Injection Molding
Tooling and molding for your repeat plastic parts.
YOUR INTERFACES · YOUR CONDITIONS · YOUR ACCEPTANCE
GPU / CPU Cold Plates
for Your Package, Contact Stack & Coolant Interfaces
Review your GPU cold plates and CPU cold plates against the released package and board interfaces. Review contact lands, mounting loads, internal passages, coolant connections and sample evidence before manufacturing release.
Illustrative component concept
Drawing
Critical geometry & interfaces
Materials
Grades, condition & compatibility
Interfaces
Defined route & final state
Evidence
Agreed methods & records
Start with Your Package and Finished Contact Interfaces
Freeze package geometry, contact stack, coolant conditions and sample acceptance before production.
- Identify your controlled platform interfaces
- Share heat loads and operating conditions
- Define your supplied coolant connections
- Agree component and platform acceptance separately
- Confirm the sample and acceptance evidence
Package and board interfaces
Define the GPU cold plate mounting hole pattern from the released board and package drawings. Include keep-outs, component heights, fasteners and service access; do not infer compatibility from a brand name.
Contact and load stack
Specify CPU cold plate flatness tolerance over the actual finished contact area, together with datums, TIM, mounting force responsibility and inspection state. No universal tolerance is assumed.
Coolant and hydraulic inputs
State GPU cold plate pressure drop requirements with the actual coolant, inlet temperature, flow, port interfaces and measurement boundary. A flow rate without these conditions is not a comparable hydraulic result.
Sample and report boundary
A CPU cold plate thermal test report should identify the heat source, contact stack, mounting, sensors, inlet reference, fluid flow and acceptance criterion. Agree who approves the platform before sample release.
Illustrative engineering concepts
Compare 4 Cold-Plate Scopes Before Your Quote
Define which part of the cooling assembly you need. These engineering concepts are not branded platform-compatible products or verified performance envelopes.
CPU Contact Geometry
Review the finished contact area, mounting bracket, TIM stack and port access.
Review this component scope →
GPU Stepped Contact Plate
Match the actual package and any specified adjacent component contact lands.
Review this component scope →
Machined Passage Base
Review channels, headers, cleaning access and the specified closure route.
Review this component scope →
Closed Plate Assembly
Agree cover, seals or joining, fittings and the delivered inspection state.
Review this component scope →Illustrative engineering concepts
Review Your Cold Plate from Package Contact to Coolant Connection
HEAT MAP & INTERFACES↓COMPONENTS & CONNECTIONS↓SAMPLE & AGREED CHECKS↓APPROVED FINISHED PART
GPU cold plate prototype manufacturing starts with your actual package revision, heat-source map, mounting datums and assembly boundary. CPU cold plate CNC machining must preserve the final contact face, seal geometry and tool access required by the controlled drawing. Review GPU cold plate microchannel machining for actual channel access, wall geometry, cleaning and cover closure; capability and process availability require drawing review, not a generic channel-size promise.
- Define the supplied parts, material and connection boundary.
- Review your critical interfaces in their final production state.
- Agree sample evidence before repeat-order release.
Compare Your Cold-Plate Material References
Compare bulk conduction and mass alongside your contact stack, coolant, coatings and manufacturing route. These references are not finished server-cooling tests or material substitution approvals.
Typical thermal conductivity
Hydro 6061-T6 at 25°C. KME Cu-ETP annealed at 20°C.
Density reference
Calculate finished mass from the actual geometry. A material conductivity difference does not establish a device-temperature reduction.
| Grade | European reference | Si | Fe | Cu | Mn | Mg | Zn | Al |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6061 | EN AW-6061 · AlMg1SiCu | 0.40–0.80 | ≤0.70 | 0.15–0.40 | ≤0.15 | 0.80–1.20 | ≤0.25 | Balance |
| C11000 | Cu-ETP · CW004A | — | — | ≥99.90 | — | — | — | — |
Selected elements only. Dash means not specified in this summary, not zero. 6061: Cr 0.04–0.35%, Ti ≤0.15%; C11000: O ≤0.040%; do not relabel Cu-ETP as oxygen-free copper. Aluminum other elements ≤0.05% each / ≤0.15% total. The purchasing standard and certificate govern. Confirm product form, temper, joining compatibility and required final condition.
Sources: Hydro 6061 → · KME Cu-ETP →
3 Comparisons for Your Contact Stack and Test Boundary
Use stated conditions to compare your design choices. All numbers below are chosen arithmetic examples, not measured CPU/GPU cold-plate performance or LK MFG material specifications.
1 · Chosen TIM-layer resistance
One-dimensional example R = t / (kA), with chosen k = 5 W/(m·K) and A = 400 mm². Actual TIM resistance also depends on contact, pressure, spreading and temperature; these figures are not a TIM recommendation or CPU temperature prediction.
2 · Chosen hydraulic power
At a chosen 1 L/min, hydraulic power Δp × volume flow gives the labelled values. These are not measured plate pressure drops, flow recommendations or electrical pump power; loop losses and pump efficiency require separate review.
3 · Compare the same test boundary
PACKAGE + POWER MAP + CONTACT LAND↓TIM + MOUNTING + SENSOR LOCATIONS↓COOLANT + INLET + FLOW + PORTS
Report the relevant temperature node and reference, the supplied assembly state and agreed uncertainty. Keep dimensional inspection and leak acceptance separate from thermal approval.
Review Your Surface and Cleanliness Requirements
Separate your thermal contact faces, sealing interfaces and wetted passages. Confirm the specified final condition with the mating assembly.
Define the contact area, machining allowance and final inspection state.
Specify the finished thread, fitting engagement and agreed sealing surfaces.
Protect fins, finished contact faces and ports; agree cleaning and shipment condition.
A finish is not a universal cooling improvement. Confirm its purpose, compatibility and inspection state. Review surface finishing options →
Illustrative engineering concepts
Define Your Functional Features
Put the dimensions that control sealing, assembly fit and heat transfer on your drawing.
Illustrative component interface concept
Contact footprint
Heat-source map, TIM and clamping stack
Ports and seals
Thread designation, seal land and fitting engagement
Mounting datums
Hole pattern, datum scheme and tool access
Cover and passages
Joining access, wall thickness and cleaning scope
Final condition
Flatness, masking, protected interfaces and inspection state
Resolve 6 Design Risks Before Your Order
Review contact geometry, mounting, hydraulic conditions, plating, leak scope and thermal acceptance together.
Package contact
Review heat-spreader or exposed-die interfaces, local height steps, nearby memory contact lands and the TIM stack against the controlled platform drawing. Similar overall dimensions do not establish interchangeable contact.
Your input
Controlled drawing and the relevant service conditions.
Your acceptance
Agreed method, inspection state, limits and required records.
Illustrative engineering concept
Mounting and flatness
Confirm datum scheme, fastener locations, load distribution and the final coated or uncoated inspection state. Agree CPU cold plate flatness tolerance for the specified functional area, not an undefined whole part.
Your input
Controlled drawing and the relevant service conditions.
Your acceptance
Agreed method, inspection state, limits and required records.
Illustrative engineering concept
Channels and pressure drop
Review GPU cold plate pressure drop at the stated coolant temperature and flow. Check passage geometry, headers, port restrictions and the actual test boundary together; no unmeasured curve is presented as a rating.
Your input
Controlled drawing and the relevant service conditions.
Your acceptance
Agreed method, inspection state, limits and required records.
Illustrative engineering concept
Plating and coolant
Define GPU cold plate nickel plating by substrate, coating specification, thickness requirement, masking and final dimensions. Review CPU cold plate coolant compatibility for all wetted metals, coatings, seals and residues; the coolant supplier and system specification govern.
Your input
Controlled drawing and the relevant service conditions.
Your acceptance
Agreed method, inspection state, limits and required records.
Illustrative engineering concept
Leak and cleanliness
Define GPU cold plate leak testing by method, medium, temperature, leakage limit and supplied assembly state. Specify cleaning, residues and port protection separately. A leak check does not establish cooling performance.
Your input
Controlled drawing and the relevant service conditions.
Your acceptance
Agreed method, inspection state, limits and required records.
Illustrative engineering concept
Thermal acceptance
Agree the power map, contact pressure responsibility, TIM, fluid conditions, sensors and limits before testing. A CPU cold plate thermal test report from a different package or mounting stack does not automatically approve your assembly.
Your input
Controlled drawing and the relevant service conditions.
Your acceptance
Agreed method, inspection state, limits and required records.
Illustrative engineering concept
5 Checkpoints from Drawing to Repeat Supply
Drawing review
Confirm revision, interfaces and operating inputs.
Route review
Agree materials, joining and final machining.
Sample build
Review the finished component and assembly fit.
Agreed checks
Assess specified dimensions, joints and test records.
Production release
Release the accepted revision, packaging and repeat-order scope.
Approve Your Finished Interfaces and Sample Evidence
Illustrative component concept
For your custom CPU cold plate quote, provide a controlled drawing, material and final finish, sample quantity and acceptance records. Separate dimensional inspection, specified GPU cold plate leak testing, cleanliness and thermal validation. Your GPU cold plate prototype manufacturing plan should freeze the released package interfaces and record any changes before repeat supply.
- Material identity and drawing revision
- Final contact face, mounting and interface dimensions
- Specified joining and test evidence
- Port or fin protection and shipment release
Match Your Processor Interface Before Manufacturing
These are review contexts, not compatibility certifications, customer cases or endorsements of a branded CPU or GPU platform.
CPU packages
Review the released heat-spreader, mounting and contact stack.
GPU packages
Resolve actual die or spreader contact and adjacent component heights.
Accelerator assemblies
Define the platform revision, heat-source map and keep-outs.
Memory contact lands
Specify the areas included in your supplied component boundary.
Server trays
Review port and hose access inside the available envelope.
Validation fixtures
Define the heater, sensor, TIM and mounting conditions.
Replacement components
Confirm serviceability and the controlled mating interfaces.
Development samples
Track drawing changes and acceptance before repeat orders.
6 Inputs for Your GPU / CPU Cold Plates Quote
- Package and board CAD + controlled revision
- Heat-source map + specified temperature nodes
- Mounting hole pattern, keep-outs + loads
- Contact lands, TIM + finished flatness area
- Coolant, flow, ports + pressure-drop allocation
- Material, plating, sample quantity + approval records
Ask your quote to separate component manufacturing, joining, finishing, inspection and any independently agreed validation. The drawing review confirms availability, quantities and delivery scope.
Answers Before You Specify
What platform drawings are needed for a custom GPU cold plate quote?
For your custom GPU cold plate quote, share the package and board revision, mounting hole pattern, component heights and keep-outs, contact areas, heat-source map, coolant ports and sample acceptance. Mark unresolved interfaces explicitly before the manufacturing scope is fixed.
Can a CPU cold plate be used on a different GPU package?
Only after reviewing the package contact geometry, heat-source distribution, local component heights, hole pattern, load stack and coolant path. Similar exterior dimensions do not prove interchangeability. Obtain the platform owner's approval for the actual assembly.
What plating and coolant requirements should a GPU cold plate quote include?
Identify the substrate, coating specification, thickness requirement, masked areas, final contact dimensions, wetted materials, coolant formulation and operating conditions. Confirm compatibility for the whole supplied assembly, not nickel plating alone.
Do more microchannels always improve cooling?
Channel geometry must be reviewed with headers, fluid conditions, available pressure, fouling or cleaning requirements and the contact stack. Additional surface area alone does not establish a better finished component. Require comparable test boundaries.
Which checks should I agree before sample approval?
Agree material identity, final contact and mounting dimensions, coating requirements, specified leak checks and cleanliness. Define thermal testing separately with the actual package, TIM, mounting and fluid conditions. Name the person or team approving the sample.
Is the supplied part a complete CPU or GPU water block?
State whether your order covers a contact plate only, a closed cold plate, mounting hardware, fittings or a defined assembly. Confirm serviceability and replacement interfaces on the drawing; no universal aftermarket or socket compatibility is assumed.
