Optimizing 3D self-supporting topologies for additive manufacturing

Topology optimization can generate highly efficient designs without any prior structural configuration. Additive manufacturing (AM) has become its good partner as it can fabricate the complicated geometries obtained by topology optimization. Designing self-supporting topologies is an effective way to reduce the manufacturing cost caused by the use of support structures. This paper combines a newly developed smooth continuum topology optimization algorithm and Langelaar's AM filter to explore smooth 3D self-supporting topologies. The effectiveness of this combination is validated using a 3D numerical example.