Weight reduction of airfoil using generative design and structural analysis

Abstract

It has been observed that with sizing and weight deduction being of utmost importance in the designing of an aircraft and its components various rapid and powerful designing methodologies have been developed. These include topology optimization and finite element method applications on the aircraft component design structure. The topology is optimized by using conventional methods of removing materials and creating holes as far as the rim of an aircraft airfoil is considered. This method ensures that the material which is experiencing minimum stress in the structure is removed and thereby reducing weight keeping the strength, rigidity, and toughness the same. Moreover, generative design with the help of its effective machine learning algorithms has always come to the aid when it comes to designing, developing complex manufacturing structures and with its unique designing flow, the optimal design output is achieved. In the past few years, generative design has been one of the most advanced and helpful methods of designing objects. Furthermore, to achieve topology optimization and to create a generative structure design, a third important application is finite element analysis. By meshing the component, a static and dynamic acting load can be calculated, and further analysis is done. These three together, that is, generative shape design powered topology optimization with finite element analysis FEA will be helpful in this paper. If the integrated working of generative design, topology optimization, surface analysis, or FEA Aids to the reduction of weight of a wing rib of an aircraft not only the strength of the Design would remain intact but also an optimized topology will help in making the final product and more efficient.