How Manufacturers Test Heatsinks & Thermal Compound

Have you ever wondered how a heatsink manufacturer tests its new heatsinks to ensure what you buy will do the job? Each processor manufacturer lays out specific maximum temperature thresholds, desired running temperature ranges, and preferred C/W ratings for the type of heatsink employed. It's up to the thermal solutions manufacturer to make sure that its products meet those requirements, and that's where thermal testing comes in.

AMD and Intel each do it a little bit differently, and the methods of each respective microprocessor manufacturer change with each successive CPU class. It's rare for any heatsink manufacturer to show off the test platform used for validating prototype heatsinks, but at a recent trade show in Taipei, FrostyTech was shown one such platform for Intel Pentium 4 LGA775 (socket T) heatsinks.