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Project Summary and Motivation
Project Summary and Motivation
We can visualize engineering optimization as a methodology to achieve design goals (weight, cost) for a set of design variables (dimensions) while specifying constraints (deformation, stiffness). The design of composite structures should achieve minimum weight, high stiffness, and structural integrity. These goals must be satisfied with the minimum cost of fabrication.
In a series of three exciting projects, I designed 3D models of three novel aerospace structural designs to depict these models' mass optimization in ANSYS. These aerospace structures were namely a bionic aircraft wing bracket, an FPV drone airframe, and a tapered cantilever beam.
My research project's objective was to utilize the FEA numerical scheme to evaluate composite 3D models for minimum weight and cost – rapid prototyping.
Source: Airbus
Project Details and Achievements
Project Details and Achievements
3D Modeling of the Aircraft Wing Bracket - Static Structural Analysis
Inspired by GE Additive's innovative 3D-printed aircraft wing bracket, I designed a simplified 3D model of the wing bracket in ANSYS DesignModeler and assigned carbon fiber- epoxy and foam sandwich materials to the model.
Total Deformation (mm)
Equivalent Stress (MPa)
By conducting a simple static load analysis on the structure, I utilized FEA tools in the built-in ANSYS' Response Surface Optimization' (DOE) to perform a complex mass optimization process.
By assigning the maximum deformation and equivalent stress as constraints, I ran the optimization process by varying the layer thicknesses and the model's cut-out diameter. The goal was to minimize the aircraft wing bracket's mass, commonly termed as the objective function.
Conclusion - What Did I Achieve?
Conclusion - What Did I Achieve?
Before Optimization
After Optimization
The ANSYS DOE optimization results yielded the minimum geometric mass and the corresponding optimum dimensions of the model with a 6% reduction in mass. (from 102.8 g to 97 g).
Overall, my project's goal was to set up a numerical method for optimizing aerospace 3D models (mass and cost), which can best be produced by rapid prototyping.
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