Spherene V3 Expands ADMS Geometries for Flow- and Thermally Optimized 3D-Printed Components

The Swiss software company Spherene has introduced Spherene V3, a new version of its geometry platform designed to expand the use of additive manufacturing in flow and thermal applications. At the core are further developments of the patented Adaptive Density Minimal Surfaces (ADMS), which can adapt to complex component geometries through locally variable cell sizes and wall thicknesses. The technology aims for a controlled combination of low weight, reproducible mechanical behavior, and load-dependent failure characteristics.

With version 3, Spherene introduces new control options for geometry. Engineers can now define vector fields that influence the local orientation and stretching of ADMS structures. This makes it possible to deliberately generate anisotropy without interrupting the continuous surface structure. For 3D printing, this opens up additional degrees of freedom when adapting components to defined load paths or functional requirements, for example in mechanically stressed lightweight structures.

Another focus of Spherene V3 is flow optimization. With Flow ADMS, the company presents a new geometry type specifically designed for fluid applications. Classical minimal surface structures often exhibit uneven flow resistance or high pressure losses. Flow ADMS uses an energy-optimized geometry to balance the pressure drop between parallel flow channels and reduce overall resistance. In addition, defining the flow direction allows the structure to be aligned along preferred flow paths. According to Spherene, numerical flow simulations of heat exchangers showed a significantly lower pressure loss compared to gyroid-based infill structures with similar thermal performance.

An application example is SphereneHEX, an additively manufactured heat exchanger with integrated flow guidance and heat dissipation. Dr. Jian Tang, Computational Engineer at Spherene, emphasizes that V3 enables users for the first time to precisely control geometric anisotropy and flow-adapted minimal surfaces. This brings more compact, functionally integrated 3D-printed components for demanding thermal and fluid applications into focus.