Sequential Topology Optimization and Generative Design with Finite Element Validation for Lightweight PA6 Roller Conveyor Components

Conveyor idler rollers are conventionally manufactured from steel, contributing substantially to the overall mass, energy consumption, and operating cost of belt conveyor systems. A sequential optimization methodology combining topology optimization and generative design is presented to reduce the mass of a polyamide-6 (PA6) idler roller while preserving its structural performance under representative service loading. Starting from a conventional baseline model (1345 g), topology optimization identified low-utilization regions for material removal but introduced an intermediate stiffness penalty, increasing maximum displacement from 3.4 mm to 4.4 mm. Generative design subsequently reorganized the remaining material along the principal load paths, yielding a final component mass of 848 g, a 37% reduction relative to the baseline, while simultaneously reducing maximum displacement to 2.2 mm, a 35% improvement over the original design. The optimized component sustained a maximum von Mises stress of 16.3 MPa under the applied load, corresponding to a safety factor of approximately 3.7 relative to the material’s yield strength. These results, consistent with mass and stiffness improvements reported for generative design applied to comparable load-bearing components, demonstrate that sequential topology optimization and generative design can recover and exceed the stiffness of a conventional design while substantially reducing mass, offering a reproducible pathway toward lighter, more energy-efficient polymer-based conveyor components.