TopoRestruct2
Launch of the DFG-funded project on the automated conversion of aesthetically and technically functional design geometries from topology optimization results in November 2025.
Topology optimization is an established method in lightweight design that enables the systematic determination of mechanically efficient structures, thereby opening up numerous possibilities for innovative lightweight components. The starting point is a design space with boundary conditions and load cases, for which the optimal material distribution within the space is determined. The result is usually a structure composed of voxels – volumetric pixels. Subsequent adjustments – for example, to improve manufacturability or to integrate further design requirements – are therefore not possible. In order to make the topology-optimized structures usable for the design process, it is essential to convert them back into parametric CAD geometry.
Previous reconstruction strategies have focused primarily on technical and functional criteria. TopoRestruct2 broadens this focus. In addition to structural mechanical aspects, aesthetic requirements are also systematically integrated, so that the design quality of optimized components is taken into account in addition to their performance. The external appearance of technical products is characterized, among other things, by visible structural components, which are increasingly being used as scope for design. This gives the design of these components a creative responsibility. In this context, topology-optimized structures offer considerable potential for combining functional efficiency with visual expressiveness thanks to their characteristic, yet unusual shapes. The incorporation of established aesthetic design rules can not only improve the design quality of topology-optimized components, but also increase acceptance of the topology optimization method – especially in areas where technically optimized structures shape the design of a product.