Evolving Trailer Chassis Designs for Manufacturability Using an Evo‑Devo Generative Framework (September 2026).

This paper was presented by Alex Pritchard at the 42nd International Manufacturing Conference (IMC42), co-organized by the Irish Manufacturing Council and Queen’s University Belfast, which was held on 10 and 11 September 2026 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The plenary sessions of the conference occurred on the 10th September at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC), Global Point, Newtownabbey, followed by technical sessions and a tour of AMIC facilities in the afternoon.
 

Abstract
In the field of engineering design, evolutionary developmental (Evo-Devo) concepts have received increasing attention in recent years. Engineering design can be thought of as a search through a high-dimensional landscape with local maxima and minima forming hills and valleys. By employing an Evo-Devo algorithm, this search may obtain more immediate, localised feedback as the design grows into its final form. This paper uses a biologically inspired approach to iteratively develop trailer chassis designs based on a specified design brief. The approach combines genetic regulatory networks, finite element analysis, and automated CAD generation to evolve structurally efficient and manufacturable designs. Results demonstrate Pareto-optimal solutions balancing performance and material efficiency, while remaining compatible with downstream manufacturing processes.

The link to the full paper will be provided in due course.