Design and finite element analysis of a bio-inspired cellular airfoil for selective laser melting
- 1 Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Faculty of Aviation and Space Sciences, University of Kyrenia, Kyrenia, Mersin 10, Turkey
Abstract
The demand for lightweight and adaptive aerospace structures has accelerated the development of bio-inspired cellular architectures that combine high structural efficiency with manufacturability through advanced additive manufacturing technologies. In this study, a bio-inspired cellular airfoil intended for fabrication by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) is proposed and its mechanical behavior is investigated through a comprehensive finite element analysis. The cellular architecture was generated using a parametric design methodology inspired by natural internal structural patterns and integrated into two representative NACA airfoils, namely NACA 0010 and NACA 2412. Eighteen design configurations were created by systematically varying the geometric parameters governing the size and position of the internal cellular network. The geometries were generated using MATLAB, verified numerically, and analyzed under static loading conditions using ABAQUS. The distributions of von Mises stress, displacement, structural stiffness, and deformation characteristics were evaluated to identify the influence of geometric parameters on the mechanical response of the airfoils. The results demonstrate that the proposed bio-inspired cellular architecture provides a favorable balance between structural rigidity and deformation capability while significantly reducing the material required within the airfoil. Furthermore, the study identifies optimal geometric configurations that exhibit improved load-carrying capability with relatively uniform stress distributions, making them attractive candidates for lightweight aerospace structures. The proposed design is particularly suitable for fabrication by Selective Laser Melting, which enables the realization of complex enclosed cellular architectures that are difficult or impossible to manufacture using conventional methods. The findings provide useful design guidelines for the development of additively manufactured bio-inspired airfoils and other lightweight aerospace components.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ata Khabaz-Aghdam, Elisee Abu Mulamba Tshibeng, Omar Wambele Nsimba
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