TOPOLOGY OPTIMZATION STUDY OF LASER POWDER BED FUSION BRACKETS TO ENABLE AM AS A SOURCE OF SUPPLY FOR DMSMS APPLICATIONS

The objective in this paper is to understand the challenges of making additive manufacturing a future source of supply for the Department of Defense through the redesign of a part for metal laser Powder Bed Fusion.

The scope of this paper involved the redesign of a single cast-and-machined part for an Army ground vehicle system. The component was redesigned using topology optimization based on suitable replacement materials and design data from the representative part. In parallel, a brief review of AM standards identified a process to qualify the component through post-processing, non-destructive evaluation, and witness testing. Alongside this redesign analysis, a brief cost analysis was conducted to understand the cost associated with manufacturing and qualifying this part for multiple AM materials.

The resulting analysis demonstrated that for this component, which was subject to high design loads, Scalmalloy, Ti-6Al-4V, and 17-4PH Stainless Steel could produce the most cost-effective parts. Scalmalloy was the lightest part, with a 67% reduction in weight from the original bracket, while 17-4PH could produce the lowest-cost component. Ti-6Al-4V performed in the middle for both. Finally, the research identified further areas of study to advance AM as a tool in DoD sustainment.

Citation: R. Burke, T. Simpson, “Topology Optimzation Study Of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Brackets To Enable Am As A Source Of Supply For Dmsms Applications,” In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS), NDIA, Novi, MI, Aug. 16-18, 2022.