Development of Part Cooling in 3D Printer through the Design of a Custom Cooling Duct Using Generative Design

Abstract

This study addresses the improvement of part cooling in FFF 3D printing, using the Creality Ender 3 V2 as a case study. The stock cooling system directs airflow from a single side, which leads to uneven cooling and reduced surface quality. To overcome this limitation, both a reference redesign and a generative design approach were investigated. The development involved flow domain optimization with Autodesk Fusion's Generative Design module, followed by CFD simulations in Ansys CFX. Results indicate that generative design can enhance cooling performance and enable more effective two-sided airflow. At the same time, challenges remain in achieving uniform outlet velocity distribution, as flow separation effects may occur. Overall, the study demonstrates the potential of generative design as an innovative tool for accelerating fluid dynamics design processes, while highlighting the need for further refinement and experimental validation.