Bio-inspired generative design for support structure generation and optimization in Additive Manufacturing (AM). Issue 1 (2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Yicha; Wang, Zhiping; Zhang, Yancheng; Gomes, Samuel; Bernard, Alain
• Is Part Of: CIRP annals. Volume 69:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 117
• Page End: 120
• Publication Date: 2020
• Subjects: Design optimization -- Additive Manufacturing -- Support structure; Production engineering -- Research -- Periodicals; 670.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cirp.2020.04.091
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-8506

Abstract

Abstract : Additive Manufacturing (AM) is widely used to manufacture complex and personalized medical components. However, the generation and manually removing of support structures in the pre- and post-processing stages are still time-consuming and costly. To improve the automation of preparation while reducing support structure volume, post-processing time and cost, this paper proposes a bio-inspired generative design method, integrating parametric L systems, evolutionary optimization and an AM processing simulation model, to generate light-weight, easy-to-remove and heat-diffusion-friendly biomimetic support structures. Dental components are modelled and manufactured for validating the proposed method. The results obtained are compared with that of existing commercial software tools.