3D printed Conflux oil cooler

Manufacturing

A 3D-printed, configurable transmission oil cooler from Conflux Technology has successfully completed a full-distance endurance race on a Multimatic-engineered car. Using Conflux’s configurable core platform, the transmission cooler was adapted to the programme’s specific boundary conditions and produced in just two weeks using metal additive manufacturing.

Multimatic Motorsports selected and integrated the unit for an endurance application, gaining a race-proven solution without the cost and delay of a clean-sheet design. The Conflux oil cooler used engine coolant to manage gearbox oil temperatures within a shared water circuit. In this application, it delivered approximately 20% higher heat rejection than the incumbent solution within the same packaging envelope, providing additional thermal headroom without extra space, weight or aero penalty.

The 3D-printed core incorporates highly optimised internal channels to increase heat transfer while controlling pressure drop within a compact, lightweight envelope. Conflux’s configurable design platform allows engineers to rapidly tune geometry for different gearboxes, layouts and duty cycles, reducing non-recurring engineering costs and shortening programmes’ time-to-track, without compromising durability or consistency over long stints.

The successful endurance outing adds to Conflux’s growing body of work supplying 3D-printed heat exchangers into motorsport and high-performance automotive programmes. The same configurable oil cooler architecture is now available to other OEMs and race operations seeking a step change in thermal capacity and packaging without a complete cooling-system redesign.

www.confluxtechnology.com

 

 

Related Articles
The Software-Defined Technician: Manufacturing's Next Human Capital Revolution
For the past several years, manufacturing leaders have obsessed over a single question: how do we capture the knowledge of our retiring experts before they walk out the door for the last time?
Don’t discount the benefits of thermal pasteurisation
Pasteurisation is a process which reduces the microbial load in many food products, ensuring consumer safety and prolonging shelf life
BOC to build new multimillion-dollar Air Separation Unit in Christchurch
BOC has announced it will build a new multimillion-dollar air separation unit (ASU) in Christchurch to secure long-term industrial and medical gas supply across New Zealand. The new facility will...