Generative design is one of the most truly revolutionary additions to CAD software in recent decades. Instead of the engineer defining a shape and then checking whether it is strong enough, generative design inverts the process: you tell the software where the loads are, where the part must connect to other components, and what manufacturing processes are available — and the software generates dozens or hundreds of structural forms that meet your requirements. The results are often organic, biomimetic shapes that no engineer would draw by hand, yet they are lighter, stronger, and more material-efficient than conventional designs.
Autodesk Fusion 360 includes generative design tools as part of its feature set, available from GetRenewedTech for €46.99 per year. This guide explains how the workflow operates and when to use it.
What Generative Design Is (and Is Not)
Generative design is not magic, and it is not AI in the colloquial sense. It is an advanced form of topology optimisation combined with multi-objective algorithmic exploration. The software uses finite element analysis to evaluate stress distributions under defined load cases, then iteratively removes material from low-stress regions while preserving material in high-stress regions, subject to manufacturing constraints you specify.
The output is a set of candidate geometries that are structurally valid given your inputs. Choosing between candidates, applying engineering judgement, and adapting the design for real-world assembly remain the engineer’s responsibility.
Setting Up a Generative Design Study
To start, go to Design > Generative Design > New Study in Fusion 360. The study setup has four key components:
Preserve Geometry
Define the regions of the part that must remain unchanged — typically the mounting interfaces, bearing surfaces, connector points, and any functional features like threaded holes. Draw or model these regions as bodies and assign them as Preserve Geometry. The generative algorithm will not remove material from these areas.
Obstacle Geometry
Define the regions where material must not exist — the envelope that the part must fit within, clearances for adjacent components, and keep-out zones for assembly access. Model these as bodies and assign them as Obstacle Geometry.
Load Cases
Define the structural loads and constraints. This works the same way as setting up a standard FEA study in Fusion: apply forces, pressures, moments, and torques to the preserve geometry faces. Define at least one structural constraint (a fixed face or joint). For real-world accuracy, consider multiple load cases — the maximum operational load, dynamic shock loads, and fatigue cycling loads. The generative algorithm will optimise for all load cases simultaneously.
Manufacturing Constraints
This is where generative design becomes particularly powerful. You can specify multiple manufacturing methods and Fusion will generate different geometries for each:
- Additive manufacturing (3D printing) — allows maximum geometric complexity; overhangs may need support structures
- Milling (2.5-axis, 3-axis, 5-axis) — constrains the geometry to forms achievable with the selected milling strategy
- Die casting — avoids undercuts and internal voids that would prevent part removal from the mould
- Sheet metal — constrains to forms achievable by bending flat sheet
Running the Study
Generative design studies run in Autodesk’s cloud compute environment — your local machine is not doing the heavy lifting. Click Pre-Check to validate your setup, then Generate. Depending on complexity and the number of manufacturing methods specified, the study may take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. You can close Fusion and the study will continue running in the cloud.
Results appear in the Generative Design Explorer, showing each candidate outcome with its predicted mass, safety factor, and manufacturing cost estimate.
Interpreting and Selecting Outcomes
The Generative Design Explorer presents results on a scatter plot with axes you can choose — typically mass versus safety factor or mass versus cost. Outcomes in the lower-left of a mass-versus-cost plot are both lighter and cheaper to manufacture. Click any outcome to see the geometry in 3D.
Evaluate candidates not just on their metrics but on their practicality. A topology-optimal form might have thin struts that are difficult to clean, inspect, or handle. Apply engineering judgement — the software proposes options, but you make the decision.
Refining the Selected Design
Once you select a candidate, you can edit it further in Fusion 360’s standard Design workspace. Convert the generative body to a T-Spline for smooth editing, add fillets and chamfers, and modify interface geometry as needed. The generative form is a starting point for your final design, not necessarily the end product in its raw form.
Practical Applications
Generative design is particularly valuable for:
- Aerospace and automotive brackets — where weight reduction has measurable performance and fuel efficiency benefits
- Medical devices — optimised implant structures that reduce material while maintaining load-bearing capacity
- Additive manufacturing exploration — understanding what is achievable when freed from subtractive manufacturing constraints
- Competitive design — producing lighter, stronger parts than competitors using conventional design methods
Fusion 360 from GetRenewedTech brings generative design into reach for individual engineers, small firms, and product design studios at €46.99 per year — a remarkable capability at an accessible price point. Pair it with a good understanding of manufacturing constraints and material properties, and you have a remarkably powerful tool for producing optimised designs that traditional CAD workflows simply cannot match.
