From Computer-Aided (Detailed) Design to Automatic Topology and Shape Generation

This chapter surveys the evolution of Computer-Aided systems in terms of support to the earliest stages of design and more specifically to the embodiment design phase, when functional requirements and related structural and manufacturing constraints must be translated into a working solution, i.e. the generation of topology and shape of a mechanical part. After an introductory discussion about the context and the limitations of current systems, the chapter summarizes the research outcomes of two projects: the first, namely PROSIT (From Systematic Innovation to Integrated Product Development), aimed at bridging systematic innovation practices and Computer-Aided Innovation (CAI) tools with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems, by means of Design Optimization tools. The second, coordinated by the authors, is a prosecution of PROSIT and proposes the hybriDizAtion of Mono Objective optimizations (DAeMON) as a strategy for automatic topology and shape generation. The latter is clarified by means of two exemplary applications, one related to a literature example about Genetic Algorithms applied to multi-objective optimization, the second to an industrial case study from the motor scooter sector.