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Applied Sciences
Volume 15
Issue 22
10.3390/app152212341
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Development of a CAD–FEA Integrated Automation Add-In for DfAM-Aware Topology Optimization: A Case Study on an Additively Manufactured Pusher Duct Support Bracket for a Novel UAV Prototype

by
H. Kursat Celik
1,*,
Ali Elham
2,
Recep Cinar
3,
M. Ali Erbil
2,
Robert Entwistle
2,
Allan E. W. Rennie
4,* and
Ibrahim Akinci
1
1
Dept. of Agr. Machinery and Technology Engineering, Akdeniz University, Antalya 07070, Turkey
2
School of Engineering, The University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 7QF, UK
3
Elixtek Engineering Software Solutions, Kocaeli 41030, Turkey
4
School of Engineering, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, UK
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(22), 12341; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152212341 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 22 September 2025 / Revised: 12 November 2025 / Accepted: 19 November 2025 / Published: 20 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Additive Manufacturing Technologies)
Versions Notes

Abstract

The integration of additive manufacturing (AM) and topology optimization (TO) is transforming mechanical design and prototyping practices across multiple engineering sectors, including agricultural and aerospace applications. This study presents the development of TODfAM, a bespoke SOLIDWORKS add-in that automates TO workflows and embeds Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) principles directly within a parametric CAD environment. The tool integrates parametric modelling, finite element analysis (FEA)-based structural evaluation, and TO in a unified platform, enabling automated generation and assessment of design iterations with respect to both mechanical performance and AM-specific manufacturability constraints. A case study on a pusher-duct support bracket for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was conducted to demonstrate the functionality of the developed workflow. The optimized bracket achieved a 13.77% mass reduction while maintaining structural integrity under representative loading conditions. The CAD-integrated framework reduces toolchain hand-offs and allows early manufacturability evaluation within the design environment, thereby improving workflow continuity and consistency. The principal novelty of this work lies in the establishment of a fully CAD-native, DfAM-aware optimization framework that consolidates the design-to-manufacturing process into a single automated environment. This approach not only streamlines pre- and post-processing tasks but also promotes wider industrial adoption of AM by providing a practical, designer-oriented route to lightweight and manufacturable structures.
Keywords: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV); bracket design; design analysis; FEA; topology optimization; additive manufacturing; design of agricultural machinery Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV); bracket design; design analysis; FEA; topology optimization; additive manufacturing; design of agricultural machinery

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Celik, H.K.; Elham, A.; Cinar, R.; Erbil, M.A.; Entwistle, R.; Rennie, A.E.W.; Akinci, I. Development of a CAD–FEA Integrated Automation Add-In for DfAM-Aware Topology Optimization: A Case Study on an Additively Manufactured Pusher Duct Support Bracket for a Novel UAV Prototype. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 12341. https://doi.org/10.3390/app152212341

AMA Style

Celik HK, Elham A, Cinar R, Erbil MA, Entwistle R, Rennie AEW, Akinci I. Development of a CAD–FEA Integrated Automation Add-In for DfAM-Aware Topology Optimization: A Case Study on an Additively Manufactured Pusher Duct Support Bracket for a Novel UAV Prototype. Applied Sciences. 2025; 15(22):12341. https://doi.org/10.3390/app152212341

Chicago/Turabian Style

Celik, H. Kursat, Ali Elham, Recep Cinar, M. Ali Erbil, Robert Entwistle, Allan E. W. Rennie, and Ibrahim Akinci. 2025. "Development of a CAD–FEA Integrated Automation Add-In for DfAM-Aware Topology Optimization: A Case Study on an Additively Manufactured Pusher Duct Support Bracket for a Novel UAV Prototype" Applied Sciences 15, no. 22: 12341. https://doi.org/10.3390/app152212341

APA Style

Celik, H. K., Elham, A., Cinar, R., Erbil, M. A., Entwistle, R., Rennie, A. E. W., & Akinci, I. (2025). Development of a CAD–FEA Integrated Automation Add-In for DfAM-Aware Topology Optimization: A Case Study on an Additively Manufactured Pusher Duct Support Bracket for a Novel UAV Prototype. Applied Sciences, 15(22), 12341. https://doi.org/10.3390/app152212341

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