Generative Design, Characterization, and Testing for Additive Manufacturing of Lightweight Structures

Abstract

Generative design has developed over the years through various CAD software’s and has changed the industry in new ways. Generative design has opened a new aspect of engineering that can change industries through design created with artificial intelligence technology. Through generative design, various components and characteristics of materials and objects can be reinvented to make them lighter weight and more cost effective within the industry. Within this thesis, the aspects of Fusion 360, a CAD software, has been reviewed and utilized when creating an I beam. The I beam has ran through various simulations to understand the forces and constraints applied on it to see the force the beam will break at. The safety factor allows for the understanding of when the beam will break and how the force can be withstood with a new design. With the known forces, the beam was placed in the generative design component of the software to redesign the beam based on the given information and requirements. The generative design portion of the software and artificial intelligence created a new object via iterations to be evaluated. Through additive manufacturing the beam was printed with PLA and resin materials. This thesis discusses the processes of 3D printing and testing of the I beam and generative designed I beam. Through testing, the analysis of the displacement, mass, and force of the I beams was evaluated with the Fusion 360 results to see if the requirements was met during the redesign.