The　porous　electrode　under　the　rib　area　suffers　from　lower　local　oxygen　concentration　and　more　severe　water　flooding　than　that　under　the　channel,　which　significantly　affect　the　performance　of　proton　exchange　membrane　fuel　cells.　To　improve　the　oxygen　concentration　and　water　drainage　under　the　rib,　a　series　of　novel　flow　fields　with　auxiliary　channels　equipped　with　through-plane　arrayed　holes　were　manufactured　by　three-dimensional　(3D)　metal　printing,　and　the　cell　performance,　ohmic　resistance　and　pressure　drop　were　experimentally　and　numerically　studied,　respectively.　The　novel　fields　were　based　on　the　sophisticated　modification　of　traditional　serpentine　and　parallel　flow　fields,　that　significantly　improved　the　cell　performance　at　high　current　density　with　an　optimal　number　or　length　of　the　auxiliary　channels,　owing　to　the　trade-off　between　the　electric　resistance　and　mass　transfer　under　the　rib.　This　novel　flow　field　design　solved　the　trilemma　of　performance,　pressure　drop　and　manufacture　feasibility　through　the　implementation　of　3D　printing　technology.　©　2022　American　Institute　of　Chemical　Engineers.