When the team arrived at SEMA this year, adding another strut brace to IND’s G8X M2, M3, and M4 catalog was the last thing on our minds. While walking the show floor with the goal of seeing Mario’s A90 Supra build, which was converted into a Z4, one detail immediately stood out. Mounted in the engine bay was a strut brace that looked unlike anything else on the market.
As it turns out, the owner and creator of the brace was standing next to the car. After speaking with Brian and taking a closer look at the engineering behind the design, it became clear why this strut brace caught our attention so quickly.
The team at AptusWorks utilizes generative designed cloud-computed modeling to develop their components. Rather than drawing a part manually, the engineer defines key parameters such as load forces including stress, torsion, and vibration, mounting points, material type, weight targets, and manufacturing methods such as CNC machining or additive manufacturing. From there, the software generates hundreds or even thousands of design iterations, removing unnecessary material, reinforcing high-stress areas, and optimizing geometry for strength, stiffness, and weight.
The result is an organically shaped design that places material only where it is needed, producing the lightest possible structure while maintaining exceptional strength. This approach was applied directly to the strut brace mounting points, creating a solution optimized specifically for applications like the A90 Supra and the BMW G8X M2, M3, and M4.
Once the generative design phase was completed and the optimized mounting geometry was finalized, AptusWorks transitioned the design to Direct Metal Laser Sintered (DMLS) aluminum manufacturing. This additive manufacturing process allows the complex geometry generated during cloud-computed modeling to be produced with exceptional precision and consistency. DMLS aluminum enables structural forms that are simply not possible with traditional machining, allowing the full benefits of generative design to be realized in the final component.
After completing the mounting points using DMLS aluminum, the focus shifted to the strut brace structure itself. To stay consistent with the ultra-lightweight design philosophy, AptusWorks selected carbon fiber tubing to complete the assembly. Special attention was given to wall thickness, which plays a critical role in compression and rigidity. While many manufacturers rely on off-the-shelf carbon tubing, AptusWorks treated this portion of the brace with the same level of engineering importance as the DMLS aluminum mounts.
The result is a strut brace that weighs just 2.7 lbs, compared to the factory BMW steel brace at 8.4 lbs, while delivering twice the stiffness of the OEM component. This translates directly to improved chassis rigidity and reduced flex under cornering loads.
Why This Matters in High-Performance Automotive Components
For performance-focused applications, generative design enables engineering solutions that traditional CAD methods simply cannot achieve. This approach allows for higher strength-to-weight ratios, material placement only where it is structurally necessary, reduced flex under load, improved thermal behavior, and complex geometries optimized through real stress analysis rather than guesswork.
Key Features
- Organic design derived from stress-based generative optimization
- Total weight of both braces is only 2.7 lbs compared to the OEM steel brace at 8.4 lbs
- Increased chassis rigidity with reduced flex during cornering
- Carbon fiber tubing with a smooth matte finish
- DMLS aluminum mounting points with powder-coated finish
