---
title: Additive Manufacturing Capabilities in HVAC & Refrigeration
description: AM is found everywhere today, including HVAC manufacturing and technology, due to its ability to create lightweight, complex parts.
---

[Blog ](https://nicholsportlandinc.com/blog)

# [Additive Manufacturing Capabilities in HVAC & Refrigeration](https://nicholsportlandinc.com/blog/hvac-refrigeration-additive-manufacturing-capabilities)

 Written by [Nichols Portland, Inc.](https://nicholsportlandinc.com/blog/author/nichols-portland-inc-1) | Aug 9, 2022 4:00:00 AM

Additive manufacturing is found everywhere today, from small engines and aerospace to HVAC and refrigeration. **This is primarily due to AMs ability to create lightweight, complex parts with a high amount of design freedom**. 

Here are four ways additive manufacturing shines when it comes to HVAC & refrigeration, including:

1. Part Consolidation
2. Lightweight/Efficient 
3. Low Volume Production
4. Supply Chain/Labor Shortages

## HVAC Manufacturing & Technology: How Additive Can Help

### Part Consolidation

Freedom of design and the ability to consolidate existing part assemblies made from multiple pieces into a single part are two of the most commonly mentioned advantages of additive manufacturing. **With AM, bracketry you would normally weld can now be printed into one, consolidated part, oftentimes with higher performance.

**

### Lightweight/Efficient

The U.S. Department of Energy [harnessed the lightweighting capabilities of AM when designing a prototype heat exchanger](https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/10/f33/2016-03-31_Digest_%20Heat%20Exchanger%20Success,%20Energy%20Star%20Awardees.pdf) that’s 20% lighter and 20% more efficient than heat exchangers currently in use. 

Using 3D printing technology, the heat exchanger included 200 micrometer thin walls that were still able to withstand a lot of pressure. **Not only is the heat exchanger lighter and more efficient, the continuous printing process eliminates seams, preventing leaks**.

### Low-Volume Production

**Additive manufacturing makes printing one-off and customized parts quicker and much more cost-efficient than traditional machining methods**. This is beneficial when needing to repair a part or testing a new prototype.

### Supply Chain/Labor Shortages

Global supply chain issues wreak havoc on production – the good news is the filament and metal feedstock used for additive manufacturing are readily available. Using AM,** you can bypass the wait for your supplier and quickly make the parts you need on demand**.

## For the Future

Additive manufacturing is proving to be a cost-effective tool for manufacturing complex, lightweight HVAC & refrigeration parts. To learn more about additive manufacturing, [visit our blog.](https://nicholsportlandinc.com/blog)

[View full post](https://nicholsportlandinc.com/blog/hvac-refrigeration-additive-manufacturing-capabilities)

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