LED Heat Sink Design: A Skived Aluminum UV LED Case
*Published with the customer’s approval. Customer-identifying information has been removed, and selected dimensions and project details have been generalized for confidentiality. This case is based on actual prototype and production work. Rounded dimensions below provide context and are not manufacturing specifications.*
For this LED heat sink design project, Ecotherm produced a custom AL1060 aluminum component for a UV LED lamp. The work covered design discussion, structural confirmation, prototype manufacture and production, with the mounting layout developed around the customer’s LED boards.
The Customer’s Requirements
The customer needed a larger heat sink for emitters with a higher heat load. The component also needed to accommodate the LED board layout and its mounting points.
The brief specified AL1060 aluminum, the available envelope, a nominal heat-load input and temperature targets. The principal dimensions are rounded below; the exact temperature requirements are not disclosed.
| Project item | Public case information |
|---|---|
| Application | UV LED lamp |
| Material | AL1060 aluminum |
| Overall envelope | Approximately 100 mm square; height in the 30 mm range |
| Nominal design heat load | 50 W |
| Required stages | Prototype samples and production |
he 50 W value was a design input, rather than a published test rating for the finished heat sink.
Build the Skived Heat Sink Around the LED Board
The Skived Heat Sink Design
The drawing and 3D model defined a straight-fin skived structure with an integral base and a custom mounting-hole pattern.
Skiving forms the fins from the base material, leaving them as one piece. The engineering drawing showed the fin section, overall dimensions and hole locations together.
The customer confirmed the structural design before manufacture. The sample parts shown below followed this reviewed layout, including the fin arrangement and board-side features.Skiving forms the fins from the base material, leaving them as one piece. The engineering drawing showed the fin section, overall dimensions and hole locations together.
The part is an example of Ecotherm’s custom skived heat sink manufacturing for an application-specific assembly.
Prototype Manufacturing and Board Fit-Up
The prototype photographs show the manufactured aluminum heat sink, including its mounting face, threaded mounting posts and fixing holes. The assembly photographs also show the UV LED boards positioned on the component.
The samples combined the fin structure on one side with the board mounting surface on the other. The mounting-face photograph shows the attachment points before the boards are fitted; the assembled view shows the boards in position above the base.
Production and Customer Feedback
The project progressed from prototype samples to production. The batch photographs show multiple finished heat sinks with the same fin structure and custom mounting-hole layout.
After delivery, the customer confirmed that the shipment had arrived intact and that the quality and result met expectations.
Discuss Your LED Heat Sink Project
Need a custom heat sink for an LED board or lamp assembly? Send Ecotherm your drawing or board layout, together with the heat load, available space and prototype or production quantity. Include the temperature requirements and airflow conditions where known.
Related LED Heat Sink Design Resources
Fin spacing and heat sink fin efficiency – Review how fin geometry and airflow affect cooling performance.
Custom heat sinks for LED thermal management — Explore component options and design considerations for other LED lighting projects.
