The Ultimate Guide to Heated Press Plates: Optimizing Performance
- Heat plates are an important element in the extraction process of rosin presses.
- Heat plates come in a variety of sizes and shapes and are made of stainless steel or aluminum.
- Popular aluminum alloys used for heat plates include 6061, which is treated with magnesium and silicon.
- Popular stainless steel alloys used for heat plates include 304 and 316, which contain nickel and chromium.
- The thermal conductivity of heat plates is important in transferring heat to the material being pressed.
- Thermal conductivity is typically measured in watts per meter-kelvin.
- Pure aluminum has a thermal conductivity value between 200 to 249, while stainless steel has a value of 12.
- Most grades of stainless steel have 6% to 18% of the thermal conductivity of aluminum.
- Stainless steel and plain carbon steel are poor conductors of heat.
- Gold, pure copper, and pure silver conduct heat well.
- The softness of the materials being pressed in rosin presses (like cannabis flowers, kief, or bubble hash) means that the heat plates are unlikely to wear out regardless of the metal used.
- Uneven, contoured, or poorly machined heat plates can wear out quickly.
- The article discusses the use of stainless steel and aluminum for rosin press heat plates. It states that aluminum offers superior thermal conductivity for pressing rosin, resulting in higher and more consistent yields.
- Both aluminum and stainless steel can be considered food grade, but rosin pressed between parchment paper automatically qualifies as food grade due to the gelatin in the paper.
- The safety of aluminum as a food contact metal has been demonstrated by the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry.
- The type of metal used in the heat plate is a major factor in heat distribution and can impact the consistency, quality, and terpene preservation of the rosin.
- Aluminum heat plates are recommended for use in press equipment.
- High-quality aluminum heat plates yield the best results.
- Stainless steel is very durable with high tensile strength but has poor thermal conductivity.
