Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design of physical structures include: obtaining a design space for a modeled object and boundary conditions including a location where load is applied; checking whether, the boundary conditions include a specified direction for the load; assigning a direction for the load at the location when no specified direction is included; iteratively modifying a three dimensional shape in the design space in accordance with a physical response of the modeled object determined by a numerical simulation employing a linear analysis, where the iterative modification comprises determining a respective maximum sustainable load for each of two or more versions of the modified three dimensional shape; presenting to a user the two or more versions of the modeled object having different shapes; and receiving a user selection of one of the two or more versions of the modeled object.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for modeling assemblies using generative design techniques. The technique includes determining a portion of an assembly to model as a superelement and computing a mathematical model representing the superelement. The technique further includes eliminating one or more interior degrees of freedom from the mathematical model and computing a reduced stiffness matrix corresponding to the superelement by solving one or more equations associated with the mathematical model using an iterative sparse matrix solver.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design with connectivity filtering during shape synthesis, include: a three-dimensional modeling program configured to provide disconnection detection, shape synthesis, and/or connectivity filtering during shape and/or topology optimization. The three-dimensional modeling program can be an architecture, engineering and/or construction program (e.g., building information management program), a product design and/or manufacturing program (e.g., a CAM program), and/or a media and/or entertainment production program (e.g., an animation production program).

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design with feature thickness control, include: a three-dimensional modeling program configured to provide voxelized thinning based distance to medial surface processing that measures thicknesses in a three-dimensional model, and/or ramped scaling based thickness constraint application during shape and/or topology generation. The three-dimensional modeling program can be an architecture, engineering and/or construction program (e.g., building information management program), a product design and/or manufacturing program (e.g., a CAM program), and/or a media and/or entertainment production program (e.g., an animation production program).

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design of physical structures using techniques that facilitate manufacturing, include: modifying a three dimensional shape, for which a corresponding physical structure is to be created using a manufacturing process, to produce a modified three dimensional shape; and providing the modified shape of the modeled object for use in manufacturing the physical structure using one or more computer-controlled manufacturing systems that employ the manufacturing process.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design of physical structures using generative design processes, where the 3D models of the physical structures are produced so as to facilitate manufacturing of the physical structures using 2.5-axis subtractive manufacturing systems and techniques, include: obtaining a design space for an object to be manufactured, design criteria, and load case(s); iteratively modifying a generatively designed 3D shape of the modeled object, including generating 2D profile representations (corresponding to discrete layers) of an updated version of the 3D shape, extruding the 2D profile representations along the milling direction, and forming a next version of the 3D shape of the modeled object from a combination of the 3D representations produced by the extruding; and providing the generatively designed 3D shape of the modeled object for use in manufacturing the physical structure using a 2.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design of physical structures using generative design processes, where the 3D models of the physical structures are produced so as to facilitate manufacturing of the physical structures using 2.5-axis subtractive manufacturing systems and techniques, include: obtaining a design space for an object to be manufactured, design criteria, and load case(s); iteratively modifying a generatively designed 3D shape of the modeled object, including generating 2D profile representations (corresponding to discrete layers) of an updated version of the 3D shape, extruding the 2D profile representations along the milling direction, and forming a next version of the 3D shape of the modeled object from a combination of the 3D representations produced by the extruding; and providing the generatively designed 3D shape of the modeled object for use in manufacturing the physical structure using a 2.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design of physical structures using generative design processes, where the 3D models of the physical structures are produced so as to facilitate manufacturing of the physical structures using 2.5-axis subtractive manufacturing systems and techniques, include: obtaining a design space for an object to be manufactured, design criteria, and load case(s); iteratively modifying a generatively designed 3D shape of the modeled object, including generating 2D profile representations (corresponding to discrete layers) of an updated version of the 3D shape, extruding the 2D profile representations along the milling direction, and forming a next version of the 3D shape of the modeled object from a combination of the 3D representations produced by the extruding; and providing the generatively designed 3D shape of the modeled object for use in manufacturing the physical structure using a 2.