Generative Design: An Explorative Study

Generative design tools have recently become an interesting solution to tackle design problems in several technical fields. This article takes into consideration the specific field of mechanical design and aims at describing available generative design solutions capable of dealing with structural optimization problems. The study provides a practical description on the workflow and performances of a specific software system implementing a generative approach for the generation of a set of alternative solutions for a static structural design problem. The software analyzed is Autodesk’s Generative Design, hosted in Fusion 360. The article discusses the functioning of the software and its performances; an enhanced focus on the features oriented to the generation of manufacturable shapes is provided in the text. In order to provide a practical and effective procedure, a literature case study was selected to test the software.