Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1233021
58 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2020 Thermal Management: Five Tips for Application Success In Electrolube's recent columns, my col- leagues Phil Kinner and Alistair Little have out- lined various problems and solutions regard- ing conformal coatings and encapsulation res- ins, highlighting their role in circuit protection across an array of applications. This month, it's my turn to share five tips to improve your thermal management process based on some typical questions that our Technical Support Team receives. With so much to consider when choosing a thermal management material, it's impor- tant to do your calculations, and consider the equipment's operational and environmental conditions and experiments. Underestimating these could compromise the reliability of an electronic assembly and shorten its life expec- tancy. I'd like to concentrate on how to apply a thermal interface material correctly, take a look at screen-printing methods, and address the issues you are likely to face if you don't employ the appropriate TIM. 1. Is there a specific method for screen printing? Screen printing can be a manual or an au- tomated process, and screens can be plain or produced to the desired shape for the accurate application of thermal management material to your device. An automated process requires specialist equipment; however, a manual pro- cess just requires a screen and a squeegee. Sensible Design by Jade Bridges, ELECTROLUBE