Autodesk
Bicycle component designed with generative design by SRAM.
Autodesk has announced an 80% price reduction of the annual subscription cost for the Generative Design Extension of Fusion 360.
Generative design was commercialised via Autodesk Fusion 360 in October 2018 and has been used to design a range of products by the likes of Airbus, Hyundai and SRAM.
Initially made available at $8,000 a year, Autodesk’s updated price structure now gives users the ability to run unlimited generative studies and access every design outcome at costs of $1,600 a year or $200 a month. Meanwhile, users deploying generative design on a ‘per project basis’ can now generate and take possession of their designs – as well as all previous outcomes that have been generated – at a cost of 33 credits. Previously, it cost 25 cloud credits to generate a design and then 100 to take possession of it.
Read more: In Full Swing - Autodesk's generative tools shift Lightning Motorcycles into gear
Autodesk says it has always been an aspiration to offer generative design technology at a more affordable cost. Using computational algorithms, generative design harnesses a series of design goals, performance and spatial requirements, manufacturing methods, materials and cost constraints to explore all possible permutations and generate a series of design alternatives. Yet the previous cost of Autodesk’s generative design offering has meant many companies have been unable to adopt or have had to limit access to individuals. Now, the company expects the user base to grow significantly.
“We’ve been working really hard to make sure that every engineer can use this as a tool in their toolbox when they have a problem that they need to solve and they need the aid of the computer to do it,” Autodesk Senior Product Line Manager Brian Frank told TCT. “Whatever the case is, we want to make sure that every designer or engineer has the ability to leverage this technology when they see fit. That’s really the driver. This has been a long-term plan. We’ve been doing all the work to get to this point and we’re really excited to announce this as a major change in how we provide access.”
“Experience and insight put us in a position to dramatically increase access to the technology and invite a much broader swath of Autodesk users to see what’s possible with generative design,” commented Stephen Hooper, VP and General Manager of Autodesk Fusion 360. “Giving design teams of any size and budget an opportunity to take advantage of it has been our vision since inception, as we believe it will be good for everyone.”
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