Work

Additive manufacturing of continuous fiber composite curved thin-walled structures with conformal honeycomb-stiffeners based on topology optimization

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Continuous fiber-reinforced composite (CFRC) thin-walled structures with conformal honeycomb-stiffeners exhibit superior lightweight properties, enhanced stiffness, and vibration damping compared to conventional metallic stiffened configurations, demonstrating broad application potential in aerospace and transportation systems. However, structural performance is critically constrained by suboptimal material distribution and fiber placement strategies. To address this challenge, this study proposes an integrated design-manufacturing framework comprising three innovations: (1) A conformal mapping-based topology optimization method incorporating a higher-order interpolation scheme (ensuring G1 continuity) at honeycomb-honeycomb and honeycomb-stiffener interfaces; (2) A path filling strategy suitable for complex curved thin-walled structures; (3) Synchrotron radiation CT-based defect characterization revealing void distribution in CFRC-AM components. Numerical validations across simply-supported plates, curved support plate, and freeform surface structure confirm the method's adaptability to high-curvature geometries. Experimental results demonstrate a 57.3% and 44.5% reduction in maximum stress for integrated stiffener-honeycomb configurations compared to standalone honeycomb and stiffener designs, respectively. The synergy between geometric continuous design and defect-controlled manufacturing advances the development of high-performance CFRC aerospace components.

Source: Materials & Design

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114000