Topology Optimization and Additive Manufacturing of Robotic Arm Components for Structural Weight Reduction

Additive manufacturing (AM), also referred to as Rapid Prototyping (RP), encompasses advanced manufacturing technologies that fabricate components layer by layer and has gained significant attention across diverse engineering applications. Topology optimization (TO) has emerged as an effective design approach for reducing weight while maintaining structural integrity, particularly for components traditionally produced through casting or machining. In this study, topology optimization of key robotic arm components, namely the base cylinder, lower link, and upper link, is performed to achieve substantial mass reduction. The Functional Generative Design (FGD) module is employed for topology optimization, while ANSYS Workbench is used to validate the optimized designs through structural analysis. The optimization objective targets a minimum mass reduction of 40% relative to the original designs. The optimized results demonstrate weight reductions of 73% for the base cylinder, 50.66% for the lower link, and 46.89% for the upper link, while induced stresses remain below the ultimate tensile strength of ABS material. The optimized components are fabricated using Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) and successfully assembled. The findings confirm that the proposed approach effectively achieves significant weight reduction without compromising structural performance.