Snap Disc Thermostatic Bimetal is typically a very thin material (t < 0.3mm) that is formed into a concave element. The element is heated either by changes in ambient temperature or through internal resistive heating in current carrying applications. As the temperature of the metal increases so does the stress level within the Bimetal element. Internal stresses increase with temperature until – “SNAP” – the concave element inverts and becomes convex. The temperature at which the bimetal element snaps (becomes convex) and the temperature at which it reverts to its original shape can be precisely calibrated by using our different forming techniques. It is this snapping motion that makes Thermostatic Bimetal discs very attractive for control applications where you want to make and break electrical contact as a function of temperature. Controls of this type are widely used as thermostats in small appliances, in protection devices to keep electric motors from overheating, in controls that turn tea kettles off when water starts to boil, and many other applications where you want to sense and react to changes in temperature.