Generative Design for Performance and Weight Reduction (Coursera)

Offered by Autodesk,
Generative Design for Performance and Weight Reduction (Coursera)

There are many considerations and factors that play a part in designing a new product. Cost is usually a big one, but sometimes there are other factors that are the main contributors to a product's direction. With vehicles, specifically motorcycles, we see advanced engineering practices performed on seemingly minor parts. In some instances, making a part as light as possible can have a big effect on performance.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

In other cases, the strength or stiffness of a part, such as a motor mount, is more critical than its mass. Generative design allows us the ability to solve for both problems at the same time and make informed design decisions without the sacrifice. In this course, we’ll explore how generative design can be applied to motorcycle parts to help reduce mass while also increasing performance.
Want to take your learning to the next level? Complete the Autodesk Generative Design for Manufacturing Specialization, and you’ll unlock an additional Autodesk Credential as further recognition of your success! The Autodesk Credential comes with a digital badge and certificate, which you can add to your resume and share on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Sharing your Autodesk Credential can signal to hiring managers that you’ve got the right skills for the job and you’re up on the latest industry trends like generative design.
Course 2 of 4 in the Autodesk Generative Design for Manufacturing Specialization.
What You Will Learn

  • Examine a multi-component assembly.
  • Create Generative Design Studies.
  • Examine and Select Generative Outcome Iterations.
  • Summarize how to Post Process a Generative Outcome.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Identifying and Modeling Obstacle and Preserve Regions
In Week 1, we’ll cover the review of a complex assembly and the identification and modeling of any preserve and obstacle regions needed for the definition of a generative design study.

WEEK 2
Setting up a Generative Design Study
In Week 2, we’ll talk about setting up an unrestricted generative design study for multiple materials to explore the swingarm of a motorcycle.

WEEK 3
Review and Select an Outcome
In Week 3, we’ll focus on the tools used to explore and select a generative outcome. Selecting the right iteration of an outcome for production is a critical step in the process.

WEEK 4
Post Process a File for Production
In Week 4, we’ll cover all the little details needed to get a design ready for production. Preserve regions are usually made up of simple geometry that need further modeling attention. Obstacles are usually cut from a generative outcome as a boundary fill operation in the timeline, but it isn’t always needed and doesn’t always produce ideal results. Taking care of the little details in the design will save time from having to manually modify parts after they have been prototyped.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Quantum Mechanics (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado Boulder

Quantum Mechanics (Coursera)

Course 2 of Statistical Thermodynamics presents an introduction to quantum mechanics at a level appropriate for those with mechanical or aerospace engineering backgrounds. Using a postulatory approach that describes the steps to follow, the Schrodinger wave equation is derived and simple solutions obtained that illustrate atomic and molecular structural behavior. More realistic behavior is also explored along with modern quantum chemistry numerical solution methods for solving the wave equation.

Nov 9th 2026
3 Weeks
3D CAD Fundamental (Coursera) Coursera
National Taiwan University

3D CAD Fundamental (Coursera)

There have many three-dimensional shape of the object in your brain that are wanted to share, but do not know how to express? How to "sketch" the three-dimensional image in your mind? 3D modeling technology can help us construct the most intuitive and understandable three-dimensional model. The use of floor plan interpret the three-dimensional object process-the most direct and effective expression of our ideas.

Nov 16th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Cyber Security in Manufacturing (Coursera) Coursera
University at Buffalo,The State University of New York

Cyber Security in Manufacturing (Coursera)

The nature of digital manufacturing and design (DM&D), and its heavy reliance on creating a digital thread of product and process data and information, makes it a prime target for hackers and counterfeiters. This course will introduce students to why creating a strong and secure infrastructure should be of paramount concern for anyone operating in the DM&D domain, and measures that can be employed to protect operational technologies, systems and resources.

Nov 16th 2026
4 Weeks
Engineering Systems in Motion: Dynamics of Particles and Bodies in 2D Motion (Coursera) Coursera
Georgia Institute of Technology

Engineering Systems in Motion: Dynamics of Particles and Bodies in 2D Motion (Coursera)

This course is an introduction to the study of bodies in motion as applied to engineering systems and structures. We will study the dynamics of particle motion and bodies in rigid planar (2D) motion. This will consist of both the kinematics and kinetics of motion. Kinematics deals with the geometrical aspects of motion describing position, velocity, and acceleration, all as a function of time. Kinetics is the study of forces acting on these bodies and how it affects their motion.

Nov 30th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Material Behavior (Coursera) Coursera
Georgia Institute of Technology

Material Behavior (Coursera)

Have you ever wondered why ceramics are hard and brittle while metals tend to be ductile? Why some materials conduct heat or electricity while others are insulators? Why adding just a small amount of carbon to iron results in an alloy that is so much stronger than the base metal? In this course, you will learn how a material’s properties are determined by the microstructure of the material, which is in turn determined by composition and the processing that the material has undergone.

Nov 30th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Autonomous Aerospace Systems (Coursera) Coursera
University of Naples Federico II

Autonomous Aerospace Systems (Coursera)

The course aims to provide the knowledge needed to design and develop efficient driving and navigation solutions for autonomous vehicles. Driving can be strategic or tactical while navigation is the function that provides information about the position, speed and orientation of the vehicle. It is made by integrating measurement from different sources, such as sensors and receivers.

Nov 9th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Industrial Applications of AI (Coursera) Coursera
L&T EduTech

Industrial Applications of AI (Coursera)

The course Embarks on a transformative learning journey exploring the power of Artificial Intelligence across diverse fields such as electrical, mechanical, civil, and general applications. This course elevates the learner’s insight on AI towards the real-world practices by bridging the gap between theory and practical applications. It also provides hands-on experience of applying AI algorithms into potential applications.

Nov 16th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Modern Robotics, Course 3: Robot Dynamics (Coursera) Coursera
Northwestern University

Modern Robotics, Course 3: Robot Dynamics (Coursera)

Do you want to know how robots work? Are you interested in robotics as a career? Are you willing to invest the effort to learn fundamental mathematical modeling techniques that are used in all subfields of robotics? If so, then the "Modern Robotics: Mechanics, Planning, and Control" specialization may be for you. This specialization, consisting of six short courses, is serious preparation for serious students who hope to work in the field of robotics or to undertake advanced study. It is not a sampler.

Nov 16th 2026
4 Weeks
Machine Design Part I (Coursera) Coursera
Georgia Institute of Technology

Machine Design Part I (Coursera)

“Machine Design Part I” is the first course in an in-depth three course series of “Machine Design.” The “Machine Design” Coursera series covers fundamental mechanical design topics, such as static and fatigue failure theories, the analysis of shafts, fasteners, and gears, and the design of mechanical systems such as gearboxes. Throughout this series of courses we will examine a number of exciting design case studies, including the material selection of a total hip implant, the design and testing of the wing on the 777 aircraft, and the impact of dynamic loads on the design of an bolted pressure vessel. In this first course, you will learn robust analysis techniques to predict and validate design performance and life.

Nov 9th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Rigid Body Dynamics (Coursera) Coursera
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology - KAIST

Rigid Body Dynamics (Coursera)

This course teaches dynamics, one of the basic mechanics subjects of Mechanical Engineering. Students would be able to organize their knowledge about force and motion, work-energy, impulse-momentum in view of Newton's 2nd law and its integration over time and displacement. The Engineering Dynamics consists of two parts: particle dynamics and rigid body dynamics. This is the second part of the dynamics: rigid body dynamics.

Nov 9th 2026
13-24 Weeks