Organic growing algorithm

Hey guys,

I´ve got an idea but I´m not sure how to realize it. Maybe someone else is able to help me.

So I thought about a cad makro that allows you to connect different points/parts, which you have defined before.
What I mean is that for example you define the place where your battery-pack should be placed, the mounting plate for your motor and the wheels ,the place where the electronics are mounted and of course the area where no structure should be. Then in the following step you start the growing algorithm which creates a structure to connect those points with each other. Just like in this realization of a growing algorithm in Maya here [www.joesfer.com] but not with that thin connection but thicker ones so that they are easy to be printed.

If you think it further you could combine an algorithm like that with a fe-analysis solver ( like for example this one [impact.sourceforge.net] ) which analyse the grown structure in order to optimize it.

A makro like this would really simplify your design process. You wouldn´t have to take care of every detail on your own cause the only thing you would have to define are the most important parts of your design and the rest of the structure would be grown and optimized on it´s own.

So this is my idea and I know that a lot of the tools are already out there but the problem is, that I´m not sure how to start. I mean which cad/ or mesh processing program would be the best in order to be able to get a simple implementation of such a makro?

I thought about some cad programs that I know but they are very unsuitable for this purpose, even if the already implemented fe-solver would be a real benefit.

Probably some kind of mesh processing program such as blender would be better but I think I would need something that´s rather intended for cad-applications than blender.

My latest attempt is salome with code aster. I installed caelinux [www.caelinux.com] in a dual-boot system besides my win-7 and will look if it is possible to realize my idea with these tools.

I´m looking forward to hear your thoughts and suggestions about my idea ^^.

... there are some CAD-packages out there already equipped with such options - but until now not in the DIY-range.

BMW and other automotive companies use this recursive 'growing and fem-optimizing' to design optimal fixtures for wheels and static load ...

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

This looks the most promising of what I´ve found so far [www.code-aster.org] but it is hard to find any further information about it.

Hey, found something new. [www.sawapan.eu] [www.youtube.com]

This is almost exactly what I was looking for.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/16/2012 06:24AM by _Alex_.