The most helpful tool when preparing a Generative Study to solve for outcomes is the Pre-Check, which informs you of missing or conflicting criteria in your study that will prevent you from solving.
Note: Passing the Pre-Check does not guarantee your study will result in a useable part that meets your criteria, only that there will be possible outcomes generated from solving
You can look at the Pre-Check at any time, and it will provide one of three possible statuses:
Once you have identified an outcome (or outcomes) that you wish to pursue further, you will need to solidify the design, which is currently in a conceptual state
You can create multiple different CAD model types (solid body vs. mesh) from your outcomes, but it is almost always recommended to start by creating a solid body, as later conversion to mesh is easy, but the opposite is not
There can often be reasons for editing your model after generating it - to clean up designs, simplify structures, or incorporate customer values into the design via aesthetics, branding, etc.
Oftentimes the solid body model that is created is very organic looking, and made up of many different "patches" of geometric shapes
If the organic shape is desired and you simply want to adjust it slightly, use Form/Surface modeling to achieve similar features
If there are more-defined and crisp features desired, use Solid Design modeling
Generative Design will create part geometries according to your specifications, but sometimes
Post-Generative Simulation (FEA/other) allows you to better understand how the forces are truly interacting on and around your part
You can understand exactly where, how, and with how much force your part will fail
You can make informed design adjustments based on areas of low/high strength
Aside from gaining further insight into your design and how it will perform/fail, Post-Generative Simulation, is a crucial step that should ALWAYS be performed whenever:
Post-Generative design adjustments are made
Performance criteria is changed for the design in question
The part is used in complex assemblies, where the forces applied & returned by the Generatively-Designed part affect other components in the assembly
For this Checkpoint you will solve your Generative Study and finalize your first generatively-designed part!
Use the Pre-Check tool in the Generative workspace to determine if all criteria are met
Once you are good to go, click "Generate" (this step will take awhile)
Once your outcomes are generated, explore the possibilities and analyze the pro's & con's of each outcome
Decide on an outcome and create a CAD model from the outcome
Perform any additional post-generative analysis/adjustment steps you wish
Once done, upload documentation of your progress (text/pictures/gifs/videos) to your previously-created "Generative Door Hook" project page on your portfolio website, including:
All your possible outcomes
The outcome your chose & why
Any post-generative steps you performed to further analyze/adjust your design
Descriptions/summaries of what you did/learned