Introducing the bracket of the future!

The Idea

Designed to replace a traditionally machined metal engine bracket, this next-generation aerospace component demonstrates the full potential of 3DFiT in fabricating lightweight, high-performance composite structures. With seamless 3D fiber architecture and no reliance on molds, joints, or layered layups, the bracket is built for maximum strength at minimal weight. It stands as a bold validation of how 3DFiT enables the fabrication of complex, load-bearing geometries that were previously impossible with conventional composite methods—redefining what’s possible in advanced aerospace manufacturing.

A remarkable 93.5% weight reduction was achieved !

We began with a standard CNC-machined metal bracket and applied topology optimization to redesign it for maximum structural efficiency. While this process is common in metal part design, it has rarely been applied to composites—because the organic, geometry-rich outputs from topology optimization are typically incompatible with mold-based or layer-by-layer composite fabrication methods. To overcome this fabrication challenge, we developed a custom beam adaptation process that transforms the solid, topology-optimized geometry into a network of slender structural members that represent the primary load paths of the part.

This adapted geometry was then used to generate a continuous fiber path using a modified Hierholzer algorithm, which identifies an Eulerian circuit—ensuring that the entire structure can be fabricated using a single, uninterrupted fiber tow. Finally, using the 3DFiT system, we precisely steered this fiber along the computed path in free space, depositing it without molds, joints, or interruptions. This approach not only preserved the mechanical intent of the original topology-optimized design but also made it manufacturable with true fiber continuity and structural efficiency.. This conversion preserves the load-bearing intent of the topology-optimized design while enabling it to be built using a single continuous carbon fiber tow. The result: a highly efficient structure with 93.5% weight reduction, in which every fiber is placed with purpose, aligned with the actual stress distribution of the part.

Despite its dramatically lower weight, the bracket demonstrated exceptional strength in mechanical testing. It withstood up to 45 kJ of tensile energy, significantly exceeding the aerospace requirement of 35 kJ. This not only validates the robustness of the beam-adapted, fiber-aligned design—but also proves that 3DFiT can deliver structural-grade composite parts that meet or exceed the mechanical standards of their metallic predecessors.

Proof that 3DFiT doesn’t just match metal, it outperforms it!