Influence of Weighted Gradients in Topology Optimization of Flexible Multibody Systems

This paper deals with a level set-based topology optimization of flexible bodies within flexible multibody systems. The required gradient is provided by an adjoint sensitivity analysis. In this work, a modified Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) method is applied, which helps to avoid numerical issues connected to spurious modes in dynamic problems. Nevertheless, the included parametrization factors lead to a weighted gradient. To test the validity of corresponding optimization results, differently weighted gradients are then used within the topology optimization of a flexible piston rod in a slider-crank mechanism. The obtained results show, among others, the range of appropriate weightings in the studied example.