Heatsink construction and its manufacturing methods

Heatsink construction

There are many designs for heatsinks, but they typically comprise a base and a number of protrusions attached to this base.

The base is the feature that interfaces with the device to be cooled.

Heat is conducted through the base into the protrusions. The protrusions can take several forms, including:

PLATE FIN;

COPPER ROUND PIN;

ELLIPTICAL PIN

Heatsinks are usually constructed from copper or aluminum.

Copper has a very high thermal conductivity, which means the rate of heat transfer through copper heatsinks is also very high.

Whilst lower than that of copper, aluminum’s thermal conductivity is still high and it has the added benefits of lower cost and lower density, making it useful for applications where weight is a major concern.

Heatsink manufacturing methods

Heatsinks can be manufactured in a variety of ways depending on the required performance, cost and volume.

These include:

Machining– where a CNC machine is used to cut the metal
Extrusion- where metal is heated and pushed through a mold
Forging– where metal is heated and shaped by pressurization
Stamping– where the metal fin is cut, and then soldered onto the base
Skiving– where a blade is used to slice, and push up a single block of metal

For more complex thermal issues, heat pipes and vapor chambers may be employed within the heatsink assembly.

These devices are sealed objects containing a fluid (typically water) and utilize the release of heat during fluid phase changes to vastly increase their conductivity when compared to a solid metallic object of the same geometry.

Honstar Aluminum Products Co., Ltd has been an aluminum industry leader for over 12 years in manufacturing precision aluminum parts, custom aluminum extrusions and standard aluminum extrusions.

We focus exclusively on producing the smallest, most complex, precision aluminum parts, custom aluminum extrusions, standard aluminum extrusions and floor covering aluminum profiles.

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