Developing Innovative Designs with Manufacturing Capability Using the Level Set Method

This thesis discusses how to use topology and shape optimization, specifically the level set method, for innovative design. The level set method is a numerical algorithm that simulates the expansion of dynamic implicit surfaces. In this research, the equations for manufacturability are generated and...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Baradaran Nakhjavani, Omid
Other Authors: Meade, Andrew J.
Format: Others
Language:English
Published: 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1911/64616
Description
Summary:This thesis discusses how to use topology and shape optimization, specifically the level set method, for innovative design. The level set method is a numerical algorithm that simulates the expansion of dynamic implicit surfaces. In this research, the equations for manufacturability are generated and solved through use of the level set method joined with the COMSOL multi-physics package. Specific constraints are added to make the optimization practical for engineering design. The resulting method was applied to design the best underlying support structure, conforming to both curvature and manufacturability constraints, for the longerons used with the International Space Station solar panels.