This paper details how Rapid Manufacturing (RM) can overcome the restrictions imposed by the
inherent process limitations of conventional manufacturing techniques and become the enabling
technology in fabricating optimal products. A new design methodology capable of exploiting
RM’s increased design freedom is therefore needed. Inspired by natural world structures of trees
and bones, a multi-objective, genetic algorithm based topology optimisation approach is
presented. This combines multiple unit cell structures and varying volume fractions to create a
heterogeneous part structure which exhibits a uniform stress distribution.Mechanical Engineerin