Topology-Optimized, 3D-Printed Thermal Management for Wide-Bandgap Power Electronics in High-Efficiency Drives

Abstract

This study addressed a persistent thermal bottleneck in wide-bandgap (WBG) power electronics used in high-efficiency drives: as power density rises, localized hotspots and junction-to-coolant resistance increasingly constrain reliability, allowable switching performance, and practical adoption of advanced cooling hardware. The purpose was to quantitatively evaluate whether topology-optimized, 3D-printed thermal-management architectures are perceived as both high-impact and implementable under real manufacturing and integration constraints, and to explain adoption readiness using a quantitative, cross-sectional, case-based design. Data were collected in one time snapshot from a cross-functional sample (N = 132) evaluating enterprise drive integration cases (air-cooled 43.9% and liquid-cooled 56.1%) within industrial-grade, digitally engineered workflows (including enterprise and cloud-enabled collaboration for design/assessment contexts). Key independent variables included topology optimization quality (TOQ), perceived implementation ease (PIE, with an AM Feasibility Index proxy), thermal integration quality (TIQ), and design complexity (DC); key outcome variables were perceived thermal usefulness (PTU), thermal performance improvement (TPI), reliability expectation (RE), and adoption readiness (ARI). The analysis plan applied descriptive statistics, reliability testing (Cronbach’s α: PTU = 0.86, PIE = 0.83, TIQ = 0.81, TOQ = 0.78, DC = 0.74, ARI = 0.80), Pearson correlations, and multiple regression models. Headline results showed high perceived value (PTU M = 4.21, SD = 0.52) and favorable readiness (ARI M = 3.89, SD = 0.59), with feasibility positive but more constrained (PIE M = 3.71, SD = 0.63; AFI = 72.6/100, SD = 10.8). Correlations supported the core relationships: TOQ–TPI (r = 0.52, p < .001), PIE–ARI (r = 0.58, p < .001), and DC–ARI (r = −0.41, p < .001). Regression explained substantial variance in outcomes: TPI (R² = .48) was predicted by TOQ (β = 0.29, p = .002), TIQ (β = 0.25, p = .006), and PTU (β = 0.31, p < .001), with DC reducing TPI (β = −0.18, p = .021); ARI (R² = .52) was driven most by PIE/AFI (β = 0.36, p < .001) and PTU (β = 0.27, p = .001), while DC reduced readiness (β = −0.22, p = .006). A bottleneck attribution map identified the dominant constraint as module-to-cooler interface/TIM resistance (M = 4.12), followed by baseplate/cold-plate spreading limits (M = 3.86), implying that adoption gains will depend as much on repeatable interface control and inspectable manufacturability as on geometry innovation. These findings imply that organizations pursuing WBG drive densification should pair topology optimization with design-for-additive-manufacturing gates (especially inspection/QA and powder/support removal) and standardized interface procedures to convert thermal promise into repeatable, deployable performance.