Thermal Gap Pad Solution – Case Study

Customer: Global Supplier of a Home Use PCR Device

Part: Thermal Gap Pad

Material:  Silicone Thermally Conductive Filler

Application: Home Use Diagnostic Device

Challenge/Scope:

A leading global supplier of home-use PCR diagnostic devices turned to PLITEK® for a critical thermal management solution. The customer, who had recently received FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for their at-home diagnostic testing kits, was facing urgent production scale-up challenges. At the center of the issue was the need for a thermally conductive filler- specifically, a thermal gap pad- to ensure optimal performance and heat dissipation within the compact diagnostic device.

The original thermal gap pad material, however, was available only in limited sheet formats and at a cost exceeding the customer’s budget, creating a bottleneck in both availability and scalability. Recognizing the importance of both performance and supply chain reliability, PLITEK® engaged in a competitive bid process and delivered a comprehensive thermal interface management solution that helped the customer overcome these hurdles while also improving cost efficiency and production throughput.

Solution:
Recognizing that customer specified material supplied in sheet-form was inefficient for high-volume production, PLITEK® submitted bids for the originally specified material while also researching and recommending an alternative thermal gap pad. The proposed material matched the performance requirements and was available in both sheet and roll formats, enabling scalable processing. PLITEK®’s pricing for both formats was the most competitive, prompting the customer to begin urgent evaluation and testing of the alternative solution.

PLITEK® collaborated closely with the alternative material supplier to produce and deliver material samples in under three weeks. In parallel, PLITEK®’s engineering team worked with the customer to develop an optimized roll configuration, increasing parts per roll by 20% and reducing changeover frequency on automated lines. Additionally, PLITEK®’s advanced converting capabilities maximized material yield, contributing to a 17% cost savings on raw material.

While the alternate material underwent testing and was ultimately approved, PLITEK® partnered with the supplier to build a resilient supply chain to meet escalating demand. As a result of successful qualification and improved logistics, the customer doubled its initial order. Thanks to PLITEK®’s scalable manufacturing capacity, the increased volume was delivered on time, supporting the customer’s mission to provide accessible at-home testing solutions during a critical public health window.