Build layout Optimization for Additive Manufacturing of a Turbine Blade

Additive Design & Technologies. Study and design of the necessary supports used for Additive Manufacturing processes through a new innovative methodology, which exploits topology optimization in order to reduce the material used, to make supports, and component deformations due to thermal stress and to improve in terms of timing the process execution. Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a process of building parts by joining material layer by layer from a three-dimensional CAD file, as opposed to subtractive manufacturing techniques (such as turning, milling and so on) . One of the principles of the AM is that the model generated as CAD can be produced bypassing the process planning. Verily, nowadays this last one is still of primary importance and it is one of the main phases of AM (building strategy, orientation etc.), that, carried out as meticulously as possible, guarantees the success of the production of the component and comply with the imposed engineering tolerances. If on one hand the production speed, the lower material consumption, the total freedom of design and the reduction of storage costs are the strong points, on the other hand there is a limited number of materials that can be used, a variable product quality depending on the type of machine used and the skills and knowledge of the operator.