Ex-5: Using VDB implicits for lattice infill

🧰The geometry, grasshopper, and vdb implicit files for this example can be downloaded here: vdb_lattice_brake.zip.
*Legacy* files for Rhino 7 can also be found here: vdb_lattice_brake_rhino7.zip

The VDB files were generated using the Crystallon and Dendro plug-ins.

This example outlines how to use VDB implicit files to infill lattice on a brake geometry in Grasshopper. This example also outlines how to run simulations on the infilled geometry.

The goal is to replace the yellow highlighted section of the object with a lattice infill. This will allow the part to be lighter while maintaining solid structural integrity.

To reference a vdb file that was modeled with implicits, place a file path object and set the path to the vdb file.

Next, reference the geometry where the loads and restraints will eventually be place. Since this is a brake pedal, the load will be placed on the top surface of the foot pad and the restraint will be on the inner surface of the larger hole. The lattice infill files will need to be connected to an intact volume read component. At this point, the grasshopper canvas should look something like this:

After this, the workflow for setting up boundary conditions, the stress solver, and solver settings is similar to Ex-1: Stress simulation of a bonded assembly. The part is made of Aluminum 6061 and the rest of the simulation conditions can be seen here:

By utilizing the sampler block, values can be found at specific points. Also, the mesh results can be used to calculate volumes which when multiplied by a density can calculate the mass of the pedal. These applications can be seen in the grasshopper file within the zipped folder. When the simulation is run, the results should look something like this: