Injection Molding
Tooling and molding for your repeat plastic parts.
YOUR DRAWING · YOUR OPERATING CONDITIONS
Extruded Heat Sinks
for Your Profile, Cut Length & Mounting
Start with the cross-section your assembly needs. Compare an available profile with a new extrusion die, then define cut length, mounting machining, finish and the checks that protect your device interface.
Illustrative component concept
Heat load
Power, ambient & airflow
Interfaces
Contact face & mounting
Manufacturing
Material, route & quantity
Acceptance
Sample, checks & records
Compare 4 Manufacturing Routes for Your Geometry
Choose the route around your material, interfaces and order quantity. Drawing review confirms availability and manufacturing scope for your part.
CNC-Machined Heat Sinks
Review interrupted geometry, tool access, fin rigidity and material removal.
Review this route →
Skived Fin Heat Sinks
Review integral thin fins, material condition and installed airflow.
Review this route →
Extruded Heat Sinks
Compare an available section with a new die; specify cutting and machining.
Review this route →
Bonded Fin Heat Sinks
Review separate fins, base grooves, joint construction and agreed checks.
Review this route →Your Profile First. Your Machining Second.
YOUR CROSS-SECTION↓CUT LENGTH & MACHINING↓FINISH & CONTACT CONTROL↓APPROVED FINISHED PART
Extruded heat sinks start with a constant cross-section. An existing profile may suit your envelope after cutting and secondary machining; a custom profile needs die feasibility, trial approval and quantity review before production.
- Define the heat-source footprint and available volume.
- Review critical geometry before material and tooling commitment.
- Approve a route-specific sample and controlled drawing.
Start with Your Assembly Requirements
Choose a section around your actual envelope. Review the profile, machining and die decision together before approving your extruded heat sink prototype.
- Fit the available mounting envelope
- Identify your real heat-source footprint
- Use installed airflow and orientation
- Review material and one-time tooling costs
- Agree the sample and inspection evidence
Mounting features
Allow tool and fastening access around your hole pattern.
Contact faces
Define the device footprint, TIM and clamping stack.
Fins and airflow
Review channel clearance in the installed assembly.
Samples and repeat supply
Agree handling, sample checks and the released revision.
Compare Material Data Before Your Cooling Decision
Use bulk material properties to compare conduction and mass. Your finished part still needs geometry, mounting and airflow review; these figures are not LK MFG heat sink test results.
Typical thermal conductivity
6061-T6: Hydro, 25°C. 6063-T5: Gabrian typical value. Confirm the specified temper.
Density: check your mounting load
Both aluminum grade families are about 2.70 g/cm³. Calculate finished mass from the approved section and length; a conductivity difference is not a weight difference.
| Grade | European designation | Si | Mg | Cu | Fe | Mn | Cr | Zn | Ti | Al |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6061 | EN AW-6061 · AlMg1SiCu | 0.40–0.80 | 0.80–1.20 | 0.15–0.40 | ≤0.70 | ≤0.15 | 0.04–0.35 | ≤0.25 | ≤0.15 | Balance |
| 6063 | EN AW-6063 · AlMg0.7Si | 0.20–0.60 | 0.45–0.90 | ≤0.10 | ≤0.35 | ≤0.10 | ≤0.10 | ≤0.10 | ≤0.10 | Balance |
For aluminum: other elements ≤0.05% each / ≤0.15% total. Values are reference limits; the ordered standard and material certificate govern. Confirm grade and temper feasibility for extruded heat sinks.
Material sources: Hydro 6061 · Gabrian 6063
Review Your Surface Finish
Specify the visible surfaces and functional contacts separately. No coating gives a universal cooling improvement. Approve the finish on cut ends and machined faces as well as the profile surface.
Confirm alloy, surface preparation, film and masking.
Specify appearance and keep thermal or electrical contacts controlled.
Review substrate preparation, coating thickness and required contact surfaces.
As-machined surfaces and selective coatings are reviewed against your drawing. Powder coating needs specific review of fin gaps, thickness and masked contact areas. Anodizing applies to aluminum, not copper.
Define Your Functional Features
Put the dimensions that control fit and heat transfer on your drawing.
Mounting holes
Hole pattern, datums and assembly loads
Threaded holes
Thread standard, depth and tool access
Slots & cutouts
Cable clearance, fixtures and interruptions
Contact surfaces
Footprint, flatness and surface condition
Base & fins
Base thickness, fin envelope and usable air path
Resolve 6 Fit & Airflow Questions Before Production
Define your operating conditions and mating features before selecting a manufacturing route.
Define Your Device Contact
Your contact area, TIM and clamping condition determine which face needs a flatness requirement. Specify the datum and measurement state.
01
Device footprint and keep-outs
02
TIM and insulation stack
03
Datums and final inspection
04
Clamping and assembly condition
Match Your Fins to the Air You Have
Do not select fin density from appearance alone. Review installed flow, fan pressure, bypass and orientation.
01
Fin thickness and clear spacing
02
Flow direction and fan curve
03
Duct and bypass clearance
04
Thermal test operating point
Keep Your Part Accessible for Assembly
Call out the cut length, straightness, twist and fin envelope separately from machined contact faces, mounting holes and threads. Your aluminum extrusion heat sink needs clear datums and inspection states after cutting, machining and finishing.
Review mounting holes with fasteners, tools, cable routes and the contact plane. Include the mating specification.
01
Hole pattern and threads
02
Fastener and wrench access
03
Module and cable keep-outs
04
Assembly datum scheme
Select Your Full Grade and Condition
Compare conduction, mass and manufacturing feasibility. A material property does not alone establish device temperature.
01
Grade and product standard
02
Temper or copper condition
03
Mounting load and mass
04
Sample material evidence
Control the Surface That Meets Your Device
Review finish and masking with your thermal, electrical and dimensional interfaces. Apply coating requirements only to suitable substrates.
01
Coating and thickness
02
Thermal and electrical pads
03
Threads and precision fits
04
Burrs and final cleanliness
Agree Your Evidence Before Release
Separate material identity, dimensional inspection and system thermal validation. State what your quotation and sample approval include.
01
Controlled drawing revision
02
Critical dimensions and fit
03
Defined thermal conditions
04
Sampling and required records
5 Checkpoints from Drawing to Repeat Supply
Drawing
Confirm revision and critical interfaces.
Route review
Agree material, geometry and manufacturing scope.
Sample
Check your finished part and assembly fit.
Evidence
Review agreed dimensions and separate thermal test scope.
Repeat supply
Release the approved revision and packaging.
Read Your Thermal Evidence Under the Same Conditions
Three views for your review: a calculation, a resistance budget and a heat-path diagram. All examples below are illustrative—not measured part performance or a CFD result.
1 · Power and temperature rise
Example only: ΔT = Q × R. At a hypothetical R = 1 K/W, 50 W gives a 50 K rise. R must come from your defined path and actual operating conditions.
2 · Set the resistance budget
Illustrative allowable total R = (75°C − 25°C) / Q. This is a 50 K budget from the chosen reference point to ambient; include interfaces on that path.
3 · Follow the heat path
YOUR HEAT SOURCE↓TIM & CONTACT FACE↓BASE → FINS → AIR
Review contact, spreading and convection together. For a measured curve or CFD report, agree the geometry, heat source, airflow, orientation and validation scope first.
For your acceptance report: define power, heat-source area, TIM and mounting, sensor positions, ambient, installed airflow or velocity, orientation and stabilization. Do not compare CFM, LFM and fan free-air ratings as interchangeable conditions.
Approve the Cut Part, Not Only the Die Trial
Illustrative component concept
An approved extrusion cross-section does not approve every finished cut length. Confirm heat sink secondary machining, burr removal, contact-face flatness, masking and packaging against the released drawing before repeat supply.
- Material identity and controlled drawing revision
- Contact faces, mounting dimensions and fit
- Finish, burrs, fin condition and protection
- Agreed records, sampling and shipment release
Applications to Review for Your Part
Project suitability, manufacturing scope and required records are confirmed from your drawing. These are application review topics, not customer case studies or system certifications.
Industrial automation
Review control cabinets, motor-drive enclosures and service access.
Power electronics
Match the module footprint, mounting load and insulation.
EV & charging
Review device heat load, mounting and environmental conditions.
Telecom equipment
Review airflow direction and the available enclosure volume.
LED lighting
Specify the board interface, orientation and ambient conditions.
Server components
Review the exact device and installed airflow; no generic fit assumption.
Test equipment
Plan instrument clearances, fixture mounting and service access.
Energy systems
Review power modules, ambient range and the assembly envelope.
6 Inputs for Your Extruded Heat Sink Quote
- CAD + controlled drawing
- Heat load + temperature target
- Airflow + installation orientation
- Contact face + mounting interfaces
- Material, temper + finish
- Sample quantity + repeat demand
Your quote should identify tooling, component manufacture, finishing, inspection and any separately agreed thermal validation. Manufacturing in China with Dallas-area coordination.
Answers Before You Specify
When does a custom heat sink extrusion need a new die?
Compare available profiles with the required cross-section, fin envelope and mounting features. A new die is reviewed when existing geometry cannot meet the assembly; tooling cost and trial scope belong in the quote.
Can I order cut-to-length extruded heat sinks with holes?
Provide the profile or section drawing, finished length, hole pattern, threads, datum surfaces and quantity. Review cutting and secondary machining as part of the finished component scope.
Which is better for a heat sink, 6063 or 6061 aluminum?
6063 is commonly considered for extrusion geometry and finish; 6061 can suit structural and machined features. Select the complete alloy and temper with extrusion feasibility, contact requirements and the thermal design.
Do I need to specify airflow for an extrusion heat sink?
Yes. Identify natural or forced convection, orientation, inlet conditions, installed airflow and bypass clearances. A profile curve from a different test setup may not represent your assembly.
Does black anodizing guarantee better cooling?
No universal gain can be promised. Review coating thickness, contact masking, electrical isolation and the balance of radiation and convection in your application.
What affects an extruded heat sink quote?
Profile availability, die and trial work, cut length, material and temper, order quantity, machining, finish, inspection, packaging and the agreed delivery schedule.
