability to other domains.

Keywords

Design for additive manufacturing
Design automation
Computational design synthesis
Co-extrusion

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