Based on the geometric design freedom offered by additive manufacturing processes, new opportunities for component design are emerging. However, these opportunities are often underutilized due to process-related restrictions regarding build size, part quality, and economic efficiency. A promising strategy to overcome these restrictions is the differential design method, in which complex structures are either divided into subcomponents that are easier to manufacture or the additively manufactured subcomponents are supplemented with suitable semi-finished products to form high-performance hybrid structures. To implement this approach, the individual parts must be joined within the framework of a hybrid manufacturing process. Adhesive bonding is a particularly suitable joining process for this purpose, as it allows different materials to be joined without imposing constraints on the geometry of the joining surfaces. However, the strength of adhesive joints is influenced by both adhesive and cohesive mechanisms, as well as by the stress distribution within the joint. Consequently, their performance is often reduced compared to alternative joining processes. The objective of this work was to utilize the geometric design freedom offered by additive manufacturing processes to optimize adherend design and thereby enhance the performance of adhesive joints. For this purpose, analytical and numerical studies were conducted on exemplary structural joints, and the added value in terms of bond strength was validated experimentally. The design optimization approaches investigated in this work include the integration of additively manufactured injection channels for improved adhesive application, along with topology and topography optimization to achieve a uniform stress distribution. The results show that leveraging the design freedom of additive manufacturing reduces adhesive application errors, promotes a more uniform stress distribution, and significantly lowers the nominal stress within the joint. As a result, the bond strength of adhesive joints is increased, unlocking new opportunities in component design through advanced hybrid manufacturing processes and thereby enhancing both the performance and economic efficiency of lightweight structures.     «

Based on the geometric design freedom offered by additive manufacturing processes, new opportunities for component design are emerging. However, these opportunities are often underutilized due to process-related restrictions regarding build size, part quality, and economic efficiency. A promising strategy to overcome these restrictions is the differential design method, in which complex structures are either divided into subcomponents that are easier to manufacture or the additively manufactured...     »