Novel Design Optimization for Additive Manufactured Components

In the last 10 years, Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) has matured substantially [1,2]. The evolution of metal powder-bed AM now, facilitates production-quality parts to be manufactured. Additive manufacturing has specially attracted attention for its ability to manufacture parts with complex shapes that are cost-ineffective or impossible to manufacture with traditional technologies. For Oil and Gas industry, this ability to manufacture complex shapes offers unprecedented opportunity to redesign and optimize wide ranging components from cutting heads, heat exchangers [3], pumping and filtration equipment to drill motors, inline static-mixers and flanges. as well as advantages over traditional manufacturing techniques. The present work shows how optimization and simulation tools are valuable in rapid development of more efficient and light-weighted components that take advantage of the 3D printing process. Additive Manufacturing, while promising offers its own challenges related to process parameter optimization and part distortions. So, testing new paradigm-shifting design becomes time consuming and expensive trial and error process. Computational methods for optimization and physics simulation reduce the risk of testing new designs concepts and make the transition to new products efficient and inexpensive. Conventional design and design-optimization techniques typically do not apply for AM part design. The flexibility of AM in generating complex shapes implies a lesser number of components and implicit savings in assembly. Also, the possibility of latticed structures allows for reduced components through consolidation. The ability to incorporate these structures broadens the design criteria to achieve previously unforeseen possibilities. After arriving at the part design, the "print design" needs to be addressed. The AM process involves large thermal transients, phase change and non-linear material properties potentially leading to distortions and residual stresses in the finished component. Process simulation is valuable in estimating stresses generated in components, distortion, and adequacy of the support design. The presentation illustrates the simulation methodologies in design, multi-physics and process optimization for a drill-head geometry.