TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION METHOD FOR IMPROVING THE MASS EFFICIENCY OF ALUMINUM BEAMS

In this study, an investigation was carried out to reduce the mass of a cantilever beam made of Al9 aluminum alloy using topology optimization (TO) based on the SIMP method. The optimization was performed with the APM FEM software package, which made it possible to implement numerical modeling at a modern level, taking into account the material features. The beam was subjected to a combined action of a concentrated vertical force of 4000 N and a longitudinal tensile force of 3000 N, which allowed simulating an actual operating load close to the working conditions of structures in mechanical engineering and construction. During the calculations, it was possible to reduce the mass of the structure by 52% while maintaining the main strength characteristics. At the same time, an increase in maximum stresses compared to the initial model was observed, which is associated with the redistribution of material and stress concentration in certain zones. However, the stress level remained within values close to those permissible for the chosen material considering the safety factor. Modal analysis confirmed sufficient separation of natural frequencies from critical values. The obtained results demonstrate the potential of applying TO for the design of lightweight, energyefficient, and technologically promising structures.

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