Generating optimal topologies in structural design using a homogenization method
Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering
Evolutionary structural optimization for problems with stiffness constraints
Finite Elements in Analysis and Design
An evolutionary method for optimization of plate buckling resistance
Finite Elements in Analysis and Design
Evolutionary structural optimisation using an additive algorithm
Finite Elements in Analysis and Design
Topology optimization of thermally actuated compliant mechanisms considering time-transient effect
Finite Elements in Analysis and Design
Systematic design of microstructures by topology optimization
DTIP '03 Proceedings of the Symposium on Design, Test, Integration and Packaging of MEMS/MOEMS
Finite Elements in Analysis and Design
A simple evolutionary topology optimization procedure for compliant mechanism design
Finite Elements in Analysis and Design
Finite Elements in Analysis and Design
3D compliant mechanisms synthesis by a finite element addition procedure
Finite Elements in Analysis and Design
Finite Elements in Analysis and Design
A survey of structural and multidisciplinary continuum topology optimization: post 2000
Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization
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In this research, an evolutionary optimization procedure is proposed for the design of compliant thermal microactuators subjected to non-uniform temperature fields. Compliant micro-mechanisms that are responsible for movement play a crucial role in MEMS design, which cannot be manufactured using typical assembly processes and may not make use of traditional hinges or bearings. During the past decades topology optimization techniques have been shown to be efficient tools to conceive these kinds of distributed compliant mechanisms. The procedure applied in this paper is based in the evolutionary structural optimization (ESO) method, which has been successfully applied to several optimum material distribution problems but not for non-uniformly heated compliant mechanisms including conduction and convection effects. In previous works, this group has successfully applied this method for compliant mechanism optimization under directly applied input loads and under simple uniform temperature fields. The present paper aims to progress on this work line developing an extension of this procedure, based on an additive version of the method, to approach the more complicated case of non-uniformly heated thermal microactuators. The validity of this technique is demonstrated in several examples and the designs obtained are compared favourably with the analytical solutions and with results by other methods. Future works will be based on electro-thermal actuation and non-uniform Joule heating will be considered as well, which lead to more elegant and real solutions.