WaveTherm Launches OpenCOTS™ Builder: The First 3D Configurator for VPX Thermal Hardware
Figuring out which VPX thermal components fit together has always involved cross-referencing datasheets, verifying compatibility across multiple vendors, and hoping everything aligns when the parts arrive. Heatframes from one supplier, wedgelocks from another, ejectors from a third, and frequently no mounting hardware at all.
We built the OpenCOTS Builder to make it easy to design VITA-spec mechanical packaging systems around WaveTherm's product lines. It's a 3D configurator that shows which heatframes, wedgelocks, and ejectors work together, lets you visualize the assembly, and provides the files you need to move forward in developing your design. All configurations feature WaveTherm's SOLIDWEDGE™ wedgelocks with positive retraction for reliable field serviceability.
Why VPX Component Compatibility Is So Difficult
VPX offers flexibility, but that flexibility creates complexity. A VITA 48 conduction-cooled 3U card with secondary-side wedgelocks requires completely different hardware than a 3U air-cooled board with pass-through wedgelocks. PCB thickness matters. Wedgelock orientation matters. Input/Output requirements matter.
Most suppliers sell individual components without clear compatibility guidance. We've eliminated the trouble of cross-referencing datasheets, contacting technical support, and building CAD assemblies. The OpenCOTS Builder shows compatibility in real time and gives you the CAD files to start your design immediately.
Using the OpenCOTS Builder
The Builder is a 3D interface that lets you configure a complete VPX thermal solution in minutes. Select your VITA specification, wedgelock orientation, and other design requirements and the tool will allow you to build out a standard heatframe model, displaying only the components that are compatible. You see the assembly in 3D, verify fit, and download everything you need to move forward.
Once configured, you have three options:
- Order Standard Frames: Order off-the-shelf heatframes for prototyping, low-quantity projects, and testing. Best for rapid development.
- Modify Our Reference Design: Download CAD models and the OpenCOTS Design Guide to customize the heatframe for your specific PCB design and thermal requirements. Best for high-performance applications.
- Contract with WaveTherm Design Services: Partner with our engineering team for custom thermal solutions tailored to your requirements and applications. Best for high-complexity designs.
OpenCOTS Builder Impact
The Builder is useful for early prototyping when you need to validate thermal performance quickly, for production designs where you want to start with verified CAD models instead of building from scratch, and for procurement simplification when coordinating multiple vendors adds unnecessary complexity. The 3D visualization helps verify mechanical fit before ordering, and the tool makes it straightforward to design around WaveTherm's patented technologies, including our Positive Retraction, Quick-Lock, and Torque Limiting SOLIDWEDGE™ Wedgelocks.
The OpenCOTS Design Guide
To further support development of OpenCOTS modules, we created the OpenCOTS Design Guide, which provides detailed mechanical specifications, thermal interface guidelines, and design rules for gap pad selection and heatframe machining. The guide is included with every download, so you have the reference documentation you need alongside the CAD files.
The guide makes it straightforward to customize our reference CAD models for your specific application. It includes step-by-step procedures for calculating skyline heights and selecting gap pads based on component thermal loads and tolerance requirements. Gap pad selection is simplified with specific product recommendations, including thermal conductivity values, deflection ranges, and considerations for outgassing and reusability. The guide also provides machining design rules to ensure your custom heatframe geometry is practical to manufacture. Custom modified heatframe designs can be requested for manufacturing from WaveTherm depending on complexity and quantity.
Why Single-Source Procurement Reduces Risk
Ordering thermal hardware from multiple suppliers adds coordination overhead. If one component arrives late or doesn't fit, your entire assembly is delayed. Returns and replacements mean dealing with different RMA processes, restocking fees, and lead time variability.
The OpenCOTS Builder consolidates this. You configure the system, verify compatibility, and order everything from WaveTherm. The compatibility verification happens before the purchase order, not after the parts arrive. For teams managing tight development schedules, it eliminates a major source of risk and accelerates early development.
VITA Compliance
The OpenCOTS Builder currently supports multiple VITA 48 board layouts. Additional VITA standards and other board layouts are in development and will be added to the Builder as they become available.
An Industry First
No other VPX thermal hardware supplier offers a 3D configurator that integrates product selection, compatibility verification, and CAD file delivery in one tool. The OpenCOTS Builder reflects WaveTherm's commitment to customer education and support, making it easier for engineers to understand, design around, and integrate our high-performance thermal solutions.
Other suppliers sell individual components. WaveTherm provides a complete thermal system with the mechanical data, design resources, and hands-on tools that simplify complex thermal design decisions. The Builder is part of our broader effort to equip customers with the knowledge and resources they need to succeed.
Try the OpenCOTS Builder
The OpenCOTS Builder is live now. Configure a heatframe, explore compatible wedgelocks and ejectors, and see how the system fits together in 3D. Download the CAD files and OpenCOTS Design Guide, or order a prototype heatframe ready for testing.
