Weight Reduction Using Topology Optimization

There is an ever increasing need for helicopter manufacturers to reduce weight. As these needs change, design processes change also, putting more focus on optimization. Advances in optimization technology have allowed the aerospace industry to integrate topology into their design process, expanding the focus of optimization into the beginning of the design process and reducing the number of design iterations required to reach a final, optimized design. Here, we look at the process of applying topology optimization to rotor pitch housing; the goal is to reduce the overall weight.