Thanks, i saw the EMI results but it didnt say whether or not heat spreader was connected or not for them. Even with the quiet thermal node of the switcher IC, there is still a pair of switching nodes close to that metal and there will be noise coupling to the floating metal. I am surprised they dont tie it down?
On page 82 of this below (another innoswitch cct), the heat spreader is connected to primary side ground.
It makes you wonder why its floating in the aforementioned document.
Floating metal is always bad.
Its often that in testing/board-bring-up for example, one connects say a flying twisted pair scope probe wire to a PCB's nets and
finds that the PCB then doesn't work or malfunctions. Its the same principle.
The flying wire probe acts like an antenna, and so too does any heat spreader etc etc.
They all absolutely have to be tied down, even if that's by a Y capacitor rather than a resistor, or screw etc etc what have you.