Skiving and Microskiving Heatsinks

High-density copper skived heatsink with precision microskived fins for advanced thermal management

Skiving and Microskiving Heatsinks

Skiving and microskiving heatsinks are engineered for applications that need high fin density, strong thermal conductivity, and compact cooling performance. Unlike stacked or bonded fin designs, skived heatsinks are formed from a single solid block of copper or aluminum, which helps reduce thermal resistance between the base and fins. This makes them a strong option for power electronics, high-performance processors, optical modules, telecom equipment, and other systems where space is limited but heat dissipation demands are high.

Microskiving allows even finer fin structures, making it useful for compact electronic assemblies that require more surface area within a small footprint. These heatsinks can be customized by material, fin height, fin spacing, base thickness, airflow direction, mounting features, and embedded heat pipes when additional heat spreading is needed.

Assorted Skived Fin Heatsink Designs

Assorted skived fin heatsinks, ranging from short to tall fins

Assorted Skived Fin Heatsink Designs

Copper Skived Fin Heatsink

Copper skived fin heatsink with simple machining features milled into the base

Copper Skived Fin Heatsink

Microskived Cold Plate

Microskived cold plate achieving very fine fin thickness, spacing, and pitch

Microskived Cold Plate

Custom Microskived Copper Cold Plate

Custom built micro-skived copper cold plate, with fins as thin as 0.1mm and spacing as low as 0.1mm, for pitch of 0.2mm.

Custom Microskived Copper Cold Plate

Precision Skived Heatsink Assembly

Precision built heatsink assembly utilizing multiple alignment pins for locating of the solution onto the chip and board.

Precision Skived Heatsink Assembly

Microskiving Technology

Micro-skiving technology used for high-performance cold plates to introduce maximum surface area to the flow channel. Heatscape can fabricate 0.1mm thick fins, with 0.1mm fin spacing, or even potentially lower!

Microskiving Technology
Assorted Skived Fin Heatsink Designs Assorted Skived Fin Heatsink Designs
Copper Skived Fin Heatsink Copper Skived Fin Heatsink
Microskived Cold Plate Microskived Cold Plate
Custom Microskived Copper Cold Plate Custom Microskived Copper Cold Plate
Precision Skived Heatsink Assembly Precision Skived Heatsink Assembly
Microskiving Technology Microskiving Technology

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a skived heatsink?

A skived heatsink is a thermal solution made by cutting fins directly from a single solid block of metal, typically aluminum or copper. This process eliminates any bonding interface between the base and fins, reducing thermal resistance. As a result, skived heatsinks provide highly efficient heat transfer and are ideal for high-performance and high-power cooling applications.

How is microskiving different from standard skiving?

Microskiving is an advanced form of skiving that produces extremely thin, closely spaced fins to maximize surface area. This allows for superior heat dissipation in compact and high heat flux environments. Microskived designs are commonly used in advanced thermal management systems where space is limited and performance demands are high.

When should I use a skived heatsink instead of other types?

You should use a skived heatsink when maximum thermal performance and minimal thermal resistance are required. It is especially suitable for compact designs where efficient heat removal is critical. This makes it ideal for high-power electronics and applications with limited space for airflow or cooling components.

What are the advantages of skived heatsinks over bonded fin designs?

Skived heatsinks offer better thermal performance because they are manufactured from a single piece of material without bonded joints. This eliminates interface resistance and improves durability under high heat loads. The result is a more reliable, efficient, and long-lasting cooling solution compared to bonded fin designs.

How fine can fins be in microskived heatsinks?

Microskived heatsinks can achieve extremely fine fin thickness and spacing, often as low as 0.1 mm. This significantly increases the available surface area for heat dissipation. The enhanced fin density allows efficient cooling in high-performance systems with tight space and high thermal demands.

Can skived heatsinks be used in liquid cooling applications?

Yes, skived and microskived structures are commonly used in liquid cooling systems such as cold plates. Their fine fin geometry increases surface area within fluid channels, improving heat transfer between the coolant and the heated surface. This results in more efficient and consistent thermal performance.

What applications benefit most from skiving and microskiving heatsinks?

Skived and microskived heatsinks are widely used in data centers, power electronics, and high-performance computing systems. These applications require high fin density and efficient thermal management. They are ideal for environments where space is limited and reliable cooling is critical for system stability.

What is a heatsink calculator?

A heatsink calculator helps estimate thermal performance by analyzing heat dissipation, airflow, and material properties to determine optimal cooling solutions.