# Heat Sinks (DD-526)

> Heat sinks draw heat away from electronics through many thin fins that increase surface area. Fins can be made by extruding aluminum profiles, CNC milling, or skiving, in which a sharp blade slices thin fins up from a solid block of copper or aluminum. The footage, credited to yh1234581, shows fins being sliced into a metal block.

- Department: Tech
- First published: 2025-03-27
- Last updated: 2025-03-27
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/heat-sinks/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## Quick facts

- **DD-526-F01**: Remove heat. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (Purpose))_
- **DD-526-F02**: More surface. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (Fins))_

## Write-up

Some heat sink fins are sliced from a solid block. More fins mean more surface to shed heat.

1. **Purpose**: Remove heat.
2. **Fins**: More surface.
3. **Methods**: Extrusion, milling, skiving.
4. **Metals**: Aluminum, copper.
5. **Skiving**: Blade slices fins.

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: None needed.

## Video: Heat Sinks: Some Heat Sink Fins Are Sliced From a Solid Block

- Duration: 17.9 s · Published: 2025-03-27
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DHtwrPEyQAI.mp4

### Transcript

[...] are sliced [...] CNC milling, [...] or diamond [...] structure. [...] aluminum profiles [...] blades. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: Fins add?**  
A: Cooling. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Purpose) · Wikipedia: Heat sink)_

**Q: Common metal?**  
A: Light. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Fins) · Wikipedia: Heat sink)_

**Q: Slicing method?**  
A: Blade. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Methods) · Wikipedia: Heat sink)_

**Q: Another method?**  
A: Profiles. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Metals) · Wikipedia: Heat sink)_

**Q: Purpose?**  
A: Electronics. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Skiving) · Wikipedia: Heat sink)_

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Heat sink](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_sink)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Heat Sinks." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-526, last updated Mar 27, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/heat-sinks/