The Merger of Topology Optimisation in Additive Manufacturing

Topology optimization has become a subject of study unto itself in recent years, not only because it provokes the intellectual community's curiosity, but also because it provides significant responses to real-life industrial difficulties. Topology optimization is being used to create a lightweight product while still meeting its functional criteria for a new product or a redesign of an existing product. Additive Manufacturing is defined as the layer-by-layer production of geometrically demanding components, which significantly minimises the complexity restrictions imposed on topology optimization by the old subtractive process. This perspective paper enlists the compassion of these two methods as they work together. The paper compiles the methodology along with the merits and demerits of the optimisation technique. A review has been done on lightweight design and continuum optimisation, which resulted in a reduction of weight by 65% and the use of grid-like ground structures. The goal is to motivate both researchers and engineers to come up with creative solutions to face the modern-day challenge in this field.