Friction stir welding is an established method in metal processing and joining technology. However, an alternative technique is increasingly coming into focus: vacuum-brazed heat sinks.
In this article, we examine what friction stir welding is and compare it with vacuum-brazed heat sinks. We also look at on why the latter is seen as the superior alternative for certain applications in the future.
Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is a welding technique that joins metallic materials together without melting. A rotating tool plunges into the joint at high speed, creating a solid connection.
Miba Cooling Austria uses this manufacturing process to produce a variety of different air and water heat sinks for cooling power electronics.
One of the biggest advantages of Friction Stir Welding is that
and
In addition, the heat impact on the workpiece is significantly lower compared to conventional welding methods. This results in a low-distortion joint with high strength.
However, Friction Stir Welding also has disadvantages. It is not suitable for all applications, especially when it comes to joining thin sheets or complex geometries. In addition, a metallic transition between the materials is limited to the surface of the weld seam. This does not ensure optimum heat dissipation, especially when used for high-performance heat sinks.
A vacuum-brazed heat sink is a liquid heat sink that is used to cool power electronics components. Inside is a cooling structure that is optimally adapted to the power electronics. Deionized water or a mixture of water and glycol flows through it.
The main task of the heat sink is to keep the temperature of the power electronics components below the critical threshold value specified by the manufacturer. The purpose of this is to prevent possible damage to the electronics and to ensure the longest possible service life. Vacuum brazing offers the greatest degree of freedom in the design of such a cooling structure.
Due to the ever-increasing power density of the power electronics to be cooled, corresponding high-performance cooling is also necessary. Vacuum brazing is the best choice for precisely this, especially in comparison to friction stir welding.
Thanks to efficient heat dissipation, vacuum-brazed heat sinks ensure optimum operating temperatures for electronic components. This enables considerable cost savings. This is particularly important in energy-intensive industries and improves financial profitability through performance-enhancing connection technology.
Precise temperature control extends service life and reduces maintenance requirements. This leads to less downtime and higher machine availability.
At Miba Cooling Austria, in addition to Friction Stir Welding, we also offer vacuum-brazed high-performance heat sinks and test them extensively using simulations and tests. This ensures that the service life of the power electronics is already taken into account during development and is considerably extended in reality.
The quality of the joint is heavily dependent on the cleanliness of the surfaces and the precision of the soldering process. Miba Cooling Austria has been working for over a decade on perfecting the entire process in terms of
These processes are all developed, carried out and controlled in-house at Miba Cooling.
Vacuum brazed heat sinks allow precise control over the brazing process, resulting in consistent and highly reliabe connections.
In particular, they offer improved heat transfer as individual components (base plate and braze clad lid) bond fully to each contact surface and provide ideal heat transfer throughout the heat sink. This leads to more efficient cooling and increased performance than is the case with Friction Stir Welding.
In addition, the flexibility of vacuum-brazed heat sinks enables the joining of different aluminum alloys and geometries. This increases their adaptability to different applications.
Overall, vacuum brazed heat sinks offer a more efficient, precise and versatile solution compared to friction stir welding, especially for the next generation of power electronics (e.g. SiC, GAN).
Would you like to find out more about vacuum-brazed heat sinks as an alternative to friction stir welding?
Our service experts will be happy to help and advise you.
