Case Study: University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE) achieves 20% heat-exchanger efficiency gain and faster, leaner manufacturing with 3D Systems

Direct Metal 3D Printing Enables CEEE to Manufacture Lean and Green Heat Exchanger

The University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE), working with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and funded by the U.S. DOE, set out to develop next‑generation miniaturized air‑to‑refrigerant heat exchangers that are “lean and green.” The challenge: achieve higher air‑side thermal performance while dramatically reducing size, weight and manufacturing time for designs that are too complex and delicate for traditional extrusion, stamping or brazing.

CEEE partnered with 3D Systems’ Quickparts using ProX DMP 320 direct metal printing to produce a single‑piece titanium heat exchanger with ultra‑thin, leak‑tight walls (down to ~200 µm) and fine channels (~250 µm). The DMP solution enabled a 20% efficiency gain on a 1 kW unit, reduced weight and footprint, cut the manufacturing cycle from months to weeks, minimized secondary assembly and validated uniform heat dispersion and reliable operation through testing.

University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE)

Vikrant Aute

Director of CEEE’s Modeling and Optimization Consortium