By reducing size and weight, 3D-printed parts provide an opportunity to improve thermal control systems. So which major industries are leading the way and using additive manufacturing to stabilize product temperatures?

In a webcast titled "Advancing Thermal Management with 3D Printing," an attendee asked Julien Cohen, Additive Applications Engineer at the Eden Prairie, MN-based manufacturing services company Stratasys:

What is the largest application for additive manufacturing in thermal management?

Julien Cohen, Additive Applications Engineer, Stratasys Direct Manufacturing

Cohen: Looking at the cost of the process and the capabilities of it, most of our interest at the moment is coming from aerospace. We expect to see a lot of rocket nozzle and rock engine applications, as well as more turbocompressor components like stators and blades. Along those lines, we also see interest from land-based energy generation, just for the ability to create complex structures which can then be minimally post-machined.

In which additional industries do you see 3D printing playing a valuable thermal-management role? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.