Generative Designed Parts Machining

Generative design is being used more and more to reduce weight and increase strength.  Parts created by generative design can be made by additive manufactring, casting, machining from billet or molding.  During the design process the engineer typically indicates the desired manufacturing process and the generative design software designs the part such that it can be manufacturing by the chosen process.

For protoyping generatively designed parts it is often more cost efficent to use additive manufacturing and then machine only the critical features.  However, as quantities increase additive manufacturing quickly becomes unviable due to the high cost.

Machining and casting of generative designed parts is used when the engineer wants a protoype from billet to mimic the properties of the production part and when quantities increase.