CDFAM Computational Design Symposium

Recorded at CDFAM Computational Design Symposium, Amsterdam , 2025 https://cdfam.com/amsterdam-2025/

Organization: McNeel & cydric.com

Presenter: Mathias Fuchs

Rhino, Grasshopper 2, and TRfem: Computing Heat Flow Inside Solids

Presentation Abstract

While environmental analysis tools in Rhino typically focus on surfaces and 2D domains, optimization workflows in design for additive manufacturing often require analyzing physical properties inside solids. In this talk, we introduce some of the key novelties of Grasshopper 2 for Rhino, we show why its concept of field manipulation is an ideal platform for such tasks, and present TRmesh and TRfem – a pair of finite element plugins for Grasshopper 1 and 2 that compute heat conduction within volumetric/tetrahedral domains, natively in Rhino. We focus on typical applications such as the design of heat exchangers or, conversely, insulation. Covering both geometric modeling and accurate simulation, GH2, TRmesh and TRfem together enable a slick physics-informed topology workflow. Interview: TRfem: Thermal Simulation in Grasshopper II with Mathias Fuchs

Recorded at CDFAM Computational Design Symposium, Amsterdam , 2025 https://cdfam.com/amsterdam-2025/

Organization: Cognitive Design Systems

Presenter: Rhushik MATROJA

Manufacturing Driven Design

Presentation Abstract Cognitive Design Systems integrates Manufacturing-Driven Design (MDD) and Simulation-Driven Design into its proprietary Cognitive Design software, transforming the way products are conceived. This innovative approach enables engineers to convert concepts into manufacturable, high-performance designs within seconds. With automated Design for Manufacturing (DfM) checks and real-time modifications, the software ensures compatibility with processes like Additive Manufacturing, Machining, Die Casting, Injection Molding, and Forging. Proven through collaborations with Safran, Thales, Valeo, and Mitsubishi Electric, the platform reduces design cycle times by up to 90%.

Recorded at CDFAM Computational Design Symposium, Amsterdam , 2025

https://cdfam.com/amsterdam-2025/

Organization: ToffeeX

Presenter: Thomas Rees

Physics-Driven Generative Design for Laser Powder Bed Fusion in Aerospace

Presentation Abstract

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) has shown transformative potential for the aerospace industry, with substantial investments being directed globally to leverage its benefits. However, broader industrial adoption of L-PBF faces barriers primarily due to limitations in the performance of components manufactured with the technique, productivity of the technique, and scalability of the technology. These limitations currently hinder L-PBF’s competitiveness with traditional manufacturing methods for aerospace, affecting both cost-efficiency and sustainability. In this talk we will present a physics-driven generative design framework tailored for L-PBF, leveraging advanced multi-physics simulations to tackle the complex thermo-fluid-structural design challenges that arise in aerospace applications. The framework integrates computational fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and structural mechanics simulations. By coupling these simulation-driven insights with generative design techniques, our approach offers a robust pathway to create high-performance aerospace components. Results from case studies demonstrate the ability of our framework to reduce costs and design times while achieving superior mechanical properties under aerospace-relevant loading conditions. Read the CDFAM Interview with ToffeeX

Recorded at CDFAM Computational Design Symposium, Amsterdam , 2025 https://cdfam.com/amsterdam-2025/

Organization: Flexcompute

Presenter: Momchil Minkov + Qiqi Wang

Real-Time Computer-Aided Optimization (CAO): How GPU-Native Simulation

Changes the Industry Presentation Abstract Computer-aided engineering (CAE) has been a foundational tool in aerospace and photonics design, but slow workflows, high costs, and constrained design exploration limit its potential. Traditional methods rely heavily on intuition and a few simulations to validate designs, leaving vast opportunities untapped. However, a paradigm shift is underway: integrating mathematical optimization techniques like adjoint optimization and inverse design into CAE is redefining what’s possible in engineering. This modern approach – Computer-Aided Optimization (CAO) – directly leverages advanced mathematical optimization to automate and enhance the design process. CAO replaces intuition-driven, validation-focused methods with a data-driven, goal-oriented workflow by specifying design goals and using algorithms to refine configurations iteratively. Techniques like inverse design, which uses objective functions and gradient-based optimization, and adjoint methods, which enable efficient sensitivity analysis, are central to this transformation. GPU-native simulations amplify the impact of these methodologies, making it feasible to address industry-scale problems in a fraction of the time previously required. High-performance GPU computing accelerates the iterative optimization process, enabling rapid exploration of vast design spaces with unprecedented fidelity. Applications range from optimizing aerodynamic performance in aerospace to creating innovative photonic devices like metalenses and quantum computing components. This synergy of mathematical optimization and GPU acceleration positions CAO as the future of engineering design. By reducing costs, accelerating development cycles, and enabling robust design exploration, CAO allows engineers to confidently tackle complex challenges. Whether designing aircraft or photonic circuits, these advancements fundamentally reshape how industries approach innovation, driving breakthroughs across disciplines and unlocking new possibilities for high-performance, efficient design.

Read the interview Real-Time Computer-Aided Optimization (CAO): How GPU-Native Simulation Changes the Industry

Recorded at CDFAM Computational Design Symposium, Amsterdam , 2025

https://cdfam.com/amsterdam-2025/

Organization: Synera

Presenter: Andrew Sartorelli

From Days to Hours – Accelerating the RFQ process through scalable FEA automations Presentation Abstract Engineering organizations tackling process automation face a persistent challenge: how to effectively share and distribute automation solutions across teams. Critical knowledge often remains siloed, limiting its impact and accessibility, while non-automation experts struggle to utilize tools created by domain specialists. This slows processes and places additional strain on already overburdened expert departments. This presentation examines a real-life example where automating an FEA simulation enables CAD designers to independently evaluate their designs, receiving results within hours rather than waiting days for the FEA department. This shift allowed for more frequent evaluations, faster feedback, reduced dependencies, and, most importantly, a significantly faster RFQ process. We’ll explore practical approaches to implementing similar solutions, highlighting strategies for scaling expert knowledge and unlocking organizational potential.

Recorded at CDFAM Computational Design Symposium, Amsterdam , 2025 https://cdfam.com/amsterdam-2025/

Organization: ShapeDiver + Orthosolid

Presenter: Edwin Hernandez + Age Van Boxem

Democratising Computational Design via Cloud Based Applications

Presentation Abstract

While computational designers have always created powerful and sophisticated software, the reach of their work often couldn’t exceed that of their modeling tool of choice. We’ll show a novel way to build and deploy web applications, including complex user interfaces and interactions with 3d geometry and data visualization with nothing but Grasshopper. As part of ShapeDiver’s presentation, Age Van Boxem will present Orthosolid, a platform powered by ShapeDiver that enables clinicians to design and order custom 3D-printed orthoses through an intuitive digital interface. He will explore how computational design and UX come together to simplify complex and outdated workflows, making advanced customization accessible within clinical practice and without engineering expertise. Read the CDFAM ShapeDiver interview

Recorded at CDFAM Computational Design Symposium, Amsterdam , 2025 https://cdfam.com/amsterdam-2025/

Organization: Toolkit3D Presenter:

Sarah Clevinger

From 2D to Mass Production: Computational Design at Scale with Toolkit3D

Presentation Abstract

Toolkit3D will showcase how brands have reduced product design timelines from days to minutes by integrating anatomical scan data, performance parameters, and lattice optimization into a repeatable design engine. The result is a scalable pipeline for mass customization that accelerates production without sacrificing precision. This session will walk through how the platform ingests variable input data (such as unique body shapes or pressure maps), generates manufacturable geometry including conformal lattice structures, and automates preparation for production, regardless of manufacturing process. This isn’t conceptual, it’s computational design powering real-world, on-demand manufacturing at industrial scale. Whether you’re working in orthotics, wearables, protective gear, or consumer products, you’ll see how our design engines and modular workflows can radically compress timelines, reduce complexity, and democratize access to custom-fit manufacturing. Toolkit3D is creating a new standard: design once, fit anything, manufacture anywhere.

Recorded at CDFAM Computational Design Symposium, Amsterdam, 2025

https://cdfam.com/amsterdam-2025/

Organization: MIT

Presenter: Kristen Edwards

Presentation Abstract

The subjective evaluation of early stage engineering designs, such as conceptual sketches, traditionally relies on human experts. However, expert evaluations are time-consuming, expensive, and sometimes inconsistent. Recent advances in vision-language models (VLMs) offer the potential to automate design assessments, but it is crucial to ensure that these AI “judges” perform on par with human experts. However, no existing framework assesses expert equivalence. This research introduces a rigorous statistical framework to determine whether an AI judge’s ratings match those of human experts. We propose statistical metrics that broadly cover these assessment areas: interrater reliability, agreement, error metrics, correlation and relative rank assessment, distribution-similarity analysis, and equivalence tests. We apply this framework in a case study evaluating four VLM-based judges on key design metrics (uniqueness, creativity, usefulness, and drawing quality). These AI judges employ various in-context learning (ICL) techniques, including uni- vs. multimodal prompts and inference-time reasoning. The same statistical framework is used to assess three trained novices for expert-equivalence. Results show that the top-performing AI judge, using text- and image-based ICL with reasoning, achieves expert-level agreement for uniqueness and drawing quality and outperforms or matches trained novices across all metrics. This has implications for scaling design evaluation in education and practice, and provides a general statistical framework for validating AI judges in other domains requiring subjective content evaluation.

Recorded at CDFAM Computational Design Symposium, Amsterdam , 2025 https://cdfam.com/amsterdam-2025/ Organization: nTop Presenter: Bradley Rothenberg + Max Gaedtke

Brad Rothenberg, CEO of nTop, outlines a shift toward co-intelligent engineering—a framework where human intent is augmented by high-performance modeling and simulation tools to meet the increasing demands of modern engineering timelines.

The talk explores how traditional CAD and simulation workflows fall short under compressed development cycles, particularly in aerospace, and introduces a modular, parametric approach to design that supports rapid iteration, reuse, and performance-driven exploration. Rothenberg highlights how implicit modeling and GPU-native solvers can be combined to eliminate bottlenecks in geometry creation and simulation, enabling faster, more informed decision-making.

The broader message emphasizes a move from digitizing drawings to capturing design intent—using tools that work withengineers to accelerate innovation without compromising performance or rigor.

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Learn more about the CDFAM Computational Design Symposium series—including past presentations and upcoming events—at

https://cdfam.com

#CDFAM #nTop #ComputationalDesign #ImplicitModeling #EngineeringWorkflow #CoIntelligentEngineering #Simulation #DesignAutomation #AerospaceDesign #CFD #GenerativeDesign

Recorded at CDFAM Computational Design Symposium, Amsterdam , 2025 https://cdfam.com/amsterdam-2025/

Organization SimScale

Presenter: David Heiny CEO & Co-Founder

In this presentation from CDFAM Amsterdam 2025, David Heiny, co-founder and CEO of SimScale, outlines a pragmatic approach to integrating AI into engineering workflows. Drawing from conversations with engineering leaders and data collected from a recent industry survey, he shares key insights into why widespread adoption of AI in core engineering remains limited—despite significant advances in generative design, simulation acceleration, and surrogate modeling.

The talk explores:

* The structural complexity of modern engineering organizations

* Why conventional AI success in image generation or code translation hasn't translated to simulation workflows

* A layered view of how AI tools are beginning to augment specific stages of the product development cycle

Heiny introduces SimScale’s approach to cloud-native simulation, including the use of frontier models for automating setup and interpretation, and the deployment of physics-based AI surrogates for fast, scalable parametric optimization. A live demonstration showcases how AI agents can assist in simulation setup and design evaluation directly within SimScale's platform.

Additional topics include:

* AI adoption trends from a 300-leader survey

* The role of data structuring and cloud infrastructure in enabling automation

* Use cases from industry and academia, including work on snap-fit prediction, pump optimization, and native integration of implicit geometry via nTop

This presentation highlights the emerging convergence of simulation, design data, and AI, and presents a compelling case for how engineering teams can begin implementing these capabilities today.

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To learn more about the CDFAM Computational Design Symposium series, including previous presentations and future events visit https://cdfam.com

#CDFAM #ComputationalDesign #AIinEngineering #Simulation #CAE #DesignAutomation #SimScale #nTop #PhysicsAI #EngineeringWorkflow #GenerativeDesign #SurrogateModeling