NASA and Protolabs Demonstrate the Value of Generative Design

At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, engineers are using generative design to build more and iterate less. The shift to using generative design on parts has cut iterations from 31 to four, and design time from days to one hour.

To showcase the impact of generative design, NASA ran an experiment at the PowerSource Global Summit where they asked attendees to crowdsource inputs for the design of a space apparatus that could be used as part of the Artemis mission. The experiment combined generative design with digital manufacturing, allowing the group to design the apparatus from scratch.

During the experiment, participants coordinated with Protolabs, engineers bringing together technology leaders across disciplines. On the first day of the conference, NASA engineers challenged attendees to provide inputs for generative design to create a prototype apparatus for collecting gas samples released by sunlight hitting the moon as part of NASA’s ongoing Artemis moon exploration missions.

The crowdsourced constraints defined desired traits of the sample collection container like modularity, stack-ability, scalability, and how a person or robot would interact with the device. Simultaneously, the geometries and part qualities identified had to ensure the part was machinable while maintaining strict size requirements.

The Resulting CAD File

NASA’s generative design software then produced a CAD file based on those constraints that was ready for machining in Protolabs’ digital factory that evening. The goal was to deliver the part by the conference’s wrap-up two days later.

“For this demonstration to be successful, we knew that any manufacturer we went with [to make the part], needed to deliver the part we ordered on-time, there was no room for error or delay,” said Matthew Vaerewyck, a mechanical engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Protolabs was brought into the process as a digital manufacturer that combines the digital thread with speed, reliability, and quality. 

Vaerewyck uploaded the part’s CAD file to Protolabs’ digital quoting platform. The organic design went through 19 hours of toolpathing at Protolabs’ CNC machining facility. The part was then shipped from Minnesota to the conference in Florida, arriving before the final day’s activities began, less than 36 hours after the order was placed.

Proving the Power of Generative Design

Protolabs representatives deemed the experiment a resounding success. NASA was able to demonstrate the power of generative design to cut down on iterations and significantly reduce development time while also creating parts that meet stringent spaceflight constraints. Protolabs, enabled by its quick-turn digital manufacturing capabilities, served as a key partner, bringing the part to life for conference attendees to see.

“We couldn’t have been more excited to serve as the manufacturing partner in this novel exercise showcasing the impact of combining generative design with automated manufacturing,” said Greg Thompson, senior director of CNC machining at Protolabs. “Protolabs is proud to play a role in NASA’s mission to push the boundaries of innovation to enable space exploration.”