A new technique for making brighter and cooler LEDs has taken the first leap from research laboratory to market. The new manufacturing system, called liquid forging, dramatically improves the way tiny electronic devices keep cool with a thermal conductivity double that of conventional techniques such as casting.
The liquid-forging method was developed by A*STAR’s Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology and is a hybrid between forging and casting. It is especially useful if you need to manufacture lighter components with intricate features like heat sinks using wrought aluminum alloys. The system also allows more elaborate designs like complex arrays of pins and fins that increase surface area for improved heat dissipation.
A*STAR licensed the patented technology to a leading LED thermal management firm, allowing the firm to build lightweight, high-performance LED heat sinks using the liquid-forging process.
