Topology optimization of hinge-free compliant mechanisms using level set methods

A new level set-based multi-objective optimization method is proposed for topological design of hinge-free compliant mechanisms. Firstly, the flexibility requirement of compliant mechanisms is formulated by using the mutual energy. Two types of mean compliance are developed to meet the stiffness requirement. Secondly, several objective functions are developed for designing hinge-free compliant mechanisms based on the weighting method in which a new scheme for determining weighting factors is used. Thirdly, several numerical examples are performed to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method. It is shown that the resulting compliant mechanism configurations contain only strip-like members which are suitable for generating distributed compliance and decreasing stress concentration.     

考虑混合约束的柔顺机构拓扑优化设计

为了满足制造工艺和静强度要求,提出一种综合考虑最小尺寸控制和应力约束的柔顺机构混合约束拓扑优化设计方法。采用改进的固体各向同性材料插值模型描述材料分布,利用多相映射方法同时控制实相和空相材料结构的最小尺寸,采用最大近似函数P范数求解机构的最大应力,以机构的输出位移最大化作为目标函数,综合考虑最小特征尺寸控制和应力约束建立柔顺机构混合约束拓扑优化数学模型,利用移动渐近算法求解柔顺机构混合约束拓扑优化问题。数值算例结果表明,混合约束拓扑优化获得的柔顺机构能够同时满足最小尺寸制造约束和静强度要求,机构的von Mises等效应力分布更加均匀。     

考虑混合约束的柔顺机构拓扑优化设计

为了满足制造工艺和静强度要求,提出一种综合考虑最小尺寸控制和应力约束的柔顺机构混合约束拓扑优化设计方法。采用改进的固体各向同性材料插值模型描述材料分布,利用多相映射方法同时控制实相和空相材料结构的最小尺寸,采用最大近似函数P范数求解机构的最大应力,以机构的输出位移最大化作为目标函数,综合考虑最小特征尺寸控制和应力约束建立柔顺机构混合约束拓扑优化数学模型,利用移动渐近算法求解柔顺机构混合约束拓扑优化问题。数值算例结果表明,混合约束拓扑优化获得的柔顺机构能够同时满足最小尺寸制造约束和静强度要求,机构的von Mises等效应力分布更加均匀。     

Computation of pareto optima in structural design

The structural design problem is acknowledge to be commonly multi-criteria in nature. The various bases for multi-criteria optimization methodologies are outlined and a computationally viable method for generating Pareto optimal solutions is adopted for the structural design problem where the criteria may be non-commensurable. A numerical example on optimal truss design illustrating non-commensurable criteria is given.     

Compliant mechanism design with non-linear materials using topology optimization

In this paper, compliant mechanism design with non-linear materials using topology optimization is presented. A general displacement functional with non-linear material model is used in the topology optimization formulation. Sensitivity analysis of this displacement functional is derived from the adjoint method. Optimal compliant mechanism examples for maximizing the mechanical advantage are presented and the effect of non-linear material on the optimal design are considered.     

Topology optimization of compliant mechanisms using the homogenization method

A procedure to obtain a topology of an optimal structure considering flexibility is presented. The methodology is based on a mutual energy concept for formulation of flexibility and the homogenization method. A multi-objective optimization problem is formulated as an application of compliant mechanism design. Some examples of the design of compliant mechanisms for plane structures are presented. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于物质点描述的双向渐进式拓扑优化方法

:为了克服连续体结构拓扑优化中的数值不稳定现象,定义了表征物质点及其领域有无的物质点拓扑变量,提出基于物质点描述的双向渐进式拓扑优化方法.基于过滤法构造拓扑变量场的插值函数,从而在拓扑优化模型中自然消除了棋盘格现象.为适用于不同单元类型和网格离散形式等,重新定义了灵敏度密度.通过二维数值算例对理论方法进行验证.结果表明:方法在连续体结构拓扑优化设计中具有可行性和有效性.     

Hierarchical optimization for topology design of multi-material compliant mechanisms

Multi-material topology optimization enables potential design possibilities in the multiphysics and structural designing fields. In this article, a bi-level hierarchical optimization method is introduced to address the multi-material design of compliant mechanisms. The hierarchical optimization develops decomposition approaches allowing the original complex multi-material optimization problem to be reduced to set of low-order single-material optimization sub-problems. The solution of the complex multi-material problem is found as a vector of the single-material sub-problems solutions. All the local sub-problems are solved with the solid isotropic material with penalization method independently, and a stiffness spreading technique is worked out to coordinate components of the global solution of the original problem. Several numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the validity of this method.     

A level set method for shape and topology optimization of large‐displacement compliant mechanisms

A parameterization level set method is presented for structural shape and topology optimization of compliant mechanisms involving large displacements. A level set model is established mathematically as the Hamilton–Jacobi equation to capture the motion of the free boundary of a continuum structure. The structural design boundary is thus described implicitly as the zero level set of a level set scalar function of higher dimension. The radial basis function with compact support is then applied to interpolate the level set function, leading to a relaxation and separation of the temporal and spatial discretizations related to the original partial differential equation. In doing so, the more difficult shape and topology optimization problem is now fully parameterized into a relatively easier size optimization of generalized expansion coefficients. As a result, the optimization is changed into a numerical process of implementing a series of motions of the implicit level set function via an existing efficient convex programming method. With the concept of the shape derivative, the geometrical non‐linearity is included in the rigorous design sensitivity analysis to appropriately capture the large displacements of compliant mechanisms. Several numerical benchmark examples illustrate the effectiveness of the present level set method, in particular, its capability of generating new holes inside the material domain. The proposed method not only retains the favorable features of the implicit free boundary representation but also overcomes several unfavorable numerical considerations relevant to the explicit scheme, the reinitialization procedure, and the velocity extension algorithm in the conventional level set method. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Techniques to suppress intermediate density in topology optimization of compliant mechanisms

Discrete topological problems are often relaxed with continuous design variables so that they can be solved using continuous mathematical programming. Such practice prevails because large-scale discrete 0–1 mathematical programming is not generally available. Although the relaxed problems become tractable, they may cause the appearance of intermediate density in the optimum topologies, especially those of structures and compliant mechanisms. Various penalty schemes have been proposed to suppress the intermediate density. Most of the past works assumed that the same penalty schemes could be effectively applied to both problems of stiffest structure design and compliant mechanism design. Differences in nature between the problems are generally neglected. This work distinguished the two problems, and observed that complaint mechanism (CM) problem does not suffer intermediate density as seriously as minimum compliance (MC) problem does. Besides allocating more material, explicit and implicit penalties were pursued to suppress intermediate density. To ensure mesh-independence and not to complicate the nonconvex objective function in CM problem, a new technique using a constraint of explicit penalty with variable bound is proposed to suppress intermediate density in topology optimization of compliant mechanisms. Together with a perimeter constraint, the new technique is also applied to MC problem. Received 13 March 2000     

Voigt–Reuss topology optimization for structures with linear elastic material behaviours

The desired results of variable topology material layout computations are stable and discrete material distributions that optimize the performance of structural systems. To achieve such material layout designs a continuous topology design framework based on hybrid combinations of classical Reuss (compliant) and Voigt (stiff) mixing rules is investigated. To avoid checkerboarding instabilities, the continuous topology optimization formulation is coupled with a novel spatial filtering procedure. The issue of obtaining globally optimal discrete layout designs with the proposed formulation is investigated using a continuation method which gradually transitions from the stiff Voigt formulation to the compliant Reuss formulation. The very good performance of the proposed methods is demonstrated on four structural topology design optimization problems from the literature. © 1997 John Wiley & sons, Ltd.     

Topology optimization of compliant circular path mechanisms based on an aggregated linear system and singular value decomposition

This paper proposes a topology optimization method for the design of compliant circular path mechanisms, or compliant mechanisms having a set of output displacement vectors with a constant norm, which is induced by a given set of input forces. To perform the optimization, a simple linear system composed of an input force vector, an output displacement vector and a matrix connecting them is constructed in the context of a discretized linear elasticity problem using FEM. By adding two constraints: 1, the dimensions of the input and the output vectors are equal; 2, the Euclidean norms of all local input force vectors are constant; from the singular value decomposition of the matrix connecting the input force vector and the output displacement vector, the optimization problem, which specifies and equalizes the norms of all output vectors, is formulated. It is a minimization problem of the weighted summation of the condition number of the matrix and the least square error of the second singular value and the specified value. This methodology is implemented as a topology optimization problem using the solid isotropic material with penalization method, sensitivity analysis and method of moving asymptotes. The numerical examples illustrate mechanically reasonable compliant circular path mechanisms and other mechanisms having multiple outputs with a constant norm. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A topological optimization approach for structural design of a high‐speed low‐load mechanism using the equivalent static loads method

In high‐speed low‐load mechanisms, the principal loads are the inertial forces caused by the high accelerations and velocities. Hence, mechanical design should consider lightweight structures to minimize such loads. In this paper, a topological optimization method is presented on the basis of the equivalent static loads method. Finite element (FE) models of the mechanism in different positions are constructed, and the equivalent loads are obtained using flexible multibody dynamics simulation. Kinetic DOFs are used to simulate the motion joints, and a quasi‐static analysis is performed to obtain the structural responses. The element sensitivity is calculated according to the static‐load‐equivalent equilibrium, in such a way that the influence on the inertial force is considered. A dimensionless component sensitivity factor (strain energy caused by unit load divided by kinetic energy from unit velocity) is used, which quantifies the significance of each element. Finally, the topological optimization approach is presented on the basis of the evolutionary structural optimization method, where the objective is to find the maximum ratio of strain energy to kinetic energy. In order to show the efficiency of the presented method, we presented two numerical cases. The results of these analyses show that the presented method is more efficient and can be easily implemented in commercial FE analysis software. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Design and multi-objective optimization for a broad self-amplified 2-DOF monolithic mechanism

This paper proposes a structural design and multi-objective optimization of a two-degree-of-freedom (DOF) monolithic mechanism. The mechanism is designed based on compliant mechanism with flexure hinge and is compact in size (126 mm by 107 mm). Unlike traditional one-lever mechanisms, a new double-lever mechanism is developed to increase the working travel amplification ratio of the monolithic mechanism. The ideal amplification ratio, the working travel, the statics and the dynamics of the mechanism are taken into consideration. The effects of design variables on the output responses such as the displacement and first natural frequency are investigated via finite-element analysis based on response surface methodology. The fuzzy-logic-based Taguchi method is then used to simultaneously optimize the displacement and the first natural frequency. Experimental validations are conducted to verify the optimal results, which are compared to those of the original design. On using a finite-element method, the validation results indicated that the displacement and frequency are enhanced by up to 12.47% and 33.27%, respectively, over those of the original design. The experiment results are in a good agreement with the simulations. It also revealed that the developed fuzzy-logic-based Taguchi method is an effectively systematic reasoning approach for optimizing the multiple quality characteristics of compliant mechanisms. It was noted that the working travel/displacement of the double-lever mechanism is much larger than that of the traditional one-lever mechanism. It leads to the conclusion that the proposed mechanism has good performances for manipulations and positioning systems.     

Robust topology optimization under multiple independent uncertainties of loading positions

The topology optimization problem of a continuum structure is further investigated under the independent position uncertainties of multiple external loads, which are now described with an interval vector of uncertain-but-bounded variables. In this study, the structural compliance is formulated with the quadratic Taylor series expansion of multiple loading positions. As a result, the objective gradient information to the topological variables can be evaluated efficiently upon an explicit quadratic expression as the loads deviate from their ideal application points. Based on the minimum (largest absolute) value of design sensitivities, which corresponds to the most sensitive compliance to the load position variations, a two-level optimization algorithm within the non-probabilistic approach is developed upon a gradient-based optimization method. The proposed framework is then performed to achieve the robust optimal configurations of four benchmark examples, and the final designs are compared comprehensively with the traditional topology optimizations under the loading point fixation. It will be observed that the present methodology can provide a remarkably different structural layout with the auxiliary components in the design domain to counteract the load position uncertainties. The numerical results also show that the present robust topology optimization can effectively prevent the structural performance from a noticeable deterioration than the deterministic optimization in the presence of load position disturbances.     

平面整体式三自由度全柔顺并联机构拓扑优化构型设计及振动频率分析

通过建立并联原型机构的微分雅克比矩阵方程,实现平面整体式三自由度全柔顺并联机构与并联原型机构之间的矢量同构映射。在此基础上,建立平面整体式3-PRR型全柔顺并联机构SIMP拓扑优化模型,并采用优化准则算法,结合矢量同构映射方程,进行了平面整体式3-PRR型全柔顺并联机构同构构型设计,通过应力分布和前四阶振动固有频率仿真对比研究表明：所采取的拓扑优化设计方法使平面整体式全柔顺并联机构具有一定的均布刚度和较好的振动抑制性能,且对其振动频率的分析可为机构尺寸优化及振型优化提供了重要的依据。同时,微运动特性的仿真表明其与传统并联原型机构之间的运动学同构性一致。该结果对平面整体式全柔顺并联机构的构型拓扑优化设计有实际意义。     

Simultaneous topology and build orientation optimization for minimization of additive manufacturing cost and time

The ever-present demand for increased performance in mechanical systems, and reduced cost and manufacturing time, has led to the adoption of computational design tools and innovative manufacturing methods. One such tool is topology optimization (TO), which often produces designs that are impracticable to manufacture. However, recent developments in additive manufacturing (AM) have made production of such complex designs feasible. Therefore, integration of these technologies has the potential to innovate the design and manufacture of mechanical components. This work presents a novel mathematical methodology for multiobjective minimization of structural compliance and AM cost and time, in simultaneous build orientation and density-based TO. Component surface area and support volume were implemented in this method as the physical factors influencing AM cost and time. A new methodology was produced to approximate support volume throughout TO with variable build orientation, enabling direct minimization of support volume in the proposed optimization. The methodology allows derivation of sensitivity expressions, thereby permitting the use of efficient gradient-based optimization solvers. Three numerical examples demonstrated that the proposed methodology can efficiently produce optimum build orientations and topologies, which significantly reduce structural compliance and AM cost and time.     

A consistent grayscale‐free topology optimization method using the level‐set method and zero‐level boundary tracking mesh

This paper proposes a level‐set based topology optimization method incorporating a boundary tracking mesh generating method and nonlinear programming. Because the boundary tracking mesh is always conformed to the structural boundary, good approximation to the boundary is maintained during optimization; therefore, structural design problems are solved completely without grayscale material. Previously, we introduced the boundary tracking mesh generating method into level‐set based topology optimization and updated the design variables by solving the level‐set equation. In order to adapt our previous method to general structural optimization frameworks, the incorporation of the method with nonlinear programming is investigated in this paper. To successfully incorporate nonlinear programming, the optimization problem is regularized using a double‐well potential. Furthermore, the sensitivities with respect to the design variables are strictly derived to maintain consistency in mathematical programming. We expect the investigation to open up a new class of grayscale‐free topology optimization. The usefulness of the proposed method is demonstrated using several numerical examples targeting two‐dimensional compliant mechanism and metallic waveguide design problems. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

复合材料计算机辅助定量化结构设计

主要阐述计算机辅助复合材料定量化设计的基本方法，综述了如何采用细观结构计算设计方法描述复合材料的细观结构对宏观响应之间的定量关系，全面分析了面向计算机的复合材料定量结构设计的软件系统组成。