Using CAD makes it easier to test and change a design before it is manufactured. Finite Element Analysis and Parametric Modelling save the Engineer and Designer time and money. And in the end, a great product is created. There is a growing field of research that combines the two elements of CAD with powerful computing power. Drawing from the rich field of evolutionary biology, a few intrepid researchers have begun to 'breed' CAD models to make them stronger and more efficient than before. These 'species' are unorthodox - they seem to defy imagination of what is possible because they work!
The process of evolution that took us from Blue-Green Algae to You-and-Me is fairly straightforward. As creatures, we strive to select mates that have the right qualities to survive our environment. Given a huge population and an even bigger number of offspring, those creatures with the characteristics that cope best with the environment survive and spread their genes onto the next generation. Instead of thinking of germs, birds or humans think of CAD models with parametric measurements and formulae rather than genes. And instead of dangerous jungle, think of a complex FEA simulation where those designs that can't cut it are erased. Whether alive or not, the best designs survive and thrive and the rest disappear.
Endlessforms.com - Select the best from a set of randomly generated objects to create something, like a lamp.
The applications are endless. YouTube user sjh7132 posted a video demonstrating a brand-new design for a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT). He narratives his process of using evolutionary techniques to improve upon existing designs. After two weeks of brute computational processing, sjh7132's program produced a odd jellyfish-like 'blade' (if you could call it a blade). It doesn't look it, but this ugly duckling pumped out 8% more power than its man-made competitor!
In 2008, Architect Eva Friedrich published a research paper on the effectiveness of improving structural robustness via evolutionary means. Utilizing Voronoi Diagrams (a type of irregular patterning found throughout nature, from cell structure, fur patterns and city layouts), FEA and raw computer power Friedrich allowed a simple table to 'redesign itself' and resist structural stress better. What emerged after a few hundred cycles of evolution was an irregularly shaped design that was up to 86% stronger than its ancestors. The amount of material was kept constant - a remarkable achievement.
What these experiments revealed is that Nature is a very unusual watchmaker. Through trial and error, she has created some unique yet seemingly bizarre (or impossible) solutions. It is no surprise that the same evolutionary process employed by sjh7132 and Eva Friedrich produce similar work. Leveraging every single possible solution and testing every possible outcome will create better work - great designers and engineers know that the best work comes from rapid testing and prototyping. As computing power increases, 'evolved' CAD models might become more common.
