How 3D printing optimises heat exchangers and gearboxes in vehicles and helicopters.
3D printing gearboxes' housing and heat exchangers is not new. Companies have been using carbon fiber and metal 3D printing to optimise structure and weight. Studies has shown 3D printed gears are not only lighter; lighter gears can significantly reduce vibrations and as a result improve torque performance.
A typical steel spur weighs 180g. Additive Engineering’s in with a honeycomb structural core and solid saved 75% in weight. These weight savings are significant when you factor in multiple gears in gearboxes and leadtime to customise gears in limited volumes.
Porsche produced its first engine- housing using laser process, passing all quality and stress tests in 2020. Porsche estimated that the housing itself is more lightweight than conventionally cast part, reducing the overall weight of the drive by ten percent. their first 3D printed parts, the in 2021. To in lends benefits of a lighter, stronger, more durable and compact compared to .
When we called for cool products to be printed for a showcase, a customer sent though a heat exchanger with a request to add a gyroid structure. Heat exchangers are typically made by assembling many tubes together. By in one piece, replacing tubes with gyroids allows the heat exchangers to be more compact, saving weight and improving efficiencies in cooling. A similar redesign of an actual military helicopter’s heat exchanger with a gyroid internal structure resulted in four times the cooling at half the size of the original part.
Interested to explore efficiencies of gyroid structures with your product?
No other process offers possibilities and speed like without the cost and time around validation for tool making. Special structures that can only be made with can add stiffness in high stressed areas. Porsche could increase the stiffness between the electric and the by 100% with lattice structures despite a continuous thin wall thickness of 1.5mm. The honeycomb structure reduced the oscillations of the thin walls and improved the acoustics of the drive.
Design validation requires iteration and prototypes. A good way to start the process is to utilise nylon for test and validation prior to metal 3D printing. This is a more cost effective way to optimise and integrate components such as bearings, heat exchangers and oil supply. The use of structures inspired by nature, similar to bones and plants are proven approaches in design, as seen in a fractal heat exchanger.
Once design is validated, the next step will be to explore materials that are strong and light. Titanium’s superior strength-to-weight ratio to steel and 3D printed mechanical properties are well-documented and demonstrated use in aerospace and automotive.
can be integrated with , improving part quality and reducing assembly costs. Porsche took several days to print the first housing prototype, integrating functions to make the drive unit more compact, reducing the weight of the by 40%. The integration of Porsche’s heat exchanger with optimised heat transmission improves the cooling of the drive, and further enhancing performance. Source : Porsche newsroom, 2020.
Working with Additive Engineering’s 3D printing service allows businesses to explore different lattice structures, specific criteria in design data, material and 3D printing technology without having to invest in a 3D printer. Have an idea for a 3D printed part? Contact us today.
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