Flexible Printed Heaters Explained

Flexible printed heaters are warming elements that are screen-printed onto flexible materials like fabric. Compared to traditional wired warming elements, printed heaters are thin, flexible, and lightweight. They can be seamlessly integrated into a variety of applications including apparel, medical devices, automobiles, and more.

Printed heaters are made with a range of resistive and conductive inks. They are used in combination with flexible substrates such as polyester (PET), polyimide (PI) or thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU).

There are several types of printed heaters, including positive temperature coefficient (PTC) and fixed resistance. Butler Technologies' heater development kits come with four samples of printed fixed resistance heaters, which are ideal for wearable applications. 

Fixed Resistance Heaters:

Compared to PTC heaters which have limited stretchability, fixed resistance heaters are both stretchable and flexible. They get their name from because their resistance value changes very little, or stays "fixed", as the voltage drives electrical current through the silver traces, causing them to heat up. Fixed resistance heaters are typically printed on TPU, which means they can be as thin as human hair. They're durable and can withstand machine washings. 

What Are Heater Development Kits?

Butler Technologies' Heater Development Kit lets you kickstart your next wearable heater application with printed samples. The kit has everything you need for a hands-on experience with this exciting technology. 

What you'll receive with our heater development kit: 

• (4) Printed fixed resistance heaters on 2-way stretch fabric
• A set of wire leads with snap adapters
• A 7.4V 5500 mAh Li-Ion rechargeable battery pack
• Battery charging brick and USB cable

Try Before You Buy

A heater development kit can help bring your idea to light! They were created with product engineers in mind. You have the ability to get functioning printed heaters into your hands and then test them on your applications. There’s no need to get custom-designed prototypes quoted.

Since printed heaters are a relatively new technology, how do you know if it’s the right technology for you? This exact thought process led to the development kits’ creation. Maybe you have a product concept already in mind. Order a heater development kit to determine which printed heater would work best for your application.

By having a working prototype in hand, your team will be able to develop your product faster. Once you're ready for more specific prototypes or full-scale production, our team will be there to help. Our team of experts will design your custom heater to meet your specific needs from size to temperature and more. Every heater is fully designed and manufactured in the United States at our facility in Butler, Pennsylvania.