Skived Heat Sink: A Detailed Explanation of the Process Flow, Advantages, and Applications

The Skived Fin Heatsink is a heat dissipation device manufactured through a precise skiving process. Its name is derived from the unique technology of cutting the metal substrate layer by layer to form dense fins during the processing. This heat dissipation device based on a special processing technology plays an important role in the modern heat dissipation field.

Structurally, the most significant feature of the skived fin heat sink is the integrated molding process of the fins and the substrate. Through a numerically controlled machine tool, extremely thin fins with a thickness of only 0.1 to 0.3 millimeters are directly skived from metal substrates such as aluminum or copper. This design completely eliminates the interfacial thermal resistance brought about by traditional welding or bonding processes, laying the structural foundation for efficient heat dissipation.

The unique structure enables the heat dissipation surface area of the skived fin heat sink to be increased to 3 to 5 times that of traditional extruded heat sinks. The large-area heat dissipation fins greatly enhance the thermal conductivity efficiency and can quickly dissipate heat into the surrounding environment, meeting the heat dissipation requirements of high-performance devices.

Compared with extruded heat sinks that require mold production, the skiving process does not require mold investment. It is particularly suitable for small-batch customization needs. In the production of irregular heat dissipation modules for data center server chips or military equipment, engineers can precisely control the height, spacing, and even the curved arc of the fins by adjusting the skiving angle and depth, achieving a perfect fit with the geometric shape of the heat source.

In terms of material selection, skived fin heat sinks have wide adaptability. They can use lightweight and relatively low-cost aluminum alloys to meet the needs of consumer electronics. They can also use pure copper with higher thermal conductivity to address the heat dissipation challenges of components with high heat flux density, such as GPU and IGBT modules.

The integrated molding structure avoids the risk of oxidation and corrosion caused by the assembly of multiple components in traditional heat sinks. In industrial environments with high humidity, high vibration, or drastic temperature changes, skived fin heat sinks exhibit stronger reliability and can stably perform heat dissipation functions for a long time.

In recent years, skived fin heat sinks have been widely used in multiple fields. In the field of high-performance electronic devices, they meet the heat dissipation requirements of high-heat-generating components such as chips. In communication base stations, especially for 5G base station AAU antennas, due to their sensitivity to space and weight, the advantages of skived fin heat sinks are fully exploited. In the field of new energy vehicles, whether it is for automotive lidar or other key electronic components, skived fin heat sinks can achieve efficient heat dissipation.

Although the skiving process has high requirements for the precision of machine tools, resulting in a slightly higher unit cost compared to extruded products, in fields with extremely demanding heat dissipation performance, such as data center liquid cooling systems and supercomputer processors, the comprehensive benefits brought by reducing the energy consumption of cooling fans and extending the service life of equipment can offset the initial investment cost within 6 to 12 months. This short-term return characteristic further promotes the popularization of skived fin heat sinks in the high-end market.