Why choose All-Polyimide heaters?

All-polyimide heaters, aka AP/HT heaters, are made of a thin, lightweight material. They are capable of consistently heating to high temperatures with quick heat-up times. An excellent choice for many applications, they are considered the top choice for many aerospace, defense, and medical applications.

In an AP/HT heater, the heater circuit is sandwiched between layers of Kapton polyimide. It is then cured in a process that fuses them together to create a uniform material. This construction provides benefits not available in other heater types.

AP/HT heater benefits

• Dimensions: AP/HT Kapton heaters are thin, flexible, lightweight, and precision-engineered for tight spaces and exact tolerances.
• Durability: Thanks to the uniformity and properties of the material, we are able to manufacture an extremely durable heater that can withstand extreme conditions.
• High temperature range: They provide the highest temperature range of available flexible heaters (up to 300°C). AP/HT heaters also maintain performance under aggressive thermal cycling.
• Higher power densities: Compared to traditional FEP-based flexible heaters, AP/HT heaters offer 3 to 4 times the power density capability. This allows for faster thermal response.
• Outgassing: They offer low outgassing thanks to their adhesive-free construction. This makes them an excellent choice for space-based systems and optical applications that must avoid volatile gases.
• Superior flexibility and no shape-memory restoration: FEP-based heaters require “hot-forming” to assist in wrapping around curved surfaces. This is because FEP adhesive exhibits a restoring force that tries to return the heater to a flat profile over time. AP/HT heaters do not have this restoring force, yielding better, natural conformability without hot forming.
• High dielectric strength: They have excellent insulation properties.
• NASA-recognized material: AP/HT heaters meet requirements of the NASA S-311-P-841 specification

Overall, AP/HT heaters are an outstanding choice for applications that require a lightweight, low-profile heater that can handle high temperatures. Their durability, low outgassing, and high-dielectric strength make them the superior option for any space, defense, or complex medical device application.

Reach out to our team to learn more about how all-polyimide heaters can meet the needs of your project.