Goal-driven computer aided design workflow
A centralized design engine receives a problem specification from an end-user and classifies that problem specification in a large database of previously received problem specifications. Upon identifying similar problem specifications in the large database, the design engine selects design strategies associated with those similar problem specifications. A given design strategy includes one or more optimization algorithms, one or more geometry kernels, and one or more analysis tools. The design engine executes an optimization algorithm to generate a set of parameters that reflect geometry. The design engine then executes a geometry kernel to generate geometry that reflects those parameters, and generates analysis results for each geometry. The optimization algorithms may then improve the generated geometries based on the analysis results in an iterative fashion. When suitable geometries are discovered, the design engine displays the geometries to the end-user, along with the analysis results.
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving a first design specification that defines one or more requirements for a physical component;
identifying, based on the first design specification, a plurality of design specifications and a plurality of design strategies within a design space;
selecting, based on the plurality of design specifications and the plurality of design strategies, a first design strategy;
automatically generating, based on the first design strategy, a structural geometry corresponding to the physical component;
determining that the structural geometry satisfies the one or more requirements for the physical component defined by the first design specification; and
causing the structural geometry to be displayed.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the first design strategy comprises:
computing, for the plurality of design specifications, correlation values associated with a distance between the first design specification and the plurality of design specifications in the design space;
determining, based on the correlation values, a set of stored design specifications from the plurality of design specifications, wherein each stored design specification included in the set of design specifications has a correlation value that is within a distance threshold; and
selecting, from the plurality of design strategies, a set of design strategies that includes the first design strategy and corresponds to the set of stored design specifications.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising executing the first design strategy, by a processor, to generate the structural geometry.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein executing the first design strategy to generate the structural geometry comprises at least one of:
adding virtual material to a three-dimensional computer model; or
removing virtual material from the three-dimensional computer model.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein executing the first design strategy to generate the structural geometry comprises performing a simulation of a real-world manufacturing technique to:
add the virtual material to the three-dimensional computer model; or
remove the virtual material from the three-dimensional computer model.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more requirements for the physical component defined by the first design specification comprises at least one of:
a set of objectives that the physical component meets,
a set of environmental parameters of an environment in which the physical component resides,
a set of constraints that the physical component does not violate, or
a set of style cues that is reflected by a form factor for the physical component.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining that the structural geometry satisfies the one or more requirements for the physical component comprises performing a computer simulation of one or more physical characteristics of the structural geometry to determine that the structural geometry meets the set of objectives.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining that the structural geometry satisfies one or more requirements for the physical component comprises performing a computer simulation of one or more physical characteristics of the structural geometry to determine that the structural geometry does not violate the set of constraints.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a selection of the structural geometry, and
updating a database to:
include the first design specification, and
indicate that the structural geometry aligns with the first design specification.
10. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
receiving a first design specification that defines one or more requirements for a physical component;
identifying, based on the first design specification, a plurality of design specifications and a plurality of design strategies within a design space;
selecting, based on the plurality of design specifications and the plurality of design strategies, a first design strategy;
automatically generating, based on the first design strategy, a structural geometry corresponding to the physical component;
determining that the structural geometry satisfies the one or more requirements for the physical component defined by the first design specification; and
causing the structural geometry to be displayed.
11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein selecting the first design strategy comprises:
computing, for the plurality of design specifications, correlation values associated with a distance between the first design specification and the plurality of design specifications in the design space;
determining, based on the correlation values, a set of stored design specifications from the plurality of design specifications, wherein each stored design specification included in the set of design specifications has a correlation value that is within a distance threshold; and
selecting, from the plurality of design strategies, a set of design strategies that includes the first design strategy and corresponds to the set of stored design specifications.
12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10 , further comprising executing the first design strategy to generate the structural geometry.
13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein executing the first design strategy to generate the structural geometry comprises at least one of:
adding virtual material to a three-dimensional computer model; or
removing virtual material from the three-dimensional computer model.
14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein executing the first design strategy to generate the structural geometry comprises performing a simulation of a real-world manufacturing technique to:
add the virtual material to the three-dimensional computer model; or
remove the virtual material from the three-dimensional computer model.
15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the one or more requirements for the physical component defined by the first design specification comprises at least one of:
a set of objectives that the physical component meets,
a set of environmental parameters of an environment in which the physical component resides,
a set of constraints that the physical component does not violate, or
a set of style cues that is reflected by a form factor for the physical component.
16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein determining that the structural geometry satisfies the one or more requirements for the physical component comprises performing a computer simulation of one or more physical characteristics of the structural geometry to determine that the structural geometry meets the set of objectives.
17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein determining that the structural geometry satisfies one or more requirements for the physical component comprises performing a computer simulation of one or more physical characteristics of the structural geometry to determine that the structural geometry does not violate the set of constraints.
18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a selection of the structural geometry, and
updating a database to:
include the first design specification, and
indicate that the structural geometry aligns with the first design specification.
19. A system, comprising:
one or more memories that store instructions; and
one or more processors that are coupled to the one or more memories and, when executing the instructions, are configured to:
receive a first design specification defining that defines one or more requirements for a physical component;
identify, based on the first design specification, a plurality of design specifications and a plurality of design strategies within a design space;
select, based on the plurality of design specifications and the plurality of design strategies, a first design strategy;
automatically generate, based on the first design strategy, a structural geometry corresponding to the physical component;
determine that the structural geometry satisfies the one or more requirements for the physical component defined by the first design specification; and
cause the structural geometry to be displayed.