Integrated Digital Design and Manufacturing for 3D Printing Technologies

摘要

A process is proposed and outlined in which optimal structural design, design post-processing, manufacturing process planning, and subsequent manufacturing may be done algorithmically in a digital design and manufacturing platform. Customized algorithms are developed to define the structural design problem, mesh the design domain and solve the finite element equilibrium equations, perform robust structural topology optimization, optimal build orientation determination for additive manufacturing, support structure location requirements, adaptive slicing of the finite element mesh, and control of a custom made Digital Light Processing (DLP), stereolithography-based 3D Printer.