Case Study: Air Force Institute of Technology achieves 50% lighter CubeSat bus assembly with nTopology

Air Force Institute of Technology builds a 50% lighter CubeSat bus assembly with nTopology

The U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) faced the challenge of designing a lighter and stiffer structural bus for its CubeSat satellites. The existing assembly was heavy, had nearly 150 parts that created potential failure points, and its traditional manufacturing process was time-consuming. They turned to nTopology's engineering design software to find a solution.

Using nTopology, AFIT engineered a new bus assembly featuring architected materials, including thin walls with a gyroid infill. The solution resulted in a structure that was 50% lighter and 20% stiffer than the legacy design. This weight reduction translated to significant launch cost savings of $8,000 to $10,000. Furthermore, nTopology enabled the team to consolidate the design into just 25 parts, slashing production time by 33% and reducing potential points of failure.

Air Force Institute of Technology