Smarter thermal management for electronics: Igloo demonstrator

Why traditional cooling doesn't work

In today’s fast-moving electronics environment, traditional cooling methods introduce key limitations. Metal heat sinks add unnecessary weight and volume, while TIMs are expensive, challenging to apply, degrade over time, and raise sustainability concerns. These systems also require multiple components, increasing assembly complexity, cost, and potential points of failure.

The Igloo solution: TC over molding

Igloo's innovative over molding solution injects thermally conductive material directly over the circuit board. By eliminating the need for separate heat sinks, adhesives, and fans, it forms a slim, thermally efficient layer that cools the entire board—not just the hot spots. The result? A lightweight, compact, and more durable design that also provides protection against moisture, dust, and vibration.

Proven performance

The Igloo demonstrator uses a Raspberry Pi CM4 over molded with Makrolon® TC210, replacing air with a thermally conductive material. It’s tested against two setups: one with an aluminum heat sink and TIM, and another with no cooling. Under load, the over molded board maintains lower temperatures and sustained performance, while the other two reach 85°C and throttle back power input, in order to keep the chips from overheating. Despite lower conductivity than aluminum, the TC material offers better passive cooling due to full-surface coverage and higher emissivity.

The Igloo demonstrator showcases a practical solution for thermal management, replacing traditional heat sinks and TIMs with thermally conductive over molding. This approach simplifies design, reduces component weight, and eliminates the need for complex assembly processes. The result is a more efficient thermal solution that maintains stable processor performance without the need for active cooling systems.