Thick Film Heaters for Medical Instruments: Reliable Precision Heating

Thick film heaters play a vital role in medical instruments, where precise temperature control is critical for reliable performance. These advanced heaters, made by applying resistive and conductive pastes onto ceramic, stainless steel, or other substrates, offer fast thermal response, even heat distribution, and compact designs—perfect for medical applications where space is limited and accuracy is essential.

Benefits for Medical Devices

• Space-saving design fits compact instruments.
• Highly customizable for unique device geometries.
• Fast thermal response enhances process efficiency.
• Long-term durability reduces downtime.
• Even heat distribution improves accuracy and safety

• Blood Analyzers & Diagnostic Devices – Precise sample heating for accurate analysis.
• Surgical Instruments & Endoscopes – Heating elements for temperature regulation during procedures.
• DNA Amplification Systems (PCR Machines) – Rapid thermal cycling for genetic testing.
• Patient Warming Devices – Even heat distribution for therapeutic purposes.
• Sterilization Systems – Reliable heating for disinfection processes.

Customer Background‌

‌Company‌: MedLife Innovations

Industry‌: Medical Equipment Manufacturing

Application‌: Precision temperature control in portable hemodialysis systems

‌Key Requirements‌:

l   Maintain ‌37±0.5°C‌ fluid temperature during dialysis, even in ambient temperatures ranging from ‌5°C to 40°C‌.

l   Achieve ‌IP68 waterproofing‌ for sterilization compatibility (autoclave and chemical wash).

l   Minimize electromagnetic interference to avoid disrupting sensitive biosensors.

1. Existing heaters caused ‌±1.2°C fluctuations‌, risking patient discomfort and treatment efficacy. ‌

2.Traditional heaters degraded after ‌50 autoclave cycles‌ (121°C, 2 bar pressure). 

3. Required heating elements to fit within ‌10mm × 40mm‌ flow channel geometry.

According to the requirements, our team developed ultra-thin (0.4mm) platinum-palladium heaters with EMI shielding, surviving 250 sterilization cycles and 10k bends. Achieved ±0.28°C accuracy, cut failure rates to 0.4%, and accelerated MedLife’s FDA approval by 4 months.

l   ‌Customer Feedback‌: ‌Satisfaction Score‌: 9.7/10 (post-clinical trial survey). ‌

l   Clinical Impact‌: Enabled MedLife’s hemodialysis system to achieve ‌EN 13532:2025‌ certification for home healthcare use. ‌

l   Market Success‌: Launched in Q3 2024, capturing ‌22%‌ of the EU portable dialysis market within 6 months.