Design For Additive Manufacturing: Integrating Structural Optimization And Printability Analysis For Aerospace Components

Abstract

Aeronautical components are increasingly being used in aerospace applications, demonstrating the importance of balancing structural optimization and manufacturability in order to meet demanding performance and certification standards. In this study, a well-established aerospace component was analyzed and redesigned to exploit the advantages of additive manufacturing through a comprehensive workflow combining finite element analysis, topology optimization, and printability assessment. The methodology aims to bridge the gap between the advanced research developed in industry and Universities and the practical production readiness of AM parts, enabling a more holistic design workflow that considers not only structural performance but also the constraints associated with the additive process. Specifically, the study focuses on the integration of printability and build orientation analyses as coupled processes within the optimization workflow, enabling a truly printability-driven design for additive manufacturing from the earliest stages of component development. In particular, the methodology is applied to the redesign of a metallic aeronautical bracket developed by Leonardo Helicopters, which is currently manufactured using conventional methods and installed on a helicopter. The proposed methodology demonstrates the potential for accelerating DfAM workflows in an industrial context, reducing the time between design and production and ensuring geometric and functional conformity of critical flight components manufactured using metal AM.