Heat dissipation is often the bigger challenge in mechanical development. Various aspects of the design influence to what extent heat is removed from critical components and the product works also in heated environments. The size and material of the enclosure has an effect. Compact solutions are often desirable but may cause problems as the ventilation is less efficient. Metal is the better material than plastic when it comes to heat transfer and conduction. The power consumption of the computer board and to what level performance is utilized is of course crucial.

Active heat dissipation solutions using for instance a fan in the enclosure is often undesirable since dust is likely to enter the enclosure as warm air leaves. Noisiness and a limited reliability and lifetime are additional disadvantages to the fan based solution.

Hectronic uses FlowWorks to build a model, simulate and evaluate whether the design has sufficient heat dissipation. Verification of the prototype in Hectronic's climate chamber is another important step in ensuring operation for the final product in the required temperature range.