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Anyone know were to get aluminum PCB made? — Parallax Forums

Anyone know were to get aluminum PCB made?

mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
edited 2010-06-15 16:37 in General Discussion
I need a perfectly flat plate 100x100mm that I can heat up to 110 C. I think my best way to do this would be to take a PCB and wind a long thin trace as a heating coil. But to dissipate the heat evenly I would want it to be aluminum core PCB. Anyone know were I can get some made at a reasonable price?

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Comments

  • John R.John R. Posts: 1,376
    edited 2010-06-11 19:43
    For us yankee imperialist pigs, that's about 4" x 4" and 230 F.

    How flat is perfectly flat (1 mm, .1 mm, 1 wavelength?), and what are you trying to heat up (i.e. how fast will the heat get sucked out)? The answer to what you need is a lot different if you're trying to boil water or warming a piece of plastic for forming.

    Can the flat plate be larger? Beyond the flat portion, can there be anything sticking up? How portable does this need to be? What is the power supply?

    My first thought would be using some type of electric pan/pot with a heating coil built in.

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    John R.
    Click here to see my Nomad Build Log
  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2010-06-11 19:51
    I am looking to make a replacement to my heated build platform

    So the answers to your questions are: I am heating up plastic, using a computer power supply, it can not be any bigger then 100x100. The current design that is available heats up extremely slowly but that is not the biggest problem. It is not very flat, and has 6 bolts on the outsides shrinking the working area to only 80x100. I have designed a better control system then they utilized so that I can provide more current without taxing the print heads auxiliary power mosfet like the original design does.

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    Lots of propeller based products in stock at affordable prices.
  • StarManStarMan Posts: 306
    edited 2010-06-11 20:01
    I believe PCB Cart can make prototype MCPCBs
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2010-06-11 20:51
    You could use an array of Peltier devices with the hot side on top and bonded to an aluminum plate.

    -Phil
  • pjvpjv Posts: 1,903
    edited 2010-06-11 21:05
    mctrivia;

    I will mill up for you an aluminum plate 3/8 thick and your 100x100 mm if you like. I can also drill and tap holes into it at a pattern you specify.

    If that is too thick, I also have 12, 16 and 20 gauge aluminum sheet that could work. Also I have a selection of stainless sheet, as well as an electric discharge stud welder to "pop" threaded studs onto it if that works. Since I'm in Canada, the shipping would be easy.

    Let me know.

    Cheers,

    Peter (pjv)
  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2010-06-11 21:44
    There's an idea. What if I make a regular pcb with solder pads. I could reflow the plate to the pcb as long as the plate is not galvinized. Would take a while though.

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  • Erik FriesenErik Friesen Posts: 1,071
    edited 2010-06-11 22:15
    Are you sure it wouldn't be easier to figure out how to use some resistance wire? Perhaps mill a grid on the bottom?

    www.amazon.com/Nickel-Chromium-Wire-30AWG-Content/dp/B000FN0HZA
  • mikedivmikediv Posts: 825
    edited 2010-06-11 22:22
    Not sure if this is what you want but I have a sheet of aluminum 4X8 3/16 I would be happy to cut you off a piece for free if that is what you are looking for I drag race and I use it to make cooling boxes and stuff so I can cut it pretty clean with plazma cutter or shears let me know I think I even have 1/8 thick too
    ·
  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2010-06-11 22:24
    Resister has been done in the past and the pcb method has been found to give better temperature control, more reliable and more even. Only trouble is current design does not allow for full work area to be used taxes the mosfet and takes a long time to heat up.

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    Lots of propeller based products in stock at affordable prices.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2010-06-12 02:15
    mctrivia said...
    I need a perfectly flat plate 100x100mm that I can heat up to 110 C. I think my best way to do this would be to take a PCB and wind a long thin trace as a heating coil. But to dissipate the heat evenly I would want it to be aluminum core PCB. Anyone know were I can get some made at a reasonable price?

    Have you checked the width vs. resistance vs. amperage for the size trace you would need to do this? It might push the limits of what you can do.

    Maybe check out Mcmaster-Carr and search for "DC Voltage Flexible Silicone-Rubber Heat Strips", page 511 I think. www.mcmaster.com/

    Watt density is 5 watts/sq. in. They have 1-ft. wire leads for hardwiring. Max. heat output is 300° F. Exposure temperature range is -40° to +300° F.

    They're flat and somewhat flexible. You can probably control them with a PID and PWM. They have a 12 volt and a 24 volt version and, of course, if you can find the original supplier, then you'll probably be able to find them with all kinds of bells and whistles (built in thermistors, etc.)

    Hope that helps.

    Post Edited (ElectricAye) : 6/12/2010 2:21:41 AM GMT
  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2010-06-12 02:35
    Yes a pcb can do it. The one I bought works that way. I will check out that part though.

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    Lots of propeller based products in stock at affordable prices.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2010-06-12 02:43
    mctrivia said...
    Yes a pcb can do it. The one I bought works that way....

    Do you have any idea how it's designed, if it uses regular trace copper, etc. or some special process? I'm very curious because if I can make my own micro heaters from PCBs, I would be a happy camper, too. smile.gif For my applications I've always resorted to using resistors ganged together, or the flat side of power resistors, etc. which is bulky and just plain ugly.
  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2010-06-12 03:01
    Regular coper and I have the eagle files.

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    Lots of propeller based products in stock at affordable prices.
  • UnknownUnknown
    edited 2010-06-12 03:27
    Mctrivia,

    I found this but it may not be what you want:

    Polyimide High Temp. Adhesive Tape 8mm
    This heavy duty heat resistant tape can withstand temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, 260 degrees Celsius. Used most often for attaching Nichrome wire to the heater barrel. This roll measures 8mm(0.315in) wide, and 33m(36yd) long.
    $4.00

    http://ultimachine.com/content/polyimide-high-temp-adhesive-tape-8mm

    Chuck
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2010-06-12 13:32
    mctrivia said...
    Regular coper and I have the eagle files.

    That's interesting. I'd be happy to look at any information on this that you wish to post - amperage, voltage, trace widths, watt density, etc. If this is an off-the-shelf capability, then it would be a big help.

    Thanks,
    Mark

    smile.gif
  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2010-06-12 13:41
    the link i posted had the thingiverse posting:

    www.thingiverse.com/thing:2041/

    has the schematic and pcb layout. heating trace is designed to be 6ohms. I want to design similar version with several parallel 6 ohm traces to double the current consumption so it will heat up much faster.

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    Lots of propeller based products in stock at affordable prices.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2010-06-12 15:27
    mctrivia said...
    the link i posted had the thingiverse posting:

    www.thingiverse.com/thing:2041/....

    Thanks, mctrivia,

    this is an eye opener to me and I'm trying to figure out why I couldn't get similar results with expressPCB some months ago - maybe minimum trace widths are too big. I can't tell from the info on your link what the trace width is for this Cupcake pcb. Would you mind taking a look at that? I don't have the Eagle software or whatever that this requires.
  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2010-06-12 15:33
    i don't actually have a working version of eagle 5.0 running at the moment. my license is for 4.16. I will redownload the free version and look what values they used.

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    Lots of propeller based products in stock at affordable prices.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2010-06-13 04:39
    mctrivia said...
    i don't actually have a working version of eagle 5.0 running at the moment. my license is for 4.16. I will redownload the free version and look what values they used.

    That would be great.

    Much obliged,
    Mark
    smile.gif
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2010-06-15 16:37
    mctrivia,

    I think I found out the supplier to McMaster for those silicone heaters. Have a look at these guys, located in Connecticut, USA:
    www.electroflexheat.com/siliconerubberheaters.html
    There's a link to their stock heaters at the bottom of that page.
    They also have Kapton heaters.

    The small ones I received yesterday from McMaster have an adhesive backing, but I'm sure you could get them directly from the supplier without the sticky stuff.
    The max temp on the McMaster site says good to 300 F, but the ones I got state they're good to 210 C, which is about 410 F.


    have fun,
    Mark
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