Stephan Harkema and Corné Rentrop | TNO at Holst Centre | stephan.harkema@tno.nl A growing desire for continuous data collection, real-time information, and connectivity has resulted in increased demand for electronic functionalities that are fully integrated in everyday objects. Consumer electronics, healthcare, wearable electronics, IoT, and smart packaging are examples of market segments that follow this trend. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are state-of-the-art when it comes to creating electronic functions, but pose challenges with respect to sustainability. These highly integrated electronic products, where plastics, metals and semiconductor components are seamlessly combined, are a challenge to recycle. The only suitable end-of-life scenario is still limited to shredding and incineration. With increasing electrification, digitization, broad wireless integration (IoT) and welfare, the amount of waste from electronics and electronic devices increases drastically. An estimated 1.2 Mtons of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) end up in the total amount of annual e-waste[1]. Only a third is recycled in environmentally sound facilities. This means that around 800 million kilograms may be traded, recycled in a non-compliant and polluting manner or may end up on a landfill. There is a more eco-friendly alternative to PCBs: Hybrid and Printed Electronics (HPE). This technology is a big step forward compared to PCBs, but much more is needed to achieve circular production of next-genera...

Authors: Kai Keller <kai.keller@notion-systems.com> and Lina März<lina.maerz@notion-systems.com>
Introduction There are three big topics that shape the production environment of today and tomorrow: digitalization, additive manufacturing, and preserving natural resources/zero waste. Very tightly timed supply chains and globally distributed and connected production processes are already real and only possible because of digitalization. Additive manufacturing knocks on the door of many industrial areas, such as automotive and aerospace. Preserving natural resources and zero waste will become standard in many areas and will be the financially most convenient opportunity. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are manufactured mainly in Asia but distributed just-in-time all over the world. In our laptops, cars, trains, planes, TV's, audio systems, mobile phones, we all use dozens of them every day, without even realizing it. The recent stress that has been put on these supply chains also lead to investments into new facilities in North America, Europe, as well as South East Asia. So many decision makers in electronics manufacturing are currently concerned with the question which technologies they are going to use for the newly built facilities.[ See for example SEL’s story in PCB007 Magazine, Vol. 13, Number 8, August 2023, https://pcb.iconnect007.com/ ] Today, the production process for PCBs is mainly subtractive, indicating that lots of expensive resources are wasted, are not reused, an...

Speaker: John Yundt Company: SunRay Scientific In this work, we propose a novel packaging concept for highly integrated RF systems using SunRay Scientific’s magnetically aligned ZTACH® ACE. We demonstrate the ability to "grow" z-axis interconnects allowing for multilayer packages that are not sensitive to the height between pads. Using this effect, we introduce two approaches to integrating multiple silicon wafers on top of each other, creating the possibility for an exceptionally dense integrated system-in-a-package. First, a reverse-pyramid package with all chips stacked facing down on a silicon substrate is demonstrated. Second, a "Matryoshka" package assembled with the alternation of chip's face direction is also demonstrated. The simplified assembly process of ZTACH® ACE and the new packaging concepts can offer a compact and cost-effective solution to system-in-package based RF systems. This technology can be processed at temperatures ranging from 80˚C up to 160˚, making it friendly to a range of substrates and applications from PCB, FPC, Flexible Hybrid Electronics and even wearable textile applications where device attach presents considerable issues. SunRay Scientific will present its success in the development of a novel anisotropic conductive adhesive, ZTACH® ACE, for the next level of heterogenous integration. Materials and process development will be shared for dense and fine pitch Land Grid Arrays (LGA) on a semi-rigid interposer. Additionally, advancements were...

Authors: Lena Reinke lena.reinke@panacol.de | Tobias Kaposi: tobias.kaposi@panacol.de Paradigm shifts and disruptive technologies typically combine with, and often rely on generational changes. Such a shift can be seen in today’s photovoltaics development, where organic photovoltaics (OPV) is creating radically new applications in consumer electronics. They include indoor light harvesting to extend battery life of wearables, and outdoor energy generation with performance previously unimaginable from conventional photovoltaics. The same is true for flexible electronics. Manufacturers are redefining the boundaries of volumetric form factor, functionality, and design flexibility in consumer and automotive electronics. A critical contributor to these technology advancements has come from the advancement of bonding technologies. Adhesives now go beyond the basic benefits of sound structural bonding and provide additional functionality to the assembly. This has become the industry standard. Working in conjunction with our highly valued partners and customers, Panacol has successfully developed a range of multi-functional adhesive selections for applications in OPV and flexible electronics. For OPV applications, these adhesives provide higher resistance to environmental stresses. Adhesives for barrier foil lamination optimize the critical interplay between the pretreatment, foil, stack, and adhesive. New conductive adhesives efficiently adhere and protect electrical connectio...

Kyosuke Michigami | Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd. [michigami.kyosuke@jp.panasonic.com ] Introduction Flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs) have found uses in a wide variety of applications, including health/wellness, mobile devices, aerospace and many more. Conventional FPCs consist of copper patterns formed on the surface of a flexible film using standard subtractive printed circuit board fabrication processes. Historically, polyimide resin (PI) has been widely used because it is readily available and possesses heat-resistant properties which make it compatible with high-volume assembly processes like solder reflow. However, new applications and device designs like wearables are driving the development of more conformable circuits. Stiff, high-modulus films such as polyimide are not suitable for these products. Currently available pliable, low modulus films like thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) are not compatible with conventional surface mount (SMT) assembly processes. Researchers at Panasonic Electronic Materials are developing a new material technology that overcomes the limitations of these conventional FPCs. Fig1. Comparison of existing FPC materials (polyimide and TPU) and a target ULTRA pliable circuit board Join us at TechBlick's Future of Electroncis RESHAPED conference & tradeshow in Berlin on 17-18 OCT 2023 - www.techblick.com/electronicsreshaped . For special attendee discounts please contact us [[michigami.kyosuke@jp.panasonic.com] Development of Copper Clad Str...

Authors: Steliyan Vasilev1, Melanie Hoerr1, Michaela Kasdorf1, Sven Boehmer2 13E Smart Solutions, Krefeld, Germany 2ZSK Stickmaschinen GmbH, Krefeld, Germany steliyan@3esmartsolutions.de 1. Introduction Embroidery was historically a means of adorning fabrics with intricate patterns, a testament to human skill. However, in the modern era, this ancient art form has significantly evolved. In recent years, embroidery has undergone a profound transformation, emerging as a pioneering technology at the intersection of artistry and functionality. This article delves into the possibilities which embroidery offers for the production of Smart and E-Textiles, exploring technical intricacies, advantages, and challenges related to embroidered conductive traces. Join us at TechBlick's Future of Electroncis RESHAPED conference & tradeshow in Berlin on 17-18 OCT 2023 - www.techblick.com/electronicsreshaped. Contact us [steliyan@3esmartsolutions.de ] for a special attendee discount 2. Solutions for the E-Textiles Production Made Possible by Embroidery E-Textiles represent a fascinating synergy between traditional textiles and modern technology, serving diverse sectors like automotive, aerospace, sports and fitness, medical, home textiles, and wearable technology. Thanks to the exceptional precision and high degree of automation of embroidery technology, it is ideal for integrating functional elements into textiles, such as sensors, actuators, antennas, or electrodes. By use of conductive threa...

The demand for shortwave infrared (SWIR) sensors has shown significant growth in the market. However, the prevailing high costs of existing technology presents a challenge to widespread adoption in consumer electronics. In response, novel technologies have emerged, and among them, organic semiconductors have garnered attention due to their flexible molecular design, large-area coating capability, and devoid of heavy metals. These distinctive attributes position organic semiconductors as promising candidate for SWIR applications. In this presentation, we will summarize an overview of the current status and challenges of utilizing organic semiconductors for SWIR photodetectors from the perspective of a material developer. SAVE THE DATE...

Author: Jesus Zozaya | CEO of Voltera | jesus@voltera.io Goal: Design and print a high-performance ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID tag using precision dispensing of nano copper ink on a paper substrate. Promising Technology: Radio Frequency Identification (known as RFID) is a technology that leverages wireless communication over radio waves to communicate with and locate objects. RFID tags are small label-like objects that are placed on an item which can be tracked and communicated with using an RFID reader — a handheld device that scans RFID-equipped items. UHF RFID tags are passive, meaning they don’t require a battery or power source. UHF RFID has many applications, being well-suited to use cases where non-contact data transfer and item localization can prove beneficial. For example, tracking inventory in a warehouse or manufacturing plant, acting as a high-speed point-of-sale scanner in consumer stores, enabling non-contact cashless payments, and even tracking donated blood bags in healthcare settings. While it seems like RFID tags are just fancy barcodes, they provide many benefits compared to traditional optical barcodes. RFID tags do not require a line-of-sight and are therefore resistant to bad lighting conditions and other environmental factors. You can quickly scan a room full of thousands of RFID tags without having to identify each individual tag (tags can even be scanned if they’re behind a wall!). RFID tags also integrate a user-writable memory space, enabling ...