Standard or Tailor Made? What for EMI and Thermal Management on Electronic?
⚡What is new this month? A short summary:
- Standard or custom parts for your EMC project? 👨🔧
- Launching the first online catalogues 📖
Standard or custom parts for your EMC project?
Standard is cheap and tailor made is expensive.
That is your first thought. You are not wrong but you are not totally right!
Let me explain.
Using standard parts is strongly advised when tooling is complexe and expensive, as example : Spring Finger Contact. The large variety of dimensions available, and the global size of this kind of part (few mm) make it better to choose a standard part.
However, it doesn’t mean that it is not possible to make a custom part for one of your project. Just keep in mind that it worth it only for big volume project (to amortize the price of the tooling: few thousand euros).
For small volumes and prototyping: it is possible to use soft tooling. This kind of temporary tooling is used to manufacture the first prototyping parts. The tolerances are a little bit higher. Use soft tooling to validate your design without tooling extra cost.
Now, if we take the example of the EMI shielding cases and frames: It is more difficult to use standard parts due to the dimensions available. If you use standard EMI covers and frames you might need to do compromises on your PCB dimensions. That is not what you want.
Custom made EMI shielding frames and covers are not much expensive than standard one.
The gap is even more smaller with higher volumes. Then you have a full control on your design and no End of Life. For EMI shielding cases, it is also possible to do soft tooling to help you to validate your concept.
For more information on EMI shielding cases, have a look on our article : Shielding Case: 5 Expensive Mistakes
Custom made only
Some products for EMI or Thermal management are manufactured from a standard base but are almost every time with custom dimensions.
Example: thermal interfaces and EMC transparent shielding film
These products for thermal management and EMI shielding are made from material on sheet or rolls. Then we cut it on demand to fit to each project.
Example: heatsinks
Heatsinks are made from an extrusion profile then CNC machined and a surface treatment can be made. A custom extrusion profile is not too expensive, and for few hundred euros you can get your own heatsink profile.
It is better to use a custom profile with only few CNC. Than a standard extrusion profile with lot of CNC.
Exception: No differences between Custom Made and Standard
SMT custom nuts can be made without extra cost of tooling. Indeed, the only extra cost is the setup of the machine, which has minor impact for this kind of parts.
So, how to choose? 🤔
There is plenty of possibility of manufacturing and so much exceptions. I cannot advise you to follow specific rules. Each project is too specific.
The best way to proceed is to ask for help and advise. Then you will get all the cards in your hand to make your choice.
Launching our first online catalogues 🎆
It is a recurrent request:
“Do you have standard parts I could use on my project?”
Yes, We have, and here it is. However, keep in mind that each part can be adjusted, machined, packaged, on your own way. Just ask, and we do.
SMT Spring Finger Contacts
- Looking for grounding or connection? These SMT Spring Finger Contact are made for that.
SMT Fasteners, Nuts and Spacers
- Need to assemble several PCB or to fix your assembly to your case? Here are our SMT fasteners, nuts and spacers.
EMI Shielding Cases and Frames
- Use these standard EMI shielding cases to protect and isolate your electronic components.
Thermal Interface Materials (TIM)
- You should not have air (thermal isolant) between heatsink and components for a perfect heat transfer. use this Thermal Interface Material to make a complete thermal contact.
Heatsink Profiles
- Get the thermal dissipation adapted to your dimension and target. Using standard extrusion profile will help you to prototype and to get low volumes.
Are you missing a specific catalog? Just ask, we will put it online in priority.
Want to share a feedback, suggestion or a subject for the next newsletter? Please contact us by mail or using the tchat, it is a pleasure to get your inputs!
