AT FORMNEXT 2026, MADIT WILL SHOWCASE AN INNOVATIVE HEAT EXCHANGER MANUFACTURED USING METAL 3D PRINTING

MADIT will be taking part in Formnext 2026, from 17 to 20 November in Frankfurt, where it will showcase an aluminium heat exchanger developed as part of the BRAVA project, in collaboration with Airbus, NLR and Morpheus Design.

The company has led the manufacture and assembly of this component using metal 3D printing at its facilities in Zamudio. The heat exchanger, which is almost one metre long and has a thermal capacity of 200 kW, consists of four central modules and two main manifolds joined by welding – a highly complex configuration that would not be feasible using conventional manufacturing methods.

This development reduces weight by 33 per cent, volume by 11 per cent and aerodynamic drag by 22 per cent compared with conventional solutions, thereby helping to improve the efficiency and range of aircraft.

After three years of work, this demonstrator highlights the potential of metal additive manufacturing to develop thermal management systems for future aeronautical applications, particularly those relating to hydrogen propulsion.