What are Flexible Printed Heaters?
Flexible printed heaters are simply warming elements that are screen printed on flexible materials. Flexible heaters can be used in several different industries — including apparel, automotive, aerospace, food service, and health care. You may have come across flexible printed heaters in specific clothing items, such as a warming jacket or gloves. Not only can flexible printed heaters keep you comfortable while working outside in harsh conditions, but they also have healing applications in the medical industry. Keep reading to learn about three uses of flexible heaters in the medical industry.
How are Flexible Printed Heaters Made?
You are probably most familiar with the old-fashioned wire heaters commonly found in electric blankets, but wire heaters have several disadvantages. Wire heaters are bulky and sometimes use inflexible wires, which can create an uncomfortable touch point against the body.
Innovative, flexible printed heaters do not use wires but rather use conductive inks and films. Precision screen printing is used to print conductive and resistive inks on flexible materials. Common print materials are polyester, polycarbonate, or polyimide – Kapton RS conductive films. They can also be printed on thermoplastic polyurethanes known as TPU. TPU heaters are typical for the garment and medical industry because of the flexibility and elasticity of the material.
Three Uses of Flexible Heaters in the Medical Industry
1. Wearable Heated Brace for Pain Relief
The most obvious application of flexible printed heaters in healthcare is a heated back or neck brace. Applying heat helps muscles relax and the body heal. With flexible printed heaters the material can conform to the human body, which allows the wearer to move freely.
For heated braces, the heater is printed on thin and flexible TPU substrates and then applied to the brace or wrap using heat transfer.
2. Heated Bedding for Infants
Flexible printed heaters can be used to manufacture heated bedding for infants. Babies that are born prematurely and require time in the NICU especially need a warm bedding environment. Printed flexible heaters can be a safe and life-saving alternative compared to traditional wire heaters.
Some flexible heaters are self-regulating, which ensures safety because they don’t require a power outlet to operate. Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) flexible printed heaters are self-regulating, meaning that they physically cannot overheat. PTC heaters are still flexible but not stretchable.
3. Heated Wound Recovery Bandages
Flexible heaters can also be used to help with wound recovery. Like heated muscle braces, flexible heaters can be incorporated into bandages to speed up wound recovery time.
TPU substrates are the best base for printed heaters for wound bandages due to their flexibility and stretchability. The printed heaters adhere to a large bandage that will give off heat and improve the healing process.
What Makes Flexible Printed Heaters Better
Flexible printed heaters are much safer than traditional wire heaters because they require lower power input. The normal amount of power required for heaters to work properly is a 12-24 volt battery pack. They are also more flexible than traditional wire heaters and can be applied to several different healing applications in the medical industry.
Flexible printed heaters are typically more cost-effective to manufacture as well. Butler Technologies, Inc. has expertise in flexible heaters and can assist with uses in the medical field and more. We can help you choose the right technology to fit your specific needs. Learn more about the other applications of flexible printed heaters or reach out to us today.
Meet the Author
Courtney Houtz is the marketing lead for Butler Technologies, Inc. In her role, she is responsible for content strategy, branding, and project management. She is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in social relations and policy.