Topology optimization with microstructures

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, perform a method of optimizing a three-dimensional model representing a shape of an object to be fabricated from a plurality of materials having known physical properties, wherein the object is designed to exhibit one or more target properties, wherein the three-dimensional model includes a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells being a volume inside the three-dimensional model, the method comprising:

• performing a computation process to compute information for a material property gamut of microstructures for the plurality of materials by estimating a gamut of material properties covered by possible microstructures made by spatial arrangement of the plurality of materials;
• performing a topology optimization process on the three-dimensional model to generate an optimized model, wherein the topology optimization process assigns material properties to each of the plurality of cells inside the three dimensional model and is constrained based, at least in part, on the information for the material property gamut of microstructures output from the computation process;
• and
• generating a manufacturable design for the object by substituting for each cell of the optimized model, a microstructure from the material property gamut of microstructures, wherein the substituted microstructure has physical properties similar to the material properties assigned to the cell by the topology optimization process.

A method of optimizing a three-dimensional model representing a shape of an object to be fabricated from a plurality of materials having known physical properties, wherein the object is designed to exhibit one or more target properties, wherein the three-dimensional model includes a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells being a volume inside the three-dimensional model, the method comprising:

• performing a computation process to compute information for a material property gamut of microstructures for the plurality of materials by estimating a gamut of material properties covered by possible microstructures made by spatial arrangement of the plurality of materials;
• performing a topology optimization process on the three-dimensional model to generate an optimized model, wherein the topology optimization process assigns material properties to each of the plurality of cells inside the three dimensional model and is constrained based, at least in part, on the information in the received data structure and the one or more target properties;
• and
• generating a printable design for the object by substituting for each cell of the optimized model, a microstructure from the material property gamut of microstructures, wherein the substituted microstructure has physical properties similar to the material properties assigned to the cell by the topology optimization process.