To achieve our goals, we have identified this challenges, for which we expect to contribute beyond the state-of-the-art:
a) The behavior and structure of 3DP materials differ substantially from those of cast or classically manufactured materials including porosity, anisotropy, geometric and material defects of diverse types. We aim to generate models and efficient algorithms that accurately predict the experimental behavior of the base printed material at large strains, including the continuum and microstructural scale (crystal plasticity level).
b) Concurrent material-structure design using mechanical metamaterials is at its incipient stages. The problem cannot be solved using a monolithic approach. We aim to develop a methodology that performs that double optimization problem (component and metamaterial at each component location) in a partitioned way, using topology-parametrized surrogate models that facilitate the inverse analysis for design from the continuum level.
c) The treatment of metamaterial connectivity (e.g. different metamaterial families or progressive changes in the family) is at an incipient stage, with very few works starting to address this very important issue in functionally graded metamaterials. We expect to address this problem through different techniques like machine learning and phase-field modeling.
d) Finally, two important challenges are the development of practical software and the application to prototypes of value for industry which demonstrates the practical interest of the technology.
COMETAS will bring tools and knowledge for the development of future technologies in key economic sectors of great economic interest as aerospace, automotive, defence and biomedical industries. These technologies constitute a change of paradigm in the way we perform the design-to-manufacturing circle, including the materials selection.
COMETAS facilitates an excellent interdisciplinary, international, intercontinental and intersectoral collaboration, allowing for the development of new technologies, interchanging of ideas and visions, and improving the training of staff, yielding more innovative, communicative and transversal researchers to shape the future of R&D in Europe.
