TRIZ-based biomimetic part-design for laser additive manufacturing

Laser additive Manufacturing (LAM) possesses a great potential regarding part complexity and adaption for an innovative part design due to a layer-wise buildup offering multiple geometry variants form a broad design solution space. Thus, design optimization is a complex challenge for the designer that requires systematic design approaches. A methodology for an application-oriented systematic part design development is introduced in this paper using TRIZ: TRIZ's wide collection of methods is analyzed with respect to easy applicability in order to identify a suitable set of methods to be used. This is augmented with databased biological solutions as an inexhaustible source of evolutionary principles and structures. Additionally, design restrictions for LAM are taken into consideration. Altogether an application-oriented methodology is introduced that systematically creates a solution space for a design problem specifically for LAM. The presented methodology is evaluated in a case study of an external reamer. The results obtained by the optimization process are compared to a conventional trial-and-error approach conducted by a practitioner. The use of the presented approach results in a reduction of mass by 10 % and increased functionality compared to a non-methodological practitioner solution.