Topology optimization of microbeams including layer deposition manufacturing constraints

As many manufacturing techniques, microfabrication methods possess limitations. Consequently, manufacturing constraints have to be considered during microsystems design process. Therefore, the direct use of automatic design tools like topology optimization is not possible. For instance, optimal topologies generally contain closed cavities that cannot be produced using the usual microfabrication techniques like layer deposition. The present paper intends to add a layer deposition constraint to the optimization problem using recent developments of CONLIN software. However, with this new optimization procedure we could observe that classical sensitivities filtering makes optimization problem rather unstable while filtering the density field itself keeps good convergence properties.