Preliminary Information
26633 Rev.
3.03 September
2003
AMD Athlon™ 64 and AMD Opteron™ Processors
Thermal Design Guide
2.5 Sample Heatsinks and Attachment Methods
The following sections provide two possible thermal design solutions and the specifics on their
attachment to the motherboard.
2.5.1 Thermal Reference Design Solution 1
Table 3 lists the parts that comprise the thermal reference design solution 1 for the
AMD Opteron and AMD Athlon 64 processors. The heatsink installers do not have to assemble
each individual component. The heatsink suppliers package the parts with some of the components
already assembled. The logical breakdown consists of the components that reside on the topside of
the motherboard, the heatsink, and the components that reside on the bottom side of the
motherboard, the backplate
.
An exploded view showing the components used in the thermal
reference design solution 1 is shown in Figure 5 on page 20.
Due to the high load required to attach the heatsink to the processor, a backplate is used on the
backside of the motherboard to minimize possible warping of the motherboard due to clip forces
on the heatsink. Figure 6 on page 21 shows the assembly components grouped for shipment and
how they are used during the final assembly of the system.
When developing the thermal reference design solution 1, AMD took into consideration the
manufacturing and assembly ease of the solution. The thermal reference design solution 1 requires
a screwdriver to install the heatsink. The mechanical advantage of the screw is that it applies a
large force to the clip. Minimizing installation fatigue was a significant factor in selecting the use
of screws in this thermal solution. During installation each screw is driven until it bottoms out on
the retention frame. This may require a torque of 6 to 12 in-lbs. Figure 7 on page 21 shows a
heatsink installed according to the thermal reference design solution 1.
Table 3. Components for the AMD Athlon™ 64 and AMD Opteron™ Processors Thermal
Reference Design Solution 1
Part Description
Material
Quantity
Heatsink Aluminum
1
Fan Plastic
1
Mounting frame
Lexan, 20% glass filled
1
Spring clip
SK7 heat treated spring steel
1
6-32x1” pan head screw
Stainless steel
2
Backplate
Low carbon steel, anti-corrosive finish
1
Insulator Formex
GK-17
1
EMC shield
Stainless steel
1
Chapter 2
AMD Athlon™ 64 and AMD Opteron™ Processors Thermal Requirements
19