Temperature Management

Two rectangular circuit boards with a box around it

Electronics are getting smaller and smaller. As a manufacturer of components, we are also helping to determine this trend. And as a service-oriented company, we also know the difficulties that an extremely compact design can bring. For example, if our customers cannot get EMC approval due to size. If the compact devices are also characterized by a high power density, two phenomena can often be observed: electromagnetic interaction of closely spaced components and heat build-up. When it comes to power electronics, there is sometimes also the challenge of electrical insulation. If a clever layout is not enough, electromagnetic shields and thermal paste are used.

Why, we asked ourselves, shouldn't it be possible to resolve several issues at once?

As a result we developed easy-to-process, thermally conductive materials that can do more. The WE-TGF (Thermal Gap Filler), for example, is a self-adhesive filler pad that provides an electrically non-conductive barrier with excellent dielectric strength. The pad’s thermal conductivity ranges from 1 W/(m*K) to 6 W/(m*K) and is available in thicknesses between 3 and 18 mm. The material adjusts to the various component heights on a board and fills the gaps between hot electronic components and metal housings or cooling assemblies. The pads’ secret is that they are made of silicone and ceramic particles.

We are especially proud of the WE-FAS Thermal absorber foil! It’s an innovative material with high thermal conductivity that can also be used as an electromagnetic interference absorber. It can absorb wide frequencies between 1 MHz and 3 GHz. It is ideal as a thermal interface material between a component and a cooling device due to its thermal conductivity of 1.4 W/(m*K).

Because both products are self-adhesive, they have established themselves as a simple solution for thermal management. For more information on this subject, see the Application Note on Flexible Absorber Sheets and the Design Guideline with information on thermal interface materials.