What are Zipper Fins?
Zipper fins are sheets of metal that are progressively punched out of stock material. First the geometry of the fin is created with the punches. The length, height, and fin pitch are determined in this first set of punches. The fin thickness is defined by the thickness of the fin stock used. Secondary punching processes then fold the fin and lock them into place with the previous fin. When the fin stack has enough fins for the application this stack was designed for, it’s removed from the punching area, ready to become a full zipper fin heat sink.
How Genie Uses Zipper Fin Heat Sinks
Let’s Mix and Match Materials in Our Zipper Fin Heat Sink
What’s neat about having separate components is that you can mix and match materials. You can have a copper base and aluminum fins or vice versa. Depending on your application needs, you may need an all aluminum or all copper heat sink. The material selection determines the joining method between the fins and the base. Aluminum resists soldering, so aluminum/aluminum joints are epoxy bonded. Epoxy doesn’t adhere well to copper, so copper/copper joints tend to be soldered. If mixed between the two, typically the aluminum component is nickel plated, then the assembly is soldered together.
Zipper fins heat sinks are a great heat transfer solution. While Genie uses them in the simplest form, zipper fins have a wide range of application and design flexibility. Contact Boyd Design Engineers for assistance with your zipper fin heat sink design.