Exploiting the generative design potential to select the best conceptual design of an aerospace component to be produced by additive manufacturing

Abstract

Abstract Since the advent of Industry 4.0, the manufacturing sector has had to face new challenges, which have required the development of new skills and innovative tools. This scenario includes innovative production processes such as Additive Manufacturing (AM), a technology capable of producing a component layer-by-layer directly from the 3D model, without the need of specific tools. Generative Design (GD) may represent an opportunity to maximize the potential of AM techniques. GD is based on parametric computer-aided design (CAD) tools capable of generating multiple optimized outputs, among which the designer could select the most promising solution. This paper presents a general methodology for evaluating the GD outputs in the conceptual phase of design, to select the best possible solution through a series of criteria at several levels. The evaluation method is deployed in an aerospace field case study. The procedure demonstrates the benefits of adopting GD synergistically with AM in the early stages of product development. This indicates that the developed methodology could reduce the number of iterations during the design process, and the result is a decrease in the overall time spent on the project, avoiding problems during the final stages of the design.