Academics from the U.S and Ireland recently gathered at the18th Intersociety Conference on Thermal and Thermomechanical Phenomena in Electronic Systems，在内华达州拉斯维加斯，使用3D打印来创新散热器的设计。
随着个人电子产品需求的增长，散热器设计变得越来越重要。这是由于它能够调节电子设备温度的能力，从而防止在这些地方过热as a computer processor.
In aGE-sponsored competition, teams from亚利桑那州立大学(ASU),Purdue University,University of Maryland,Pennsylvania State University， 和都柏林三一学院，是五名决赛入围者，展示了他们的新颖3D印刷金属散热器，以有效地冷却电子产品。
“There are some features that you cannot make with conventional methods,” said Faizan Ejaz, PhD Student in Mechanical Engineering at ASU.“If you want to make a cylindrical honeycomb structure, you cannot manufacture it without requiring other expensive post-processing steps. With the advent of additive manufacturing, now we have access to manufacturing very complex geometries.”
3D printed heat sinks
诸如激光粉末融合（LPBF）之类的添加剂制造工艺产生了金属组件，具有传统CNC不可能的复杂几何形状。零件在内3D印刷金属散热器, engines cylinders, and oil pump housings can be made at a fraction of the cost and material as a result of LPBF.
Using the GEConcept Laser M2 cusing系统是5个大学团队，被选为21人团队的决赛入围者，他们实现了他们的每个设计概念，以获得最佳的散热器。ASU团队允许在散热器上有更大的表面积，以使电气组件的热空气在不损害其效率的情况下流动。根据团队的说法，这是传统制造业中普遍存在的设计限制。
“In many cases, we have to compromise between the manufacturing constraints and the device performance,” explained Beomjin Kwon, Assistant Professor at the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, ASU, and leader of the design team.
“因此，在实际实验中，我们没有真正优化的设备。但是，添加剂制造现在消除了传统技术施加的许多设计限制。与传统的传输设备相比，我们可以考虑进一步优化的设计。”
A cool concept
Elsewhere, the Purdue University team used topology optimization to find the best material distribution in the given dimensions of the heat sink design. Also, with thermal resistance in mind, the resulting shape of their 3D printed heat sink had a gently sloping “L” shape on one side, and a protruding “d” shape on the other. This causes airflow to back up and recirculate, spending more time in the heat sink.
普渡大学冷却技术研究中心（CTRC）的博士生Serdar Ozguc说：“当今的电子组件中存在巨大的热挑战。人们想要较小的计算机和手机，但与此同时，他们想要更多的力量。”
“The heat that is generated by these CPUs affects performance, so we have to find a way to dissipate that heat safely and efficiently.”
参与这项比赛的所有团队都限于相同的维度和铝的材料。此外，在相同条件下测试了所有3D打印的散热器俄勒冈州立大学.
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Featured image shows entries to the GE sponsored heat-sink design competition. Image via Purdue University
