The 2018 3D Printing Industry Awards nominated software startup Frustum Inc. has launched its GENERATE design platform for Windows operating systems. Powered by the company’s patented generative design engine, TrueSOLIDⓇ, GENERATE is an intuitive program for creating topology-optimized components for additive manufacturing, milling and casting.

Jesse Coors-Blankenship, CEO of Frustum Inc., comments, “We developed GENERATE on a multi-threaded architecture that was built from the ground-up to deliver faster design output by leveraging both CPU and GPU computing optionally,”

“GENERATE will redefine how manufacturers get products to market, reduce materials costs and improve the overall performance of products.”

Interactive generative design

Frustum’s GENERATE software is a tool that allows users to rapidly explore multiple component designs that match performance and manufacturing parameters.

In an example run-through of GENERATE, a user imports the native CAD file of a part in development. The user then assigns particular load (force, moment, pressure, acceleration) or constraint (i.e. ball join, fixed pin) values to the faces of the component. Based on this data, the program generates a finite element analysis (FEA) map of stress concentrations, which can be used to make modifications to the component’s geometry.

Through interaction with the generated model, a user can make a part lighter and reduce the amount of unnecessary material in its construction.

“With GENERATE, designers and engineers can interactively specify the functional requirements of their design and the design will automatically be modeled to meet those requirements,” adds Coors-Blankenship, “The design output is functional and does not have to be remodeled in CAD.”

The process can also be performed with a large assembly of multiple parts, optimized either in isolation or simultaneously. A standard and user-defined material library is available in the program, and it offers .stl export with user-defined resolution.

Intelligent lattice generation for Frustum’s GENERATE is coming soon.

Generative design for 3D printing

As observed in a recent interview with the founders of nTopology, Frustum, and ParaMatters generative design is a hot topic within additive manufacturing. nTopology recently raised $7.6 million to fund to further development of its Element generative design software. ParaMatters launched its CogniCAD platform at CES 2018. Elsewhere in the industry Boston-headquartered 3D printer manufacturer Desktop Metal is working on LiveParts its own solution for generative design.

Frustum GENERATE is currently in the process of commercial licensing for Siemens PLM software and integration into Siemens NX and Siemens SolidEdge.

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Featured image shows a GE bracket composite optimized in GENERATE. Image via Frustum