What Is A Polyimide Heater, and What Are They Used For?
Hi-Heat Industries
What is a polyimide heater?
Polyimide is a high-performance plastic with high heat resistance and diverse applications. Manufacturers searching for a flexible heater for their products, which makes it a valuable material.
A polyimide heater uses a type of film developed by DuPont known as Kapton®. This sturdy material gives polyimide flexible heaters a more comprehensive range of uses than other flexible heaters. However, many factors set polyimide heaters apart.
Is there a difference between polyimide and Kapton®?
Polyimide heaters are known for their extra-thin profile. This is due to the material, an ultra-thin yet durable film type. That film is called Kapton®, made by DuPont, a company known for its chemical manufacturing. Kapton® and polyimide are the same, so you’ll see the terms used interchangeably.
What are the benefits of a polyimide flexible heater?
Manufacturers often face challenges when looking for the correct type of product heater. Finding a heater that will work can be challenging when objects have intricate shapes or are smaller than typical. Kapton® film heaters can tackle those challenges capably.
With a polyimide flexible heater, you also get uniform heating to cover a more extensive surface area. More oversized products like satellite and aerospace equipment are ideal applications for polyimide heaters. These heaters also heat up and cool down quickly for extra convenience.
Kapton® heaters have a greater tensile strength than other flexible heater types, holding up even under extreme tension. This makes them appealing to manufacturers and allows them to tackle more complex applications.
Kapton® heaters can be pricier than other flexible heaters, meaning manufacturers typically reserve them for the most intense applications. These are the components to turn to when other heaters can’t tackle the challenge. In environments where your flexible heater will be exposed to pressure or moisture, the extra expense for a polyimide heater is well worth it.
Kapton® heater specifications:
DuPont makes its Kapton® heaters with a fragile foil core measuring 0.0001 inches in thickness or less. This core is sandwiched between two layers of polyimide film and an ultra-thin adhesive. Width and length can be customized to a manufacturer’s preferences, but this skinny profile sets the polyimide heater apart.
Kapton® heaters can handle a wide range of temperatures, capably managing temperatures from 200°C (392°F) to -195°C (-319°F). The fast warm-up time makes it useful for harsher environments than other flexible heaters.
Another identifying feature of a polyimide heater is its range of wattage ratings, which are 2.5, 5, or 10W/in2 at 115 or 28 V. These high-watt density capabilities, combined with the skinny build, allow this heater to distribute heat precisely and evenly. Best of all, the operating cost remains fairly low.
As for durability, Kapton® heaters are both water and acid-resistant. They can handle exposure to chemicals and environmental conditions without malfunctioning. Kapton® heaters also meet NASA’s specifications for outgassing.
It’s important to note as durable as polyimide heaters are, higher surface loads can reduce their useful life. For best results, keep the surface load below 0.8 W/cm2.
Kapton® heating element options:
Kapton® heating elements can be customized to fit your own unique needs. The thin but durable film is available in various sizes, making it easy to custom-fit to your unique needs. You can also customize polyimide heaters to the exact shape you need. If you’re dealing with a product with a curvy surface, this solution is likely the best for you.
Polyimide heaters come in wattage ratings of 2.5, 5, or 10W/in2 at 115 or 28 V. Customizing your wattage means finding a heater that will apply precisely the heat level you need. The film is packed with a high-watt density, which makes heating both precise and efficient, with heating applied evenly across the entire surface.
These heaters can be permanently affixed to heat sinks or provided in a way that allows you to attach them during manufacturing. They bond quickly to other surfaces and hold that connection even with exposure to moisture and other elements.
If you need precise temperature control, your polyimide heaters can be set up to maintain your desired temperature. They can be fitted with thermostats, thermocouples, and specialty wiring harnesses. Their high customizability makes them popular with manufacturers who have specialized needs.
Hi-Heat’s custom polyimide heaters
Hi-Heat makes custom-designed polyimide heaters for a variety of manufacturers. We can create a flexible heating solution in the size and build you need, working within your delivery timelines.
The thin build of Kapton® heaters allows Hi-Heat to create a solution that will easily contour it to even the most challenging part designs. Hi-Heat can custom-fit a flexible heater for each application by working with manufacturers to determine these contours.
Hi-Heat’s polyimide heaters also come in varying wattages to address the different needs of manufacturers. Using distributed wattage, Hi-Heat can create a heater that eliminates edge loss compensation. Some manufacturers also choose to have built-in thermostats to make it easy to monitor the temperature of equipment after installation.
You’ll also need to consider how you’ll attach your polyimide flexible heaters to your products during manufacturing. You can custom order your heaters to come with the fasteners, plugs, or other connectors necessary to install them, or you can have them attached to another part and then shipped to you.
With Hi-Heat’s prototyping services, manufacturers can work with one of our skilled team members to create a working prototype of their part. This allows you to try your custom-fitted flexible heater to ensure it will work before you order in larger quantities. If you aren’t sure exactly what you need, no problem. Our team can gather information on your product specifications and desired goals and custom design a part that fits.
If you’re in the market for a Kapton® Heating element, you’ll probably want to ensure your chosen solution fits your budget. You can request a quote before you start to ensure the price works for you. All you’ll need to provide is some preliminary information, and a team member will be in touch.
What are polyimide heaters used for?
Polyimide flexible heaters have become a go-to solution for manufacturers. When other heaters can’t tackle the job, Kapton® heaters can take over, providing a durable, flexible option that meets a manufacturer’s end goals. But these heaters often find their place in products that struggle to find the right flexible heating match.
Aerospace and defense are popular applications for polyimide heaters. Their durability makes them reliable in extreme conditions. Manufacturers know they can count on this material to hold up even under exposure to the elements, so they’re sourced for use in aircraft and telecommunications equipment used in commercial and military operations.
But this dependability makes them a go-to part for various other products. Medical equipment used in life-or-death situations requires a heater that will hold up no matter what. Polyimide heaters are also found in laboratory equipment and electronics stored outdoors, constantly exposed to the elements.
Polyimide heaters may be used in the following applications:
- Aircraft instrument panels
- Aircraft camera systems
- Aircraft batteries and fuel tanks
- Aviation de-icing equipment
- Medical diagnostic devices
- Laboratory analysis equipment
- Medical fluid warming equipment
- Medical specimen warming equipment
- Blood analyzers
- Incubators
- Medical instrument warming
- Bomb detection equipment
- Military vehicle lighting systems
- Rugged laptops and memory storage
- Computer semiconductors
- Satellite equipment
- Food heating and display cabinets
- Food warming trays
Kapton® heating element for veterinary equipment
Veterinarians use various medical equipment to care for pets, from monitors to scanners to warming units. Some of this equipment must always remain at a core temperature, while others need protection against temperature fluctuations and condensation.
A Kapton® heating element provides the durability and flexibility veterinary professionals need. The thin size allows it to easily squeeze into even the most compact spaces, and the customizability means the heater can be cut to exact specifications.
Polyimide heaters are also often called upon for use in fluid warming units. Their resistance to chemicals and moisture makes them the perfect fit for environments where they might contact liquids.
As with hospitals and medical centers, veterinary practices have discovered the benefits of body warming during and after surgical procedures. Warming blankets and other devices are now commonly used in veterinary services, focusing on steady, consistent warmth over a large area. It’s essential that these devices be moisture and stress-resistant, as well as able to heat an area the size of the largest animal a veterinary practice serves.
Polyimide flexible heaters for medical equipment
The equipment that supports and sustains patients in medical facilities is vital. Some of this equipment has sensitive components that can quickly become damaged with temperature fluctuations. Polyimide flexible heaters can help maintain critical equipment’s health to ensure peak performance.
Some equipment needs rapid warm-up and cool-down, which can challenge other types of flexible heaters. Kapton® film heaters quickly reach the necessary temperature, ensuring no second is wasted. Best of all, this constant shift in temperature doesn’t strain it since it’s built to work under extreme conditions.
As with veterinary patients, the medical profession has seen the value of keeping patients warm during and after surgical procedures. Polyimide heaters can cover a large area capably and efficiently, keeping costs low while maintaining an even, reliable temperature throughout the product is use.
You’ll also see Kapton® heaters used in the labs where specimens are tested. Medical professionals often have to send fluids off to the lab for diagnostic purposes, and those fluids sometimes need to be kept warm for accuracy. The equipment used for testing might also need heating to protect sensitive components, including microscope bases.
Polyimide heaters for aerospace
The aviation industry relies on durable equipment and components. Flight can be demanding on planes, and every inch must withstand extreme pressure. Kapton® heaters fit into confined spaces, withstanding moisture, chemical exposure, and force.
But planes aren’t the only use for flexible heaters. You’ll find Kapton® heating elements in spacecraft and satellites, as well. The extreme temperature and moisture tolerance are ideal for exposure to the elements. But polyimide heaters aren’t limited to Earth. They are on communication satellites, unmanned spacecraft, and launch equipment.
Polyimide flexible heaters are also helpful for their resistance to gases. Aerospace equipment relies on sensors, and gases can interfere with performance. Also, they aren’t filled with gases, so outgassing won’t interfere with the equipment.
One of the best uses of heat in aerospace is the deicing equipment to keep planes safe. With the right amount of heat, teams can remove dangerous ice, allowing for faster takeoff. You’ll also find these heaters in defogging equipment. They protect equipment from condensation that can impede its performance.
What makes these heaters especially useful in aerospace is their thin profile. Components must work without getting in the way of movement. Kapton® heaters can attach to components with moving parts without impeding them. They’re also durable enough to hold up moderate tension throughout their lifespan. Combined with their even heating distribution, they’re an excellent component for spacecraft.
Polyimide heaters are lightweight, flexible, and can withstand temperature extremes. Our custom design and prototyping allow you to put the heat on exactly where and how you need it for your product. Contact us to talk with one of our knowledgeable team members to see how we can make your dream a reality!
