Of note when this unit was dismantled the heating coil was not working in that there was a wire coil that was broken. In examaning this breakage it was noted that the metal support plate was cracked in several places from the edge of a porcelain insulator opening in ward. The material thickness is pretty thin for this support plate. I have also seen it on other brand electric dryers such as Maytag and Whirlpool. I doubt that the thickness of this material has much or anything to do with the heating coil failure as the coil of wire ultimately fatigues from heating and cooling over many cycles of on and off. If anyone has other opinions on this secondary failure it would be interesting to see them.