Fraunhofer Researchers Adapt Hydrogen Manufacturing Technology for Heat Exchangers – More Than 100 Plates per Minute Possible
Chemnitz – The Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU is transferring a manufacturing technology originally developed for bipolar plates used in fuel cells and electrolysers to metallic heat exchanger plates. Using continuous hollow embossing rolling, production rates of significantly more than 100 plates per minute are expected to become possible in the future. According to the institute, conventional processes achieve up to 60 components per minute.
High Degree of Automation: Hollow Embossing Rolling Set to Significantly Increase Production Rates
In classic hollow embossing, metallic plates are formed in individual pressing operations. In hollow embossing rolling, by contrast, the metal strip runs continuously between rotating forming rollers that emboss the required channel structures. As a result, the forming forces required decrease significantly, and production can proceed without the pauses inherent to a discontinuous pressing process.
For heat exchanger plates, Fraunhofer forecasts production rates of significantly more than 100 components per minute, compared with up to 60 components per minute achievable with conventional processes. The lower process forces also enable more compact plant designs. The process is therefore aimed in particular at applications involving high unit volumes and correspondingly high cost pressure.
A further advantage lies in the integration of subsequent manufacturing steps. After embossing rolling, the plates can be separated, joined, and stacked directly from the metal strip. This allows a highly automated process chain to be built from the coil – the wound metal strip roll – through to the finished heat exchanger plate. Fraunhofer expects this to result in shorter production times, reduced handling effort, and lower investment costs per component.
Three Processes for Different Requirements
Alongside hollow embossing rolling, Fraunhofer IWU continues to investigate the established hollow embossing process as well as high-pressure sheet metal forming. The latter allows particularly precise formation of the channel structures and requires only a single tool engraving. Classic hollow embossing, by contrast, offers established plant designs, high process reliability, and economical series production. Which process is suitable therefore depends, among other factors, on component geometry, quality requirements, and the required unit volume.
For feasibility studies, the institute can examine sample components with a width of up to approximately 30 cm, a length of up to 1 m, and sheet thicknesses of up to 0.5 mm. These studies are intended to assess, among other things, formability, component quality, the economic viability of the process chain, and scalability for series production.
Hydrogen Research Provides Basis for Broader Industrial Use
The technological basis for the process originated from research work on large-scale manufacturing of metallic bipolar plates for fuel cells and electrolysers. At the Reference Factory.H2, Fraunhofer IWU already employs hollow embossing rolling as a continuous production process. According to the institute, the required process forces there can be reduced by a factor of ten compared with classic pressing processes.
By transferring the technology to heat exchanger plates, the manufacturing process originally developed for hydrogen technologies gains access to a substantially broader range of applications. Whether the forecast high production rates and cost advantages can also be achieved in large-scale series production across different heat exchanger geometries will be decisive for industrial deployment.
Source: IWR Online, 18 Sep 2026
