Case Study: Air Force Institute of Technology achieves 50% weight reduction and 33% faster production with nTopology

US Air Force Optimizes CubeSat using Architected Materials

The Air Force Institute of Technology needed a repeatable way to redesign a CubeSat bus that cut weight, reduced assembly complexity, and shortened production time while meeting strict stiffness and launch-certification requirements. To achieve this, AFIT partnered with nTopology, using their implicit-modeling and architected‑materials design tools and direct‑to‑manufacture workflows to explore lattice-based geometries and additive manufacturing.

nTopology’s team applied architected materials and lattice optimization in Inconel 718 and used simulation-driven iterations plus direct-to-manufacture slicing and toolpath generation to 3D print a certified CubeSat bus. The result was a 50% weight reduction, 20% increase in stiffness, 33% faster production (a printed, finished unit in 3.5 business days), and assembly consolidation from 150 parts to 25, demonstrating significant performance and manufacturing gains.

Air Force Institute of Technology