Silicone Heaters and Kapton-Polyimide heaters

In general, a Kapton film heater is always more expensive than a silicone heater or polyester heater. Where chemical resistance or the weight of the flexible heating element plays an important role, however, Kapton heaters are the ideal solution. The resistance of Kapton Polyimide to fungi, bacteria, ozone, weather, ageing and most chemicals, acids and solvents is very good, so that heating elements made of Polyimide (Kapton) are an ideal solution for many critical applications. Kapton foil heaters are also silicone-free and are characterised by an even heat distribution. The dielectric strength of a Polyimide film is very high and so the flexible Kapton (Polyimide) heater can be very thin. Due to the small thickness, the heat transfer to the component is improved and higher surface loads are possible. Typical applications for Kapton film heaters are: Laboratory technology, aircraft electronics, printers, diagnostic instruments, vacuum chambers, medical equipment and many more.

Flexible silicone heaters are resistant to permanent temperatures up to 200°C, with self-adhesive foil 180°C should not be exceeded. Higher temperatures of 230°C are possible for a short time without destroying the heater. The temperature that will be reached within the application, generally is not easy to predict, as there are many influencing factors. In addition to the power, resp. surface load, this also includes mass and type of the material to be heated (thermal conductivity, surface quality, etc.) installation / assembly situation (bonded, vulcanised, clamped, etc.), ambient temperature, air movement and, of course, the control technology used. Application examples for silicone heater mats include: canteen kitchen technology / catering, anti-fog and anti-freeze applications, tool or plate heating in machines, 3D printers, laboratory equipment, composite materials repair, joint curing and much more.

We can offer flexible heating elements manufactured from three different insulation materials: silicone, polyimide (Kapton) or polyester. Each of these materials possess different properties which make them suitable for diverse applications. Silicone heaters can also be produced in very large sizes, whereas polyimide is significantly thinner and polyester unbeatable in price when it comes to high quantities. All three of them are bespoke products made according to your needs, so within the bounds of what is technically feasible you as the customer can determine almost every feature of your heater. This can include; voltage, wattage, dimensions, shape, sensors, leads, plus much more. Due to their low thermal mass flexible polymer insulated heaters distinguish themselves by a very short response time and excellent controllability.

Preformed silicone heaters are useful for diamters as small as 12 mm and up to 100 mm. Rounded silicone heaters are not possible with self-adhesive foil. Spiral Wrap Pre-Formed Silicone Rubber Heaters are suitable for tubes and flexible pipes and hoses with Ø 6,35 mm (1/4"). Spiral formed flex heaters can be used up to Ø 12 mm (the length of the stretchable silicone spiral wrap heater is reduced accordingly). The thickness of our spiral-wrapped silicone strip heaters is 2,2 mm. Also our gas and pump line heaters, most frequently used in the semi-conductor process, are shaped and pre-formed according to the object geometry to be heated. They are designed to regulate temperatures in order to prevent condensation in the line. Current applications here are Semi Conductors, Vacuum Chambers, Wafer Chucks, Valves, Exhaust & Pump Systems.