Materiales de Interfaz Térmica

Thermal interface materials fill microscopic air gaps between mating surfaces — FET packages to heatsinks, ferrite backs to aluminum dock plates, and power module bases to liquid-cooled cold plates in high-power pilot docks. Gap thickness, surface flatness, and TIM rheology determine effective Rθ more than nominal datasheet conductivity alone.

Industrial AGV charging hardware sees thermal cycling from ambient swings, vibration during vehicle dock impact, and long idle periods at elevated warehouse temperature — TIM choices must survive pump-out and dry-out over 10-year service life, not just commissioning bench soak.

01TIM categories in WPT hardware

• Phase-change pads: pre-applied, consistent thickness, favored for high-volume receiver FET-to-spreader mounting.
• Thermal greases: lowest interface resistance when rework and disassembly required on dock service modules.
• Gap fillers and putties: ferrite-to-plate and uneven enclosure mating surfaces with 0.5–2 mm gap.
• Graphite or silicone films: thin interfaces where dielectric isolation and puncture resistance matter.
• Thermal adhesives: structural bond for coil back-plate to dock frame where screws alone insufficient for contact pressure.

02Application and assembly control

SiCore assembly work instructions specify TIM part number, cut geometry, screw torque sequence, and maximum rework cycles before TIM replacement. Grease applications use controlled bead pattern and calculated spread area — excess grease insulates and pumps into adjacent zones; insufficient coverage leaves voids visible only under ultrasonic scan or post-failure teardown.

Ferrite interfaces use compliant gap filler rather than rigid grease where ferrite tolerance stack and mechanical shock from AGV overrun create micro-motion. Compression set data from vendor aging tests at 85 °C/85% RH supports long-life claims for sealed dock enclosures.

03Performance verification

Incoming inspection verifies TIM lot traceability and shelf life. Sample assemblies measure FET case-to-sink ΔT under fixed power pulse — out-of-family units trigger mounting audit before batch release. Field service kits ship matched TIM and torque spec; using generic consumer thermal paste voids thermal warranty on SiCore power modules.