Topology Optimization for Performance Enhancement of Automotive Components: Integration with Additive Manufacturing

Due to the transformation of the automotive industry towards new energy and the need for energy conservation and emission reduction caused by the non-renewability of fossil fuels. Automotive lightweighting is becoming a strategy to address these changes. Reducing the weight of vehicles can enhance energy economy, extend the driving range of electric vehicles, decrease the emission of harmful substances, and alleviate range anxiety. Topological optimization, as a structural design tool, can generate lightweight configurations by optimizing the distribution of materials within a design space, thereby reducing the weight of automobiles. However, the performance of traditional topology-optimized automotive parts is limited by traditional manufacturing and processes. At this time, the emergence of additive manufacturing provides high design freedom and can produce complex structures that cannot be achieved by traditional methods, making it a manufacturing method for topological optimization. This study is to reduce the weight of automobiles through topology optimization while enhancing the performance of components, emphasizing the integration of topology optimization and additive manufacturing processes. This research encompasses topological optimization calculations, addressing process constraints in additive manufacturing, exploring the complementarity among optimization design, print path planning, and mechanical properties.