With the explosive growth of new energy vehicles, data centers, energy storage systems and other fields, the thermal performance of liquid cooling plates (water cooling plates) directly determines the stability and life of equipment operation. Different processing techniques have a direct impact on the runner design, pressure resistance and cost efficiency of liquid cooling plates. In this article, we will analyze the technical characteristics of mainstream processes such as embedded tube, vacuum brazing, stir friction welding, deep hole drilling, etc., to help you accurately match the heat dissipation performance.

Liquid Cooling Plates Processing Process of the Five Major Technology Routes

1. Tube embedded process (buried tube)

Copper Pipe Water Cooling Plates (Embedded Tube Cold Plate) Factory

Technical principle: copper or stainless steel tubes are pre-buried in the grooves of the metal substrate (mostly aluminum) and fixed by mechanical pressing or brazing to form a closed flow channel.

Core Advantage:

Zero risk of weld leakage: the runner consists of a complete metal tube with no weld points for high long-term reliability.

Low cost and mature process: suitable for standardized design and mass production.

Limitations:

Poor runner flexibility, only supports simple linear or serpentine layout, difficult to meet high-density heat dissipation needs.

The combination of copper and aluminum dissimilar materials is prone to galvanic corrosion, requiring additional anti-corrosion treatment.

Typical application:

Server cabinet liquid cooling system

Industrial inverter heat dissipation module

2. Vacuum brazing process

Aluminum Battery Vacuum Brazing Liquid Cooling Cold Plate

Technical principle: in the vacuum furnace, the use of melting point lower than the base material brazing material (such as Al-Si alloy) melted and penetrated into the runner plate and cover plate of the bonding surface, after cooling to form a high-strength metallurgical bond.

Core Advantage:

Complex runner free design: Supporting micro-channels, fins and other refined structures, heat dissipation efficiency is increased by more than 30%.

Lightweight and High Pressure Resistance: All aluminum alloy material, high bonding strength on the welding surface, can withstand more than 10Bar pressure.

Key Challenges:

Stringent requirements for brazing material formulation and vacuum control, process defects easily lead to flow channel blockage or leakage.

High investment in equipment, suitable for large-scale production.

Typical applications:

New energy vehicle power battery liquid cooling plate

5G base station high power chip liquid cold plate

3. Friction Stir Welding (FSW) process

FSW Friction Stir Welding Process Liquid Cold Plate

Technical principle: The high-speed rotating stirring needle is inserted into the seams of the workpiece, the friction generates heat to plasticize the material, and solid-state welding is realized under mechanical extrusion.

Core Advantages:

Ultra-high structural strength: the strength of the weld seam reaches more than 90% of the base material, with excellent anti-vibration and anti-fatigue properties.

Environmentally friendly and consumable-free: no need for welding wire and shielding gas, reducing carbon emissions.

Process Limitations:

High cost of equipment customization, slow welding speed (usually 0.5-1.5m/min).

Limited adaptability to workpiece thickness and curved surface structure.

Typical Applications:

Water-cooled panels for shaped battery packs (e.g. CTP/CTC cell structures)

Aerospace electronics cooling systems

4. Deep hole drilling process

Deep Hole Drilling Liquid Cooling Plate

Technical principle: Direct drilling of micro-holes with a depth-to-diameter ratio greater than 10:1 on metal substrates (e.g., copper, aluminum), and the formation of a circulating cooling network through external piping connections.

Core Advantage:

Extreme heat dissipation performance: smooth inner wall of drilled runners, low resistance to water flow, high heat exchange efficiency.

High material utilization: no need for multi-layer structure stacking, suitable for high thermal conductivity copper processing.

Key Difficulties:

Deep hole processing is easy to deflection, need to be equipped with high-precision CNC machine tools and gun drilling tools.

The flow path cannot be crossed, and the degree of design freedom is lower than that of brazing process.

Typical applications:

Copper-based water cooling plates for IGBT power modules

High heat density water cold plate for lasers

5. Stamping + brazing composite process

Stamping and Vacuum Brazing Liquid Cold Plate

Technical principle: Stamping to form the runner structure, and then sealing with the cover plate through brazing, combining efficiency and performance.

Core advantages:

Optimal cost performance: stamping molding speed, brazing to enhance the sealing, the cost per piece is 40% lower than FSW.

Compatible with shaped design: support wave shape, bifurcated runner and other medium-complexity structures.

Typical applications:

Liquid cooling plates for energy storage containers

Inverter heat dissipation module for household appliances 

Process Selection Guide: 4 Key Decision-making Factors

Thermal power density

>500W/cm²: Priority is given to deep hole drilling copper-based water cooling plates or vacuum brazing microchannels.

<200W/cm²: embedded tube or stamping process is more cost-effective.

Batch size and cost

Small batch customization: friction stir welding, deep hole drilling.

High volume production: vacuum brazing, tube embedded.

Environmental adaptability

High-vibration scenarios (e.g., automotive): FSW or tube embedded (no welds).

Corrosive environments:vacuum brazed all-aluminum alloy structure.

Complexity of runner design

3D three-dimensional flow path: vacuum brazing.

Simple linear flow path: tube embedded/stamping process.

From the economy and reliability of embedded tube cold plate to the extreme performance of deep hole drilling cold plate, the diversity of liquid cooling plate processing technology provides precise solutions for different application scenarios. In the future, with the electric.