How Would You Make This Bracket Better?
When design constraints are taken away, what does the very best design for a given application look like?
Share
One of the challenges of additive manufacturing is its freedom. Shapes can be printed that could never be produced in any practical way before. As a result, engineers are free to optimize the design of any part precisely for the needs of the application. But when the constraints are taken away, what does the very best design for a given application look like?
GE has taken an open approach to finding that answer for at least one component. We first showed the jet engine bracket seen here in this article about GE Aviation’s use of additive manufacturing. The comparison above shows the bracket as produced through machining alongside one possibility for how the bracket might be produced additively.
However, is there an additive redesign of the bracket that could perform its function with even less weight and less material cost than what is seen here?
The company recently turned that question into a contest, its Jet Engine Bracket Challenge. GE says nearly 700 design entries came from 56 countries. Ten finalists were recently announced. See the many ways that entrants proposed redesigning this bracket to try to take full advantage of what additive manufacturing might do for this part.
Related Content
-
3D Printed Preforms Improve Strength of Composite Brackets: The Cool Parts Show Bonus
On this episode, we look at a pin bracket for the overhead bin of an airplane made in two composite versions: one with continuous fiber 3D printed reinforcements plus chopped fiber material, and one molded from chopped fiber alone.
-
3D Printed "Evolved Structures" for NASA Exoplanet Balloon Mission: The Cool Parts Show #61
Generative design creates stiff, lightweight brackets for EXCITE mission monitoring planets orbiting other stars. The Cool Parts Show visits Goddard Space Flight Center.
-
How AM Enables Cobot Automation for Thyssenkrupp Bilstein (Includes Video)
The shock absorber maker has responded to its staffing shortages through extensive use of collaborative robots. In-house 3D printing makes this possible by providing the related hardware needed to complete the cobot-automated cells.
