The Topology Optimization Platform (TOP) project implements line level technology to give industrial design departments innovative tools for topology optimization.
These tools will enable demands for complex component design to be met, and help create high-performance, innovative products in a highly competitive economic environment. The work targets the automobile, aeronautics and aerospace industries more particularly.
For the TOP project, SystemX is looking at development of high-performance, sturdy digital design tools based on topology optimization using the line level method. It will attempt to demonstrate their industrial feasibility and also intends to contribute to the scientific state of the art in this field.
Topology optimization is both a design methodology widely used in industry, and the science that gave birth to it. Its purpose is to generate a mechanical component as efficient as possible, following the user’s specifications, by directly calculating the spread of material within a given volume. Its intrinsic characteristics, especially its simple implementation and capacity to propose breakthrough concepts, make it particularly attractive for industrial users. The solutions available on the market almost all use the density method, a mature technology suitable for components the functional definition of which is relatively simple, but it is unsatisfactory for creating complex systems with demanding specifications (such as oil sumps, engine blocks etc).
