Comparison of CAD systems for generative design for use with additive manufacturing

As a reaction to the increasing market dynamics and complex requirements, today’s products need to be developed quickly and customized to the customer’s individual needs. In the past, CAD systems are mainly used to visualize the model that the product designer creates. Generative Design shifts the task of the CAD program by actively participating in the shaping process. This results in more design options and the complexity of the shapes and geometries increases significantly. This potential can be optimally exploited through the combination of Generative Design with Additive Manufacturing (AM). Artificial intelligence and the input of target parameters generate geometries, for example, by creating material for stressed areas, which in turn develops biomorphic shapes and thus significantly reduces the consumption of resources. This contribution aims at the evaluation of existing applications in CAD systems for generative design. Special attention is paid to the requirements in design education and easy access for students. For this purpose, three representative CAD systems are selected and analyzed with the help of a comprehensive example of mass reduction. The aim is to perform an individual result analysis in order to assess the application based on various criteria. By using different materials, the influence of the material for the generation is investigated by comparing the material distribution. By comparing the generated models, differences of the CAD systems can be identified and possible fields of application can be presented. By specifying the manufacturing parameters for the generation of the models, the feasibility of AM can be guaranteed without having to modify the results. The physical implementation of the example by means of Fused Deposition Modeling demonstrates this in an exemplary way and examines the interface of the Generative Design and AM. The results of this contribution will enable an evaluation of the different CAD systems for Generative Design according to technical, visual and economic aspects