Mass-Customization in Design Using Evolutionary and Parametric Methods

Abstract

This paper describes a project within the authors' ongoing research in the field of Generative Design. The work is based on the premise that computer-aided design (CAD) should evolve beyond its current limitation of one-way interaction, and become a dynamic, intelligent, multiuser environment that encourages creativity and actively supports the evolution of individual, mass-customized designs which exhibit common features. The authors describe this idea by illustrating the implementation of a research project, which explores the notions of mass-customization in design by using evolutionary and parametric methods to generate families of simple objects, in our case a door handle. The project examines related approaches using both complex CAD/CAM packages (CADDS, CATIA) and a proprietary software tool for evolutionary design. The paper first gives a short historical and philosophical background to the work, then describes the technical and algorithmic requirements, and concludes with the implementations of the project.