Heat exchanger optimisation with traditional manufacturing methods has plateaued, but the demand for improved performance has not slowed down. Greater efficiencies are possible through complex, novel geometric designs that are only possible with Additive Manufacturing, which does not need to worry about draft angles, and undercuts in the way casting, machining, or molding does. With 3D printing, it is possible to use intricate geometric shapes that significantly improve heat transfer without compromising pressure drop.
While the theoretical benefits of this approach are promising, and AM makes this possible, existing CAD solutions make the process of creating these kinds of geometries time consuming. This forces companies to make decisions based on benefits to new product vs. the time it would take to develop and bring to market. In addition, desktop solutions require longer processing times to validate the manufacturability of these new lattice forms, often in combination with less than optimised tool path algorithms that further decrease the validity of the possible innovations.
Metafold 3D’s cloud based computing and optimised feature sets was developed specifically to provide heat exchange designs not only with all the benefits that Additive Manufacturing brings, but also reducing the processing time and optimising for the manufacturing method.
With Metafold 3D, you can compress the design iteration phase by up to 75%, and enter the physical validation phase with an informed set of geometries to test. Shrink test budgets by up to 50% while reducing material waste through better design.
Boost Surface Area and Redesign Possibilities
Heat exchange geometries require much more than basic gyroid lattices. With Metafold 3D you can explore multiple geometric strategies and simulate for efficiency before hitting print, increasing your confidence in part viability before committing to physical prototypes. Explore configurable, tunable lattices, and see what is possible when you go beyond simple uniform structures. Create a simulation-informed dataset to give greater engineering insight prior to physical validation. Control how heat exchange behaves across the entire part to meet the specific needs of the parts being designed.
Adapt your Parts for Maximum Versatility and Scalability
Metafold 3D’s design features and simulation tools make designing for complex fluid, temperature, and pressure scenarios easier and faster, with quick compute times for design and simulation studies, so you can free up cycles to focus on overall form factor, and reduce time to market. Explore scalable lattice geometries fast, see how expanding or reducing surface area impacts your part strategy, all before producing a physical prototype.
Test and Optimize Before Printing
Basic simulation studies lead to expensive prototyping and testing cycles, requiring slower and more laborious test and validation processes, in turn dulling the competitive edge necessary to get new innovations to market first.
Metafold’s in-app metrics like surface area, volume and relative density put part insights at the forefront of your design process. Compression tests to ensure your designs meet structural requirements, without leaving your browser.
