OPTIMIZATION METHOD WITH GEOMETRIC CONSTRAINT FOR MOLDING USING FICTITIOUS ANISOTROPIC DIFFUSION EQUATION BASED ON COUPLED FICTITIOUS PHYSICAL MODEL

Abstract

This paper focuses on manufacturing the optimal structure obtained by topology optimization using molding techniques, e.g., casting and injection molding. In molding processes, products cannot geometrically be demolded if undercuts and interior voids exist in the structure. Thus, topology optimization that leads to a structure satisfying the geometric constraint for molding is required. In this study, we detect regions that violate the constraint using a fictitious anisotropic diffusion equation. Additionally, based on the concept of a coupled fictitious physical model, which overcomes the convergence problem in the previous formulation method, we formulate the optimization problem. After deriving design sensitivity and an optimization algorithm, we verify the validity of the proposed method through a numerical example.