Heatsinks: Purpose and Design

Today’s computers continue to become faster and faster, but that speed coupled with the millions of calculations done in the blink of an eye generate heat that can threaten to destroy the processor itself. Heatsinksprevent this from happening by dissipating the heat as it is produced. These are necessary for all modern CPUs. Custom heatsinks offer solutions to the problem of heat on your own processors used for various applications. Custom heatsinks can be made from different metals, such as copper or zinc alloys, and can vary in size according to the needs of the specific processor. The addition of fins or metal slices on a custom heatsink increases the surface area of the heatsink, allowing for more efficient heat loss and dispersion. The addition of a fan can help further with the issue of overheating; those with a fan are considered active heatsinks, while those without are passive heatsinks. 

A heatsink manufacturer can work with you to design the perfect heatsink to keep your processor cool. You’ll need to work with the manufacturer to determine appropriate mounting style and heatsink material (which particular metal alloy is the best fit). The fins style can be varied as well. Don’t forget to work with the manufacturer to determine appropriate thermal resistance and well as the length, width, and height of your custom heatsinks.

Extruded heatsinks are most commonly used. To create these, the appropriate metal alloy is extruded through a steel die into the appropriate shape. Typically extruded heatsinks are initially very long “sticks” that are stretched and hardened before being cut into the final length prior to final secondary fabrication “touches.” 

If you are in need of custom heatsinks, contact a heatsink manufacturer to design the appropriate heatsink for your thermal management needs. 

For more about custom heatsinks and heat sinks please visit the website.

How Your Heatsink can be Customized

In need of custom heatsinks for temperature management? All CPUs need heatsinks to prevent them from overheating. This is done by increasing the surface area of the heatsink through various shapes and designs to allow for greater heat loss to the air (or water, depending on your application). The proper heatsink can reduce or entirely eliminate the need for a fan in your application.

Heatsinks may be made from different metals or metal alloys depending on the nature of your temperature management needs. These options typically include copper, nickel, or aluminum by themselves or as alloys. Each of these metals and their alloys has different properties which will help determine which is right for your application.

Heatsinks may or may have have fins to further increase surface area to promote heat loss. The possible designs for these fins is infinite. A heatsink with a pin fin, for example, fas the option of cylindrical, elliptical, or square pins. Those pins may also be straight or flared, again depending on your application. Many other types of fins are possible and available for manufacture.

Heatsinks may be treated with a surface treatment or different finish option as well. Work with your custom heatsink manufacturer to determine which option and specific finish or treatment is right for your application.
Custom heatsinks need to be mounted to complete the job they are needed to do. There are a number of different options for mounting your heatsink; Smartclip and socket clip are two such options.

When choosing a custom heatsink manufacturer, consider the total cost, time to completion, available surface treatment/finish options, packaging options, and, of course, options available for your custom heatsinks. Some manufacturers even have online tools to design your heatsink.

For more about custom heatsinks and heatsink manufacturers please visit the website.