SMART 3D Manufacturing of Printed Electronics

Abstract

Printed electronics has been around for many years, reaching back to screen printing of thick film hybrid microelectronics. As time went on new material technologies emerged and integrated with graphically based printing processes like gravure, ink jet and others. Additionally, 3d printing matured over time, again with new material technologies and printing processes to include fused deposition modeling (FDM). Born out of the desire to print engineering models the technology has evolved into the ability to print higher performance structures as the final product. The idea in creating a factory in a box for 3D printed electronics was enabled in creating the ability to print multimaterial with multiple printed processes that included additive and subtractive methods. This integration allowed for the ability to print electronics and the electronic packaging in the same system. The goal was the ability to achieve the green -button, meaning load a digital file, press the green button and the electronic device, module or product emerged. True digital to physical manufacturing. Missing in this process is the integration of machine learning, artificial intelligence and in situ monitoring of processes and materials and digital twin. This presentation will cover the industry evolution of SMART 3D Manufacturing of electronic products the enable distributed manufacturing at the point of use/need.