Printed Heaters
Printed heaters are made by screen printing resistor or conductor paste on top of a substrate. It can be directly printed on the surface to be heated, thereby improving the heating efficiency to a great extent. The selection of inks and substrates is determined according to the user application and design requirements. Printed heaters are separated into several categories, such as flexible printed heaters and thick film heaters on ceramic and metal.
1. Flexible Printed Heater
Flexible Printed Heaters are directly printed on polyester (PET), polyimide (PI), polycarbonate, etc. according to user requirements and specific operating parameters. Flexible printed heaters are based on positive temperature coefficient (PTC) materials that enable the heater to control its desired temperature or on fixed resistance heater designs that require a control circuit to control the temperature. The heater can be easily mounted using pressure-sensitive adhesive, field-applied adhesive, Velcro, etc., according to the requirement.
It has advantages over conventional heaters such as being light weight, flexible to take place, providing uniform heat distribution, etc.
2. Thick film Heater on ceramic and metal
The thick film heaters are developed using thick film materials such as conductive, resistive, and dielectric on alumina, AIN, stainless steel, and aluminium. The thick film heaters have a fast response time and uniform heat distribution in a low-profile heater. It is widely used in high-performance, reliability, energy efficiency, limited space, and high-wattage density applications. The heaters can be applied to complex shapes to produce targeted heat. The thick film heaters are also divided into two types (according to production): 1. printed on a metal substrate; 2. printed on a ceramic substrate.
Substrate: Alumina/ Stainless Steel/ Aluminum Nitride etc.
Note- For custom design requirements please contact sales@marathonheat.com
1. Technical specifications of Flexible Printed Heater
| Max Length | ~ 25 inches |
| Max Width | ~ 20 inches |
| Thickness | 0.056″ standard, other thickness available |
| Watt Density | 0.2 W/cm² |
| Wattage Tolerance | +5%, -10% |
| Maximum Temperature | Permanent temperatures of up to 90°C (max. 100°C for short periods) |
| Voltage | 1 V to 240V AC or DC |
| Heating Element | Silver/ Carbon/ PTC |
2. Technical specifications of Thick film Heater
| Material | Alumina | Aluminum Nitride | Stainless Steel |
| Thermal Conductivity (W/m K) | 20 | 170 | 15 |
| Watt Density (w/in2) | 23 | 150 | 75 |
| Max Temperature (⁰C) | 600 | 450 | 350 |
| Coefficient Of Thermal Expansion (x 10-6/°C) | 7 | 4.6 | 12-15 |
| Voltage (V) | 240 | 240 | 240 |
1. Features of flexible printed heater
- Uniform and fast heating
- Low out-gassing
- Flexible, lightweight, durable, safe and reliable
- Water and acid resistant
- Minimal material waste, resulting in lower production costs compared to etched, where sheets are chemically etched to create the circuit.
2. Features of thick film heater
- High Operating Temperature 600°C (932°F)
- Low Thermal Mass (fast temperature ramp up and cool down)
- Excellent Control Over Heat Distribution/ High temperature uniformity
- Uniform and Quick temperature rise
- Easy assembly and disassembly – cost savings
- Temperature sensors and controls can be incorporated into the design
- No outgassing with inorganic systems and Chemical Resistant
- Vibration and shock resistant