Topology Optimization Based Mass Reduction and Additive Manufacturing Approach: The Case of a Turbojet Engine Bracket

Abstract

In the aviation industry, the lightweighting of structural components such as bracket parts enables improved flight performance, reduced fuel consumption, and increased payload capacity. One of the prominent applications in this context is the creation of lightweight part designs that meet mechanical and structural requirements using topology optimization (TO) and the production of lightweight parts with complex geometries using additive manufacturing (AM) methods. In this study, TO was applied to the original bracket in increments of 10% within the range of 10% to 90% to determine the optimal design of a bracket carrying the torch igniter opening-closing valve assembly in turbojet engines. Numerical structural analysis was applied to each of the original and lightweight designs to examine the total deformation, von Mises stress, and safety factor values of the parts. The study concluded that the 40% lightweight design was the optimal design. The original and optimal parts were produced using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) method with polylactic acid (PLA) filament. The lightening ratio, which was 40.722% in the numerical data, was calculated as 43.62% as a result of production.

Keywords

• Topology optimization
• Additive manufacturing
• Mass reduction
• Finite element method
• Additive manufacturing design

Topoloji Optimizasyonu Tabanlı Kütle Azaltımı ve Eklemeli İmalat Yaklaşımı: Turbojet Motor Braketi Örneği

Öz

Havacılık sektöründe braket parçaları gibi yapısal parçaların hafifletilmesi uçuş performansının geliştirilmesine, yakıt tüketiminin azaltılmasına ve faydalı yük taşıma kapasitesinin artırılmasına olanak tanımaktadır. Bu bağlamda öne çıkan uygulamalardan biri topoloji optimizasyonu (TO) kullanılarak mekanik ve yapısal gereksinimleri karşılayabilen hafif parça tasarımlarının oluşturulması ve eklemeli imalat yöntemleri (Eİ) kullanılarak, hafifletilen karmaşık geometrili parçaların üretilmesidir. Bu çalışmada, turbojet motorlarında meşale ateşleyici açma-kapama vana tertibatını taşıyan bir braketin optimum tasarımının belirlenmesi amacıyla, orijinal braket üzerinde %10’luk artışlarla %10- %90 aralığında TO uygulanmıştır. Orijinal ve hafifletilen tasarımların her birine sayısal yapısal analiz uygulanarak parçaların toplam deformasyon, von-Mises stres ve güvenlik faktörü değerleri incelenmiştir. Çalışma sonucunda, %40 hafifletilen tasarımın optimum tasarım olduğu belirlenmiştir. Orijinal ve optimum parçalar polilaktik asit (PLA) filament kullanılarak eriyik yığma modelleme (FDM) yöntemi ile üretilmiştir. Sayısal verilerde %40,722 olan hafifletme oranı üretim sonucunda %43,62 olarak hesaplanmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Topoloji optimizasyonu
• Eklemeli imalat
• Kütle azaltma
• Sonlu elemanlar yöntemi
• Eklemeli imalat tasarımı

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