Generative Design + AM: Building Lightweight Structures for NASA EXCITE

Digital engineering technologies are transforming classical engineering tasks such as design, analysis, and fabrication for space-flight structures. Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, generative design enables a paradigm shift in the design process, allowing the engineer to define design objectives and requirements while AI explores the design space to generate optimized designs that meet those parameters. Digital manufacturing enables these complex and lightweight designs to be robotically manufactured directly from 3D models. This includes both additive manufacturing, such as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), and subtractive techniques such as automated milling.

Join us to discuss the application of generative design and additive manufacturing within NASA’s EXCITE mission, including the design, analysis, fabrication, and testing of prototype hardware. Discussion will include:

• Combining technologies enables 2x-4x mass reduction while also reducing development time from months to days
• Comparison data between human and AI design and improvements in mass, stiffness, strength, and development time
• Comparing generative designs for additive manufacturing and CNC machining: materials, design complexity and part performance
• Future directions to develop efficient bone-like structures for spacecraft