Start with an input contract
Before writing generation logic, define input names, units, types, valid ranges and dependencies. Outreach and mounting interfaces, for example, drive related structures and drawings rather than isolated values. Identify invalid inputs before changing a model.
Manage rules and templates explicitly
Templates express stable geometry; rules handle specification selection, calculations and combination constraints. Track their versions and compatibility to make template changes visible to existing projects. Separate templates are often more maintainable than extensive conditionals for fundamentally different topology.
Generate and check in dependency order
Update parts first, assemblies next, and drawings and bills of materials last. At each stage, check return values, rebuild status and references. Completing a program is not proof that its output is correct; outputs should be traceable to their inputs and generation records.
Test the boundaries of variation
Include dimensional limits, critical combinations and missing parameters alongside common specifications. Check consistency across models, drawings, names, materials and interfaces. This article describes a workflow, not a structural safety assessment; load capacity, stability and manufacturing requirements need project-specific engineering verification.