Case Study: Frustum Inc. achieves 70% weight reduction on GE aircraft engine bracket with 3D Systems' Direct Metal Printing

Topology Optimization and Direct Metal 3D Printing (DMP) in GE Aircraft Engine Bracket Challenge

Frustum Inc., working with 3D Systems’ Quickparts on-demand service, took on a GE Aircraft challenge to cut the weight of an engine bracket while preserving the strength needed to support the cowling in service. The project addressed the high stakes of weight reduction in aerospace—where even a pound saved on a Boeing 737 can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars annually—and tested whether topology optimization and Direct Metal Printing (DMP) could remove traditional manufacturing constraints.

Frustum’s topology optimization (Cloudmesh) generated an optimized geometry directly from the original CAD and produced an STL ready for additive manufacture, while 3D Systems Quickparts provided DMP expertise, material selection (titanium), build orientation and preset parameters developed from nearly half-a-million builds on the ProX™ DMP 320. The final DMP part met all GE load requirements, stayed within the original footprint and reduced weight by 70%, demonstrating part consolidation opportunities and production turnarounds in as little as two weeks.

Frustum Inc.

Jesse Blankenship

Chief Executive Officer