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A review of geometric modeling methods in microstructure design and manufacturing

Qiang Zou, Guoyue Luo

Abstract

Microstructures, characterized by intricate structures at the microscopic scale, hold the promise of important disruptions in the field of mechanical engineering due to the superior mechanical properties they offer. One fundamental technique of microstructure design and manufacturing is geometric modeling, which generates the 3D computer models required to run high-level procedures such as simulation, optimization, and process planning. There is, however, a lack of comprehensive discussions on this body of knowledge. The goal of this paper is to compile existing microstructure modeling methods and clarify the challenges, progress, and limitations of current research. It also concludes with future research directions that may improve and/or complement current methods, such as compressive and generative microstructure representations. By doing so, the paper sheds light on what has already been made possible for microstructure modeling, what developments can be expected in the near future, and which topics remain problematic.

A review of geometric modeling methods in microstructure design and manufacturing

Abstract

Microstructures, characterized by intricate structures at the microscopic scale, hold the promise of important disruptions in the field of mechanical engineering due to the superior mechanical properties they offer. One fundamental technique of microstructure design and manufacturing is geometric modeling, which generates the 3D computer models required to run high-level procedures such as simulation, optimization, and process planning. There is, however, a lack of comprehensive discussions on this body of knowledge. The goal of this paper is to compile existing microstructure modeling methods and clarify the challenges, progress, and limitations of current research. It also concludes with future research directions that may improve and/or complement current methods, such as compressive and generative microstructure representations. By doing so, the paper sheds light on what has already been made possible for microstructure modeling, what developments can be expected in the near future, and which topics remain problematic.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 34 sections, 21 figures, 3 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Microstructure modeling challenges
  3. The gaps between microstructure modeling and manufacturing
  4. The challenges of microstructure modeling
  5. Microstructure taxonomy
  6. Macro-level classification by boundary shapes
  7. Meso-level classification by topological regularity
  8. Micro-level classification by cell geometries
  9. Microstructure representation schemes
  10. Topological representations
  11. Regular topology
  12. Semi-regular topology
  13. Irregular topology
  14. Geometrical representations
  15. 1D curve-based representations
  16. ...and 19 more sections

Figures (21)

  • Figure 1: Typical microstructure applications: (a) aerospace industry; (b) biomedical industry; and (c) applications in heat, noise canceling, or energy absorption.
  • Figure 2: The statistics of papers related to microstructure modeling (theories, algorithms, and applications): (a) number of annual papers; and (b) annual paper citations.
  • Figure 3: Conceptual framework of this paper.
  • Figure 4: Spectrum of microstructure complexity: (a) varying geometric complexity from simple to highly complex (adapted from George Allen's presentation 2016_siemens_george_allen); and (b) multiscale geometric details.
  • Figure 5: Microstructure design and manufacturing pipeline.
  • ...and 16 more figures