AccScience Publishing / MSAM / Volume 4 / Issue 1 / DOI: 10.36922/MSAM025040003
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Topology optimization of an aluminum bicycle pedal crank using laser powder bed fusion

Jose Manuel Costa1,2* ,  Mariana Cerqueira Maia1 ,  Adriana Pinho Fernandes1 ,  Elsa Costa Oliveira1 ,  Manuel Fernando Vieira1,2 ,  Elsa Wellenkamp Sequeiros1,2
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1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
2 LAETA, Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Porto, Portugal
MSAM 2025, 4(1), 025040003 https://doi.org/10.36922/MSAM025040003
Submitted: 24 January 2025 | Accepted: 21 February 2025 | Published: 26 March 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

This study investigates the application of topology optimization (TO) in combination with laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) to design a lightweight, high-performance bicycle pedal crank using AlSi10Mg alloy. The optimization process was carried out using Fusion 360 and nTopology, resulting in a 20% mass reduction while ensuring compliance with the ISO 14781 standards for pedal cranks. The component was characterized in terms of microstructure, surface roughness, dimensional accuracy, powder distribution, and Vickers hardness. The microstructure exhibited the characteristic melt pool patterns associated with LPBF, indicative of the manufacturing process. Surface roughness measurements showed a mean value of 23.4 μm, with dimensional analysis revealing a mean deviation of 7% from nominal dimensions. The powder distribution analysis indicated a narrow particle size distribution, contributing to consistent print quality. The component’s hardness was measured at 134 HV0.3, highlighting its promising mechanical properties. This work demonstrates the potential of TO and LPBF to produce structurally optimized, lightweight components with enhanced performance, providing valuable insights into the application of Design for Additive Manufacturing for metallic materials.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Bike crank
AlSi10Mg
Laser powder bed fusion
Design for Additive Manufacturing
Topology optimization
Metallographic characterization
Roughness dimensional analysis
Powder characterization
Funding
This research received no external funding.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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Materials Science in Additive Manufacturing, Electronic ISSN: 2810-9635 Published by AccScience Publishing
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