Design opportunities for thermal management

Design opportunities for thermal management

At Northern Manufacturing 2019, Protool Plastics Group will be showcasing its innovative approach to thermal management using polymer heatsinks

Group managing director Michael Hadfield, comments; “Our Fareham site has manufactured polymer heatsinks for several years and as such has significant experience in the process parameters required to accurately injection mould a polymer that behaves differently to almost all others.”

“Back in 2014 it was difficult to sell this technology as designers could not compute that a material that is usually thermally insulating could be thermally conductive to the required levels. Times change and the drive to reduce costs and product weights has given us a bigger window of opportunity to demonstrate its full potential.”

Typical material advantages are a reduction of 40% in component cost, compared to aluminium die casting. At 42% lighter than aluminium, it can save weight in automotive and ceiling light applications.

The performance is comparable to aluminium, based on 35°C ambient temperature thermal tests, with reduced mould tool costs; it can be post-mould machined, drilled or tapped and painting is not required, advises the company. Tool life is in excess of 500,000 shots, compared to 80,000 shots in aluminium.

Hadfield continues; “Advances in material technology and heatsink design have vastly increased the potential of the polymer with successful applications on commercial lighting up to 5,000 Lumens and over 30W of output power. This technology has come of age”.

Visit Protool Plastics Group on stand D85 or find out more at https://www.protoolplast.com/

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