Medical-device manufacturers often need to heat areas for reagents, to speed chemical processes, or to keep patients comfortable. One economical way to do this is to use Theramofoil heating elements from Minco Products Inc., Minneapolis (minco.com). These thin (0.010-in) heat elements can fit almost anywhere and be close to the surface of the item being heated. The heaters use flat, foil elements that heat up faster than traditional round wires. The heaters can be custom shaped and have different heat densities in different areas. The heaters can also be laminated, vulcanized, or clamped to metal mating parts.