New opportunities to optimize structural designs in metal by using Additive Manufacturing

• Autores: Salomé Galjaard, Sander Hofman, Shibo Ren
• Localización: Advances in architectural geometry 2014, 2015, ISBN 9783319114170, págs. 79-93
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • An initial research has been carried out, exploring the opportunities of using the design freedom created by Additive Manufacturing in metal on structural elements. The application of Additive Manufacturing (AM) bears the potential of increasing efficiency and shortening lead time by reducing processing steps, material use and labor intensity.

    The aim of this research is the exploration of AM technology potentials as a feasible and robust design and manufacturing solution for structural building elements. This research is based on the redesign of an existing node, applying the new production opportunities of AM. This resulted in insights into the different design steps involved and knowledge on process, costs and structural characteristics. The start was a topology optimization on an existing design for a structural node, followed by a further rationalized design for production. A comparison in aesthetics, structural behavior and costs has been carried out between the new design and the conventional design. The first results look very promising and the work will be continued to enable the use of these new opportunities in structural designs in the near future.