Generative design streamlines and accelerates the process of developing design ideas and getting to production. In the time a designer can create one idea, a computer can generate thousands, within the constraints provided by the designer, and present those numerous component design options with the trade-offs of strength, weight, cost, manufacturing complexity, and sustainability clearly illustrated early in the process.
In the case of the Elevate concept vehicle, high-torque electric motors are at each joint of the “legs.” This requires structural components to be strong and rigid. But vehicle handling and payload requirements demand they, and the in-motor driven wheels, which are the “feet” of the vehicle, be lightweight.
Creating tools for modern teams of this nature, leveraging the cloud, and a common data platform to ensure everyone’s on the same virtual page: this has been the focus of Autodesk’s Fusion 360 platform since its inception more than seven years ago.
Elevate exists only as a 5:1 scale prototype at this point, so it remains to be seen what’ll come of this fascinating and futuristic Hyundai project. Nevertheless, wrapped in its Transformer-inspired trappings are examples of the potential benefits offered today by a platform that breaks down barriers between design, engineering, and manufacturing; makes broad collaboration seamless by standardizing data; and gives teams access to a state-of-the-art, cloud-powered new process like the generative design.
