Automatic design in Matlab using PDE toolbox for shape and topology optimization

In this paper, we present a novel concept of using Matlab’s Partial Differential Equation (PDE) Toolbox to achieve shape and topology optimization during the automatic mechanical design process. In our institute, we are developing a toolbox called Solid Geometry (SG) Library in Matlab to achieve automatic design of medical robots and mechanisms. The entire design process is performed in one developing environment without additional data input and output. And those robots and mechanisms can be quickly manufactured by different kinds of 3D printers. Recently, we have also integrated the shape and topology optimization techniques into our automatic design process by using the PDE Toolbox of Matlab for finite element analysis because of its high efficiency and compactness. For optimization algorithms, we have already implemented two bionic structural optimization methods called Computer Aided Optimization (CAO) and Soft Kill Option (SKO) to optimize the stress distribution in the structure. Since the complicated material layout in the optimization results can be easily realized by the 3D printing technology, the mechanical performance of our medical robots and mechanisms can be greatly improved with the work presented in this paper.