The man for the perfect cooling solution
Sascha Walker is concentrated. He looks at the shiny aluminum surface with an attentive gaze. It has to be completely smooth. Unevenness is not accepted; precision is a must. The 47-year-old is a product manager for mechanics - and specializes in heat sinks and cold plates of all kinds. He has been with Elektron for 13 years. He knows the company inside out.
Always ready for innovation
A large shipment has just arrived - sixty medium-sized cold plates from Italy. They are custom-made products for a customer in the railroad technology sector. Now product testing is pending in Elektron's large warehouse.
It is the end of a process that had begun a few months earlier. "At the beginning, we calculate for our customers in each case the cold plates and profiles that guarantee them the best performance. For this purpose, we have various manufacturing technologies and a large partner network at our disposal," says Sascha Walker. Production is not done in-house. He regularly checks the quality of his partner companies on site - not only in Switzerland, but also in Europe and Asia. "We only work with manufacturers who deliver consistently high quality and are just as willing to innovate as we are," he emphasizes.
Without technical limits
It is the development of laser welding and brazing manufacturing processes that have revolutionized heat sink design, Walker says. "They allow custom design of heat sinks, cold plates and cooling channels in terms of size, shape and fin structure. No dies are needed, as in extrusion, and many technical limitations are eliminated."
In addition to developing optimal solutions for Elektron's customers, Sascha Walker also offers other services. "For example, we simulate existing cooling solutions or test the performance for new solutions. In this way, our clients receive confirmation that their future cooling solution is 100 percent on target." Sascha Walker is also the right partner for anyone who wants to have their prototype tested before it goes into series production: he organizes the desired samples quickly and without complications.
"Cool? Actually I'm more the summer type"
The inspection of the heat sinks is finished for today. The elevator takes us up to the 4th floor. Before Sascha Walker enters his office, he and a colleague briefly comment on the previous evening's soccer results in the hallway. Football and skiing are very important to him in his free time, says the father of three young adults. Outside of the slopes and work, however, the subject of cold does not play a major role for him. "In fact, I'm more the summer type," he remarks with a smile.
Solutions anything but standard
On arriving at the office, Sascha Walker points to the collection of heat sinks next to his desk: "These are all display samples for our customers. Or, in other words, my hands-on experience," he says - and laughs. His eyes sparkle as he does so. A particularly robust model serves as an elevation for the three large computer screens. This is where he develops the solutions for customers. These come from sectors such as the rail vehicle and automotive industries or deal with new energy systems.
Power electronics is becoming more and more efficient
"At the same time, the requirements for cooling and IP protection are increasing. It is important to me that we can also offer our customers solutions that lie outside the usual." In applications where power electronics are used in a small area in converters or similar housings and must be protected against dust and moisture, heat pipes are used, for example. The development of 3D metal printing will also be exciting, he said. "And as an innovative technology, we are currently developing a nanocoating for cooling plates to guarantee omnifluid operation and a long service life," says the expert - and guarantees, "We are ready for the future."
