STTR Phase I: Designing Complex Internal Structures for Solid Freeform Fabrication

这个小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目将证明开发一个内部结构设计软件系统的固体自由成形制造（SFF）过程的可行性。该软件系统如果成功，将作为一个简单而有效的设计工具，帮助设计人员在广泛的应用中实现更好的设计性能。SFF是一种直接制造工艺，可以经济高效地制造复杂的几何形状。因此，它为设计人员提供了设计自由度，包括复杂的内部结构。然而，设计具有这种内部结构的计算机辅助设计（CAD）模型超出了当前CAD软件的能力。该项目将解决重要的开放式研究问题，这些问题阻碍了将内部结构融入我们日常产品的道路。 本研究的主要创新点在于：（1）基于3D纹理映射的通用有效设计方法，以满足各种设计要求;（2）基于混合几何表示和计算的高效计算方法;（3）SLS制造可行性研究，将为工艺参数与内部结构材料性能之间的关系提供重要见解。如果成功的话，这个项目将导致一个内部结构设计方法，是通用的和有效的各种应用。这项STTR项目如果成功，将产生一种商业软件产品，使设计师能够在设计中更有效地使用材料。这将对许多行业产生积极影响，如航空航天、国防和医疗行业，在这些行业中，有效使用材料至关重要。内部结构设计软件系统还将帮助快速成型和制造公司减少SFF过程中的材料使用。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of developing an internal structure design software system for solid freeform fabrication (SFF) processes. The software system, if successful, will serve as a simple and effective design tool to help designers to achieve better design performance over a wide range of applications. SFF is a direct manufacturing process that can fabricate complicated geometries cost-effectively. Therefore, it provides designers with design freedom including complex internal structures. However, designing a computer-aided design (CAD) model with such internal structures is beyond the capability of current CAD software. The project will address significant open research questions that stand in the path of incorporating internal structures in our everyday products. The primary innovation of the proposed research is (1) a general and effective design method based on 3D texture mapping for various design requirements, (2) an efficient computational approach based on hybrid geometrical representations and calculations, and (3) a SLS fabrication feasibility study which will provide important insights on the relations between process parameters and internal structures material properties. If successful, this project will result in an internal structure design method that is general and effective for a wide variety of applications. This STTR project, if successful, will give rise to a commercial software product which will enable designers to use materials more efficiently in their designs. This will positively impact a host of industries, such as aerospace, defense, and medical industries, where using materials efficiently is critical. The internal structure design software system will also help rapid prototyping and manufacturing companies to reduce their material usages in the SFF processes.