Switzer

High-heat environments span many industries, and PCM-produced channel plates address thermal management demands across all of them.

-Power electronics and EV battery systems: Cold plates bonded to IGBT modules, busbars, and battery cell stacks manage heat within tight geometric constraints.

-Semiconductor and laser processing equipment: Temperature uniformity within fractions of a degree affects yield directly. Deionized water circuits demand contamination-free channel surfaces. PCM satisfies both requirements simultaneously.

-Induction heating and industrial power: Copper components running at high duty cycles carry significant ohmic losses. PCM processes copper without work hardening, preserving electrical conductivity and fatigue life.

-Medical devices and analytical equipment: MRI gradient coils, CT detector arrays, and analytical instruments combine strict cleanliness requirements with demanding geometric precision.

-Defense and aerospace electronics: PCM produces exotic alloys like Inconel and titanium without the high tooling costs conventional machining imposes — an advantage that compounds in low-volume, high-mix programs.

Read more about how PCM-produced channel plates improve prototyping and production in industries with intensive thermal demands in our latest article: https://pulse.ly/0zatmvgoiv

Photochemical machining produces precision metal components with tight tolerances and intricate features. In many applications, though, the etched part is not the finished part.

Plating is one of the most frequently specified post-processes for photochemically machined parts. It is often driven by environmental exposure, conductivity requirements, or interface reliability. Because PCM produces burr-free edges and fine features, it pairs well with both electrolytic and electroless coatings.

If your parts require plating, electropolishing, or other types of finishes, Switzer is able to ensure these processes are completed prior to shipping, streamlining your process and saving you time and hassle.

Our surface finishing capabilities include:

-Automated Paint Line (water-based paints)
-Plating (NADCAP, as needed): Gold, Silver, Tin/Lead Solder, Electro-Nickel/Electro-less Nickel
-Coating: Teflon, Black Oxide, Black Anodize, Conversion (Irridite and Chromate), Zinc, Passivation
-Heat Treating
-Deburring

Learn more about Switzer's surface finishing capabilities on our website: https://pulse.ly/tlrr28g1xm

Hydrogen systems are still evolving, and many programs move through multiple design rounds before final production. That makes prototyping an important part of microchannel heat exchanger development.

MCHEs support this process well, especially when the manufacturing method allows fast iteration. Design teams may need to revise channel widths, manifold layouts, or flow paths as test results come in. A process that supports those changes quickly can reduce development time and improve decision-making during validation.

This is one reason Switzer’s photochemical machining process stands out:
-Precision-etched plates allow tight control over channel geometry and feature detail
-Tooling costs stay relatively low
-Repeatability remains high across prototype and production quantities
-Teams can test, refine, and scale designs with fewer manufacturing-related variables

Read more about how MCHEs support a smoother path from prototype to production in our latest article: https://pulse.ly/odq6aeva1w