Additively Manufactured Heater for a Polymer Slot Die Coater

Author(s):

Scott Bernetich and Eric D. Wetzel

Abstract:

An aluminum alloy heater body is designed and fabricated via metals additive manufacturing (AM) to enable liquid heating of a polymer slot die used in the production of polymer films. The design incorporates internal flow channels for heated fluid circulation, allowing for precise temperature control and minimal temperature fluctuations. The heater bodies are fabricated via Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) with AlSi10Mg powder. The use of AM allows for the creation of complex internal flow channels, which would be difficult to fabricate with conventional machining. Post-machining operations are used to refine critical surfaces and ensure dimensional accuracy for integration with the existing device. Thermal measurements demonstrate the excellent performance of the heater body and confirm the benefits of metals AM for creating custom heat exchangers with complex internal geometries.