Weight reduction is a decisive factor in the space industry, since the lighter a satellite is, the less it costs to send it into space. Since 2013, RUAG Space has been conducting intensive research and development work to investigate how to ‘print’ its components using an Additive Manufacturing (AM) process. The goal of the engineers was to take full advantage of the design freedom AM offers and to create an aluminum component that would be significantly stiffer while at the same time lighter than the original design. In addition, RUAG’s engineers also wanted to cut down design and development time to get results and the final component faster.