Yesterday we noted that SinkPAD had announced their new technology to directly cool LED. And now Heraeus, out of Germany, has made an announcement about their Stamped Circuit Board Technology to cool LED.
Heraeus’s concept is uses a new PCB manufacturing technique to basically use the PCB as an LED heatsink. You can check the following link to read about Heraeus’s Stamped Circuit Board Technology. But the basic approach is one where:
Stamped Circuit Board (SCB) technology combines structured layers of metal and plastic for use in substrate assemblies, e. g. of LEDs. Similar to printed circuit boards, this layering may consist of fiberglass-reinforced epoxy resin and copper – however, the separate structuring of the two materials opens the way for totally new design concepts. During the manufacturing process both the plastic and the metal are initially treated on separate reels and structured according to the specific requirements involved. At the next stage, the materials undergo lamination after which they are left perfectly aligned to each other.
One question Heraeus’s concept and that of SinkPAD’s brings to mind is: cost.
With LED’s rapidly replacing standard lighting technologies, that already have economies of scale in manufacturing, cost is still an issue.
We certainly need new technologies in LED lighting. In fact, we here at ATS announced a new LED heatsink technology partnership with Lemnis lighting back in January of this year. Our announcement noted the following breakthrough:
Advanced Thermal Solutions, Inc. (ATS), has partnered with Lemnis Lighting B.V. to develop cooling solutions that will enable the next generation of Lemnis’ Pharox LED bulbs to light at cool temperatures, produce a bright, uniform light output and provide a long lifespan. The innovation increases LED light performance by 15%, placing a feasible alternative for the 75W bulb within reach.
New technologies that solve the various challenges that LED’s present are going to cost more with the offset being longer life, better for the environment, and reduction in energy consumption. However, the crossover point has to be thought through where the cost becomes prohibitive regardless of how useful the technology may be.  Given costs of manufacturing and materials for some of the new technologies, LED heatsinks made from Aluminum may prove to be the cheapest and most reliable choice of all.
