By Thomas Kolbusch, Director of Sales, Marketing, and Technology, VP 1. Abstract The Roll-to-Roll (R2R) processing methodology, pivotal in the fabrication of printed electronics, particularly 3rd Gen photovoltaics (OPVs), offers significant advantages. Yet, inherent technical challenges pose constraints in achieving optimal device performance. This article delves into the mechanics, advantages, and impediments associated with the R2R method as applied to OPVs. 2. R2R Process: Operational Mechanics and Implications 2.1. Mechanism At its core, R2R involves unreeling a flexible substrate from a source, subjecting it to various fabrication processes, and subsequently reeling the treated substrate. These processes can encompass material deposition, lithographic patterning, and post-fabrication treatments. 2.2. Benefits High Throughput: Continuous production translates to faster manufacturing cycles. Economic Viability: Economies of scale achieved reduce per-unit costs. Versatility: It enables the creation of lightweight, flexible electronic devices. 3. Inherent Technical Challenges in R2R Processing for OPVs 3.1. Ensuring Quality Homogeneity Attaining uniformity in deposition across vast substrate lengths poses a formidable challenge. Factors like deposition rate, substrate tension, and ambient temperature can influence the end product's quality. 3.2. Addressing Material Limitations For OPVs, the choice of materials is critical. Many organic materials used in these cells are sensi...

Carolyn Ellinger, Chris O’Connor, Chris Liston, Emily Rej, Tom LeBlanc Eastman Kodak Company Kodak has a long history of manufacturing quality film products – starting with silver halide imaging films for consumers, including the iconic KODACHROME. Kodak is continuing to build on that history, manufacturing a variety of industrial film products for strategic business partners in many industries – from automotive to battery to healthcare. Built on expertise in coating, printing, and image quality, printed electronics products and contract manufacturing services offer customers modern functionality rooted in decades of manufacturing excellence. Flexible heaters were first developed in the late 1800s, around the same time as Kodak was starting to manufacture film products While these first flexible heaters were textile based, they operate on the same resistive heating principles as today’s flexible film heaters. Join us at TechBlick's Future of Electronics RESHAPED conference & tradeshow in Berlin on 17-18 OCT 2023 - www.techblick.com/electronicsreshaped. Contact us for your discounted passes With new technologies come new challenges and limitations, and “hidden” heaters are being deployed to improve the functionality of a broad range of electronic systems. Temperature-limited electronic devices, such as LCDs, require heating to be able to operate in cold environments. Outdoor sensors require that ice and snow be removed from their front surface to ensure their operation...

Speaker: Alan Wu Company: Smooth & Sharp The RFID business continues to grow. The global RFID market is anticipated to continue to grow in 2023, according to several market researches, it projects a market value of US$14~15 billion in 2023. Retail apparel continues to dominate the UHF industry in terms of tag number and market size. The 2023 forecasts nearly 23~24 billion UHF RFID labels will be used in retail apparel tagging. In the latest study series into the UHF RFID market, predicate UHF RFID label shipment will rise to 80~90 billion by 2028, with a 25 percent compound annual growth between now and 2026. All these billions of UHF RFID label are designed for single-use, they will be discarded right after customer bring them home. Almost all these ten billions of RFID labels are made with etched antenna on plastic, a lot of pollution during chemical etching process and leave waste plastic after use. In this presentation, S&S will unveil the first and only ISO certified Biodegradable RFID antenna by using Additive Manufacturing SAVE THE DATE...

Speaker: Sven Hujo Company: Delo Flexible electronics have the great potential to reshape the upcoming decade from automotive interior design to smart textiles. In this presentation the potential of new functional polymers will be highlighted, which are on the one hand side capable to ensure flexibility and on the other hand side long term reliability. The property profile of functional polymers or adhesives is able cover a wide range of bonding and coating applications in flexible electronics. To ensure both electrical and mechanical connection of SMDs on flexible substrates it is possible to dispense non-conductive (NCA) and isotropic conductive adhesives (ICA) together to combine their benefits. For this reason, adhesive solutions are important for the introduction of new flexible electronic devices and applications to the market. SAVE THE DATE...

Roartis, a Belgian, privately owned company, develops and manufactures adhesives, coatings, resins and sintering materials for electronic applications. Since 2008, their focus has been on high reliability markets and applications, in the field of medical, semiconductor, automotive, defense, aerospace, heady-industries, etc. Based on a business model of customized solutions, technical support and excellence in quality, the company has been steadily growing over the past years with its broad portfolio of over 400 commercial products for various electronic applications. Join us at TechBlick's Future of Electronics RESHAPED conference & tradeshow in Berlin on 17-18 OCT 2023 - www.techblick.com/electronicsreshaped The portfolio includes electrically conductive adhesives, micro-encapsulants, high power sintering pastes, thermally conductive materials, UV-curable adhesives, etc. Roartis’ portfolio is marketed under the brands IQ-BOND®, IQ-CAST® and IQ-SINTER®. Recently, a new line of functional inks has been introduced, targeting applications for printing circuitry on flexible substrates including PET, PEN, PC, PVC, TPU, etc. The new range of products, branded IQ-INQ® will be launched during the upcoming Techblick event in Berlin, Germany and covers apart from Ag-based inks also other metal options, as well as dielectric materials. Where over the past years, many suppliers have emerged for traditional 2D compatible conductive inks compatible with screen, inkjet, gravure or slot die ...

In this illuminating presentation, Michael Petersen will walk us through the transformative path of medication adherence advanced by smart packaging technology. Focusing on remarkable innovations like Information Mediary Corp's Med-ic smart blisters and CertiScan solutions, Petersen will provide a comprehensive insight into how these pioneering tools have decoded complex adherence puzzles and driven industry momentum, albeit slowly. By tracing the arc from traditional to smart adherence packaging, Petersen aims to showcase the remarkable potential of digitization in healthcare while acknowledging the challenges and the gradual pace of progress. Attendees will come away with a deeper understanding of the power of smart adherence packaging to reduce clinical uncertainties and improve patient outcomes, despite persistent industry inertia. This discourse forms an integral part of the larger dialogue about the transformation of healthcare through technology at the TechBlick event in Berlin SAVE THE DATE...

Karl-Heinz Fritz Company: Cicor Aerosol jet technology offers capabilities in printing sensors in 2D and 3D, as well as a way to connect off the shelf components in a very efficient and space saving way. This presentation will give an overview about different ways to make best use of the capabilities SAVE THE DATE...

Speaker: Teemu Alajoki Organization: VTT SAVE THE DATE...