TopoRestruct – Converting topology optimization results into a design geometry, which meets the requirements for manufacturability, functionality and mechanical stress in the product development process

基于有限元分析的现代拓扑优化方法使轻量化设计可以进行稳健而简单的计算，这些设计适合于几乎任何载荷情况下给定的机械要求。尽管在优化过程中可能会考虑生产约束，但结果--表示为三角化曲面网格--仅仅是一个抽象的设计方案。作为一种设计方案，这不能直接用于产品开发过程，或者通常不可行。因此，产品在参数关联式或基于特征的三维CAD系统中的进一步设计需要对拓扑优化结果进行解释和重构。考虑到研究和技术的现状，只有从拓扑优化结果中提取结构几何的方法是可用的，这允许基于非参数曲面的重新设计或仅限于特殊情况的参数重新设计，而不允许广义解释。因此，本研究项目的主要目标是为开发过程中满足可制造性、功能性和机械应力要求的拓扑优化结果的自动化、基于特征的CAD再设计提供一种方法。开发了一种以解析形式对拓扑优化结果网格进行完全分析和分解的方法(I)。这使得能够对优化结果的拓扑进行数学描述，从而达到几何设计、分析和综合的目的。为了能够以功能和与压力有关的方式对常见制造工艺的分解进行解释和重组，将开发一个知识库和具有相应设计和解释规则的积木(2)。最后一步是将分解方法和知识库以及构建块(I和II)集成到一个原型应用程序中。该应用程序演示了将拓扑优化结果自动重新设计为基于特征的CAD几何图形，并使该方法具有通用性(Iii)。在项目结束时，产品开发人员可以使用一种经过验证的自动化方法，使拓扑优化结果能够自动转换为满足可制造性、功能性和机械应力要求的工程设计模型。

Modern methods for topology optimization that are based on the finite element analysis allow a robust and simple calculation of lightweight designs that are suitable for the given mechanical requirements for almost any load case. Despite the possibility of considering production constraints during optimization, the result - represented as a triangulated surface mesh - is merely an abstract design proposal. As a design proposal, this cannot be used directly in the product development process or is usually not feasible in this way. The further design of the product in a parametric associative or feature-based 3D CAD system therefore requires an interpretation and reconstruction of the topology optimization result. When considering the state of the art in research and technology, only methods for the extraction of constructive geometry from topology optimization results are available, which allow either a non-parametric surface based redesign or a parametric redesign which is limited to special cases and does not allow a generalized interpretation. Accordingly, the main objective of this research project is to provide a method for the automated, feature-based CAD redesign of topology optimization results during the development process, which meets the requirements for manufacturability, functionality and mechanical stress.To this end, three essential tasks are carried out in this research project. The development of a method for the complete analysis and decomposition of the topology optimized result mesh in an analytical form (I). This makes it possible to describe the topology of the optimization result mathematically with the aim of geometric design analysis and synthesis. In order to allow an interpretation and restructuring of the decomposition for common manufacturing processes in a functional and stress-related manner, a knowledge base and building blocks with corresponding design and interpretation rules will be developed (II). The final step is the integration of the decomposition methods and the knowledge base together with the building blocks (I and II) into a prototypical application. The application demonstrates the automated redesign of topology optimization results into feature-based CAD geometry and makes the method generally usable (III).At the end of the project, a proven and automated method is available to the product developer that enables the automated conversion of topology optimization results into an engineering design model, which meets the requirements for manufacturability, functionality and mechanical stress.