Bio-inspired Cellular Material Optimization for the Design of Additively Manufactured Multi-Functional Lightweight Structures

New technologies in imaging and manufacturing, including Additive Manufacturing (AM), are opening possibilities for mimicking biological structures in a way that has been unprecedented in human history. The primary innovation proposed here is the development of a tool that generates bio-inspired, parametrically optimized cellular materials for integration into the design of Additively Manufactured three-dimensional structures, and will have four main constituent parts:Natural Models: Here we will identify biological models comprised of cellular patterns that will be used to parameterize the bio-inspired optimization tool.Parametrization: Using our identified natural models, we will measure and evaluate design parameters that will be used as inputs in the optimization tool. These parameters will fall into two categories: environmental (loading condition and thermal requirements) and design (thickness, curvature, length, and known material properties).Optimization Tool: At the heart of the proposal is an optimization tool that will use the commercially available Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software as its solver engine. The tool will operate on the environmental and design parameters (including material properties) developed in the previous part to identify clear structure-function relationships in the context of multiple objectives such as light-weighting and minimizing deformation. The output of the tool will both be reconciled against the data from natural models as well as used to design test specimens for validation with AMAdditive Manufacturing: Our use of AM will serve two-purposes: first, we will use AM to validate the proposed design output from our bio-inspired optimization tool; second, we will ultimately use AM to manufacture bio-inspired parts, such as a heat exchangers or structural brackets that can be used in aerospace engineering.