The Micro Driver Module (MDM) concept (picture)

[Eudaimonium]

What I mean is, leave the back end as it is, solid heatsink for driver, no fins, and front end finned like the last picture. Back end is only thing being pressfited into heatsink, and front part protrudes out in the open, with fins dissipating heat.

Or , imagine the top part only half finned, the lower half which is solid gets pressfited into heatsink along with back end, and top half stays out.

Ehh, need to brush up on my 3DS max I'd guess...

 

[Toke]

A host with a cylindric business end could get a ribbed sleeve.

I am pretty sure even I could figure out making the right inside diameter, and then taking a cutoff tool to make ribs on the outside.

 

[udanis]

That would be near impossble to make unless someone can find extruded aluminum and copper in that shape. It would be possible with a 4th axis and a tiny, tiny endmill but it would take for ever and a day. The "pockets" of the fins would never be perfectly round either. Then you have the problem of lining the fins up when you thread the two pieces together...

I have the opportunity to get some robot parts made on a wire edm machine. It's amazing. It's an order of magnitude more accurate than waterjet cutting. The fins could be cut with it but usually edm work is about $80 to $125 an hour and that would be 2-2.5 hours on the edm. The issue i see is how to cut the threads. using a lathe is out because of the fins. The only way I could see is a custom die.

Pontiacg5: I'm not trying to pick a fight with you I'm just agreeing that it would very hard to do.

I love the idea here, the heat displacement would be awesome.

 

[Pontiacg5]

I have the opportunity to get some robot parts made on a wire edm machine. It's amazing. It's an order of magnitude more accurate than waterjet cutting. The fins could be cut with it but usually edm work is about $80 to $125 an hour and that would be 2-2.5 hours on the edm. The issue i see is how to cut the threads. using a lathe is out because of the fins. The only way I could see is a custom die.

Pontiacg5: I'm not trying to pick a fight with you I'm just agreeing that it would very hard to do.

I love the idea here, the heat displacement would be awesome.

I was just thinking how it could be done with what I've got access to, sadly I don't have a EDM machine or a waterjet for that matter. Usually lathe and mill work is around that same price, but I usually work for free or next to nothing, especially if it has to do with lasers

The threading could easily be solved by making the fins on the aluminum part "full length" and making the fins on the copper only go to that shoulder.

I just checked and I got your e-mail Kryczeck, I've been busy messing around with a new rendering program and it is monopolizing a lot of my time! You make it look easy! I just hope I can get some renders half as good as what you are doing :crackup:

 

[HIMNL9]

Just a suggestion, cause i've seen that none of you think in my same crazy way

You are speaking and planning about add (or extrude) flat fins on a cylinder surface ..... it can be ok, the same, but, imho, i see a pair of possible problems.

First, your design will probably end with fragile (easy to bend) fins, and also, the thermal coupliing will be not too good, for thin fins ..... and keeping the fins thicker, can be better, but still require a lot of work with a 4-axis machine and special conical tools (i'm not saying that the design is bad, only pointing to some small problems)

But, i thoughd, cause you're using, basically, a cylinder, why don't take advantage from this shape ? ..... after all, there's more than a way for add heat-dispersion fins on a cylinder (other than the normal parallel cuts, if you don't want to use it ) ..... you can start from a bigger diameter rod, and using just a disc cutting saw and a linear mill (those used for make radial caves on knitting machines cylinders), you can get a shape like this one:

This way, the fins are a bit more robusts, have a better heat transfer rate (more thickness = better transfer), still have a decent surface for heat exchange with air (in fact, it's approximatively 1,5 times more than flat fins), and can be made in more easy way using just a disc saw tool, if an already-extruded bar cannot be found with the desired shape .....

..... or my idea is too crazy also from me ?

 

[AUTO XX]

Love the ideas guys. Someone had mentioned smearing a bunch of thermal paste inside with the driver.....What is the problem with that?
I understand it would migrate with bumps and drops but that would also effectively "heatsink" the back of the diode instead of just the sides wouldn't it?

 

[HIMNL9]

Thermal paste, as same as thermal glue, is heat conductive, but not like metal.

You can still use it for small spaces, but its efficency decrease proportionally with the thickness (more space you need to fill, less it's efficent, i mean) ..... if you have a millimeter can work good, if you need to fill 4 or 5 mm, is better to get an aluminium or copper piece, shape it in the way that it fill the more possible space, and then use thermal glue for fill the rest.

 

[Toke]

HIMLN9,
You idea looks nice, but the manufacturing issues means that I would still go for something with the fins/groves around instead of along a sleeve.

 

[HIMNL9]

Yes, i mentioned it, saying "other than the normal parallel cuts, if you don't want to use it" ..... maybe i had to clarify it better

I also prefer circular fins, they are much more easy to build with a simple lathe ..... i was speaking about the radial fins, if someone prefer them to circular ones, and cause the OP posted pics with radial fins

 

[Toke]

Oops, that was my reading skills.

Your pictures got me wondering where to get a fan with a host sized hole through the centre. It would work well and look really cool with a ring shaped fan at the end of a radial fin sleeve on the host. And then a clear plastic pipe around to direct the air and let people see the cool build.

I am sure such fans are made, I am also pretty sure they are out of my reach.

 

[HIMNL9]

Your pictures got me wondering where to get a fan with a host sized hole through the centre. It would work well and look really cool with a ring shaped fan at the end of a radial fin sleeve on the host. And then a clear plastic pipe around to direct the air and let people see the cool build.

I am sure such fans are made, I am also pretty sure they are out of my reach.

I'm not sure about centerless (hollow center) fans, but once i found, on an old server, a cooling fan that, opposite to the normal ones (that have a magnetic ring inside), had a ring made in "plastic magnets" all outside the circumference, and the driving coils in one of the triangular spaces at the corners ..... it was still a fan with a central suspension, but the motor was outside the blades, all around.

I never found another, nor a spare part, but if someone made a similar motor, and suspend the ring with the blades with 3 external "rollers" or sphere on a fixed ring, keeping the inside hollow, it can be done, i suppose .....

 

[Kryczeck]

Just a suggestion, cause i've seen that none of you think in my same crazy way

You are speaking and planning about add (or extrude) flat fins on a cylinder surface ..... it can be ok, the same, but, imho, i see a pair of possible problems.

But, i thoughd, cause you're using, basically, a cylinder, why don't take advantage from this shape ? ..... after all, there's more than a way for add heat-dispersion fins on a cylinder (other than the normal parallel cuts, if you don't want to use it ) ..... you can start from a bigger diameter rod, and using just a disc cutting saw and a linear mill (those used for make radial caves on knitting machines cylinders), you can get a shape like this one:

..... or my idea is too crazy also from me ?

Interesting... I had tried horizontal slices in earlier designs, but it didn't look like it was going to work... However, since my last image has gone out past the current module size, I'll try it again using your ideas... Shouldn't take long...

Thanks.

 

[Kryczeck]

Something like this?

I'd imagine these would be a lot easier to make, since they could be done on a lathe...except for maybe the blind threads on the back end of the head.

Note: I didn't let this render "cook" as long so the quality isn't as good (ie. grainy)

 

[Toke]

It does look nice, but there is still a practical problem with the airflow inside the host.
It would make more sense to have the module solid, with driver slit, and then a finned sleeve for the host.

 

[Kryczeck]

Ok first, I apologize for the size and number of images in the post... but there's just so much to see I couldn't have shown it in just a couple shots.

Here's a hybrid example of host + heatsink + module/driver + module/head ... you'll get the picture...

I decided to use the SolarForce L2 host as my model because

1) It's really nice looking (IMO)
2) It can support a huge heatsink

...and as some have suggested here, rather than burry the module head inside the host's heatsink, it's exposed with fins of its own.

I know this all far fetched, but it's a lot of fun trying to come up with this crap...and it seems to spur on more creative thinking by those who understand this stuff better than I.

First, the parts...I know there'd be more than this...but this is all I had time for...

Next, the entire heatsink and module assembly...

The completed heatsink and module...

Now for the host assembly...

And the final product...

...I know the tailcap rubber needs work, but good enough for now.

I think the head on this thing looks wicked :eg:

And what's a new laser build without beam shots ...

Can you say interchangeable diodes

 

[Toaster]

What program are you using for rendering?
It would be better to use a solid heatsink where there was no airflow however outside the host fins are where its at.

Also some of yours are using copper fins. Aluminum is better for fins and copper for solids!!