Topology optimization for dynamic and controlled systems

With application to motion system design

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Abstract

High-precision motion systems are crucial for many applications, such as in semiconductor equipment, microscopy, robotics, and medical devices. Next to high operating speeds, high accuracy and precision are required, which makes the design of these systems a challenging task. Dynamics, feedback control, and their interaction all play an important role in the design and its final performance. This thesis shows that topology optimization in combination with additive manufacturing offers new opportunities for the automated design of motion systems with unprecedented performance. The first challenge addressed is the manufacturability of the designs, for which a systematic optimization setup is presented allowing directly producible designs. This is verified by manufacturing and testing an optimized design. Furthermore, the computational time required for full-scale topology optimization is reduced significantly, by using reduced-order models and approximation of design sensitivities. Thirdly, effective optimization formulations are introduced that allow combined optimization of topology and controller for closed-loop performance, such as bandwidth, closed-loop stability, and disturbance rejection properties. Combining all these techniques, this thesis demonstrates that it is possible to perform integrated controller-structure topology optimization of motion systems of industry-relevant complexity.