Design approach for additive manufacturing employing Constructal Theory for point-to-circle flows

Design is crucial for additive manufacturing (AM). Not only does it affect manufacturability and cost but more importantly does it determine the functional performance of a part. Design for additive manufacturing (DFAM) methods consider these aspects and aim to leverage the available design freedom in order to generate functionally optimized parts. The following research work presents a method that is based on design principles from the so-called Constructal Theory. Two design principles are selected form this discipline, which considers design a field of science. The first principle outlines how a fluid flow can be distributed efficiently using a tree-shaped structure. The second principle emphasizes to first create the flow structure and then fit the surrounding solid body around it following the flow of mechanical stress. To demonstrate the approach, a case study of a gear wheel design is presented, which integrates cooling lubricant channels and focuses on minimal part mass. Based on analytical relations, a design concept is generated that provides a mass reduction of 25% and a fluid channel structure with minimal required pumping power. The resulting design serves as starting point for a more detailed simulation-based design optimization.