If you have been using electronic and some electrical devices, you must have come across heat sinks. These are metallic plates that are used in electronic devices and works by dispensing produced heat. Did you know that heat sinks are made from cold forging? That’s true.
But how does cold forging aluminum heat sink? This article is providing you will also details you need about the cold forging of aluminum heat sinks. This is how they are cold-forged:
Selecting The Right Aluminum
The first step into cold forging aluminum heat sink is selecting the right aluminum material. The work of heat sinks is to keep the electronic device cool by dispensing the produced heat. This means the choice of aluminum must have very good heat conduction properties. That’s one of the most important factors to consider.
Designing and Making Molds
The second step is the design of the molds. There various sizes and shapes of the heat sinks, and thus there are all kinds of mold designs. So, you need to get the right mold for the kind of heat sinks you want to produce. There are special machines that work on the design and making of the molds s. The design is done on the computer, and the making is done by machining equipment.
Placing Molds and Materials
The third step in cold forging aluminum heat sink is organizing mold and workpiece to start the forging process. The mold must be fixed on the machine to ensure its firm during the compression. In some cases, you might have molds both on the striking surface and on the punch. Then place the material being forged on the mold. Make sure that the material is properly lubricated to make the process easy.
Forging
With the die and the material well, it’s time to strike and for the expected heat sink. A hydraulic press machine is used in the forging. The hydraulic system produces the hydraulic pressure that’s direct on the hammer or the punch. The pressure causes the metal to develop plastic deformation hence taking shape and size of the molds. That’s how heat sinks are formed.
Finishing
The last stage is finishing the cold-forged-aluminum heat sink. There are machines simply made for the finishing work. They will fix all the awkward parts to give the product the expected shape.
