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The supply chain that delivers products and services to end consumers is constantly changing and is exposed to various risks such as diseases, counterfeit crimes, geopolitics, natural disasters, and economics. In order to solve these issues, it is important to visualize the end-to-end status of individual products from upstream to downstream, and to upgrade and optimize the SC based on the visualized data. One of the solutions is the realization of smart logistics and flexible sensors for understanding the status of individual products. Asahi Kasei has developed RFID labels with submicron resolution R2R electrode printing technology and a data platform using blockchain. In this presentation, we will introduce the submicron resolution R2R electrode printing technology and RFID labels, as well as the roadmap toward smart logistics and the data platform. 2. R2R electrode printing technology with submicron resolution The line width that can be achieved with existing printing processes are generally several tens of microns, and the most advanced ones are about 10 microns, but the line width of the process we have developed has an ultra-high resolution of about 250 nm. To achieve this, we developed in- house the three elements, those are conductive nano ink, submicron-resolution cylindrical mold (SRM), and the R2R high-definition printing process. The key element is the SRM, which is fabricated using a proprietary electron beam lithography process for cylindrical rollers. Furthermore, the unique R2R printing process incorporating this SRM achieves low-cost production through continuous printing. 3. RFID labels with guaranteed authenticity By using our technology, we develop an "authenticity-assured" RFID label. The label consists of submicron to several microns wide metal wires embedded with a special pattern to detect counterfeiters. The label is therefore designed to ensure the authenticity of the product to which it is affixed, while enabling RFID-based product identification and communication. In addition, the label can be attached to various products because it is transparent in appearance and does not interfere with the design. The RFID has a general dipole antenna shape, and the communication distance can be designed according to the required specifications, with a maximum distance of several meters. When read by the IoT edge device developed at the same time, it determines whether the label is manufactured by Asahi Kasei or not, and generates digitalized information with the product ID. 4. Roadmap We develop a platform configuration for digitizing label information attached to individual products and preventing tampering. Currently, only RFID labels with guaranteed authenticity are available, but in the future, flexible sensors with measurement functions for various physical quantities will be developed to create an infrastructure for the realization of smart logistics.

Energy Materials Corporation (EMC) is scaling up to manufacture Perovskite solar panels for multi-GW/year production volumes using high speed roll-to-roll equipment. The methodology of EMC’s commercialization approach is described, including the steps to go from lab scale inks and methods to high-speed prototype demonstrations and culminating with full scale production of finished panels. The challenges and equipment for all stages of the commercialization process are reviewed. EMC’s projected cost per Watt for manufacturing perovskite solar cells at the GW-scale is shown to be a fraction of the best-case projections for Silicon solar cells, which enables local manufacturing in regions with high energy and labor costs.

This research unveils a cutting-edge technique for prototyping multi-layer flexible displays using electroluminescent ink. Additively deposited using a direct ink writing dispensing system, this ink opens up new use cases for functional information display and aesthetic appeal. These inks can be printed on diverse substrates, such as glass, paper, and plastic, enabling a new dimension in creative and interactive packaging solutions across various industries.

Mass customization & mass production of Smart Sensors
As we specialize in delivering end-to-end solutions for smart sensors and electronics, from initial development to final manufacturing, we will highlight in this presentation how it is possible to enable the mass production of smart sensing elements in record time. We will present our strategy to go toward mass customization and give examples for e-mobility & renewable energy storage, military, automotive and logistic applications.

About the author
Jean-Charles Flores is a creative technologist with passion for innovation and a gift for connecting people, ideas and technologies. He started his industrial carrier at Ciba and then BASF where he worked as scientist, technologist and program manager for more than a decade. In 2019, he founded anthos iD_ and in 2023, co-founded Flexoo where his mission is to stir the tremendous creative power of Flexoo’s team into developing always smarter sensors that seamlessly integrate into our daily life. Jean-Charles holds a PhD in Material Sciences and an Engineering degree from the National Chemistry School of Montpellier.

About the company
Flexoo, based in Heidelberg, Germany, is a leading provider of printed electronics and sensors, dedicated to driving innovation and delivering high value to its customers. A unique manufacturing setup, characterized by flexibility, quality, and unparalleled productivity, sets the company apart as the ideal partner for mass production of smart sensors and electronics.

Additive Electronics manufacturing is employed at GE Aerospace as an enabler for
devices and systems in the areas of harsh environment sensing, electronics packaging, power electronics, and structural health monitoring (SHM), as well as telecommunication systems and soft robotics. The possibility of using direct-write printing to fabricate conformal devices on non-planar aerospace surfaces using innovative materials and inks is the focus of our printed electronics team. In this talk, we will present the latest developments on the use of high-resolution 3D printed ceramics and micro-dispensing and aerosol jet printing for the fabrication of embedded electronics packaging for radiofrequency (RF) devices. The manufacturing of a multilayer circuit with a 4 x 4 array of low-noise amplifier (LNA) RF chips embedded in alumina will be described. This will include details on material selection and process development for conductive via, dielectric moat ramp and printed RF interconnects fabrication. In conclusion,the performance of a unit cell in the array will be presented to demonstrate the viability of using printed materials and methods for 3D packaging RF devices.

Selective Surface Activation Induced by Laser (SSAIL) technology allows creating Cu traces on any dielectric material (organic, glass, ceramic, etc.). In first part of this talk we are presenting our results for high throughput 10-25 µm trace formation on FR4 and PET for PCB/FPC production. In the second part we discuss 1-25 µm traces on PI, EMC and glass for semiconductor packaging. This enables novel methods for PCB/FPC and semiconductor packaging avoiding chemical etching, masks and reducing power consumption and waste.

Over the years, electronics and its components have continuously developed towards a higher density, but largely in the same rigid flat form factor of PCBs. To achieve higher density electronics in complex 3D arrangements, TNO at Holst Centre has developed a multi-material additive manufacturing process named “3D additive lithography for electronics” (3D-ALE). With this fabrication process a scanning DMD-based light engine is used to pattern photopolymers down to 10 um structures. Within the patterned photopolymer cavities are designed for component placement (particularly suitable for bare-die components) and tracks for metal paste filling to fabricate the circuitry. Continuous successive layer-by-layer build-up allows for complex high-density electronics in 3D structural embodiments.

NanoPrintek presents its disruptive “dry multimaterial printing” technology that transforms the current printing ecosystem. This presentation highlights the unparalleled capability of this technology and shows how it can print directly from metals and semiconductors to insulators and composites (even from scraps and rocks!) and on various substrates. The current printing ecosystem is liquid-based, which heavily suffers from major drawbacks, including i) the need for a complex and pollutive supply chain, ii) expensive and extensive ink formulation processes, iii) surfactants and contaminants, iv) limited printing inks, and v) the need for high-temperature post-processing. This talk presents NanoPrintek’s disruptive inkless multimaterial printing technology, where various materials can be printed seamlessly from solid sources. The key technology advantages include 1) on-demand and in-situ generation of various pure nanoparticles without contaminations, 2) in-situ and real-time laser sintering of nanoparticles on various substrates with no post-processing, 3) multimaterial printing of hybrid and tunable nanocomposite materials and structures. This supply-chain resilient, clean, and highly cost-effective technology transforms the electronics printing ecosystem to a new realm where pure, multimaterial, multifunctional, and hybrid materials are printed on demand, enabling various applications in the electronics, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, defense, and energy industries.

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Electronics and display industry applications push the limits of inkjet printing in terms of accuracy and volume control. It’s one thing to meet these objectives in a laboratory environment, but an entirely different experience to scale to production. Materials in use such as optical light emitting diodes, quantum dots, and numerous encapsulants create a challenging environment for inkjet nozzle reliability and performance.Drop placement correction is one core technology to maintain high quality printing. Used in tandem with highly reliable printing equipment and world class printing algorithms, high accuracy can be achieved in applications ranging from multi thickness layer printing to discrete pixel printing.

Application of micro-LEDs in a wide range of products is expected and with the ever-increasing trend towards miniaturization, very small and precisely placed print is a requirement. This presentation will examine the smallest diameter bump that can be accurately produced with gravure offset.Current bonding techniques using ACF can be improved by moving to solder paste bonding which is expected. Solder paste itself works very well with gravure offset with the main requirement of small, precise solder bumps.Within the process of gravure offset printing creating and maintaining the minimum possible bump size is determined by two main variables and the presentation examines those variables and reveals the smallest possible bump diameter that can be created using gravure offset and solder paste.

In the world of printed electronics, challenges in technology and material limitations have remained a barrier to more widespread adoption. This talk will explore the transformative potential of leveraging high viscosity materials for inkjet printing. Marcel will dive into Quantica’s NovoJet inkjet printing technology, showcasing its capability to expand the repertoire of printable materials. Additionally, the presentation will delve into new avenues for applications in printed electronics, shedding light on the exciting possibilities ahead.

One of the founding ideas of Notion Systems was to replace the current subtractive process chains with additive process steps in electronics manufacturing. The n.jet inkjet platform is used to produce electronic displays, printed circuit boards, semiconductor components, as well as high precision optical 3D parts, covering the full range of solutions from lab to fab. Main inkjet applications are coating, dispensing or patterning. Patterning can easily be done with inkjet printing, as it is a digital printing process with drop-on-demand functionalities. Depending on the print head and the material used, resolutions of 20 µm are possible. Despite the fact that this is an interesting technology for any industries, there are limitations with this technology for certain display or semiconductor applications. For this reason, Notion Systems has invested in a collaboration with Scrona AG of Switzerland, which has developed an EHD printing technology.Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing is a new high-resolution printing technology that enables maskless, direct-write, non-contact, conformal and additive patterning at the micron scale with a variety of ink systems and materials. Print resolution exceeds that of conventional inkjet printing by two to three orders of magnitude, it paves the way for additive printing in applications dominated by photolithographic microfabrication and enables entirely new devices made from micro-scale building blocks.MEMS multi-nozzle printheads with ultra-high print resolution, enabling applications with resolution greater than 1 μm. This Research and development tool is targeted to advanced development labs in various fields of micro-fabrication and digital additive manufacturing.

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Printed and hybrid electronics technologies are currently being developed for elastic wearable smart patches for health and medical applications. Also thin flexible smart labels are highly interesting for several industries to improve transparency, efficiency and security of the logistics throughout their product life cycle. Today with printed and flexible electronics solutions for practically any function required can be developed, but the bottleneck is often in upscaling. In this presentation the speeding up the upscaling utilizing VTT’s Printocent Pilot Factory is discussed. Development of printing, component assembly, postprocessing and testing is described.

Additive manufacturing (AM) methods are coming of age and being used to not only fabricate structural and prototype parts but also to fabricate high-quality electronic components and circuits. Direct-write (DW) printing is emerging as one of the more promising AM methods for the fabrication of printed circuitization, printed interconnects, and other printed passive circuit components. These printed hybrid electronics (PHE) fabrication methods provide specific advantages for heterogeneous integration at both the package and board levels, for RF electronics, and for conformal electronics. Examples include: i) rapid prototyping, ii) printed interconnects, and iii) new form factors for integrating electronics directly into structural parts. Such PHE fabrication capabilities will be highlighted primarily in terms of manufacturing methods for next-gen electronics.

CondAlign’s range of adhesive ACFs for low-temperature, low-pressure bonding of electronics components is well suited for the Flexible and Hybrid Electronics (FHE) area. These products offer electrical and mechanical bonding of components to flexible (and rigid) substrates at room temperature with no heat or other post curing required. With a typical bonding pressure of ca 0,1 – 0,3 MPa, instant functionality is immediately achieved.These adhesive ACFs contain a pressure sensitive adhesive material comprising conductive particles. The particles are aligned in z-direction with the patented technology, creating an anisotropic conductive film. The process is well suited for continuous roll-to-roll production and is implemented in CondAlign’s coating line. The alignment allows for significantly reduced use of particles (while still maintaining good electrical conductivity in Z-direction), which again leads to a) reduced material cost compared to traditional ECAs, b) retaining the initial polymer properties very well (adhesiveness, softness, flexibility, transparency etc),and c) reduced environmental impact through reduced particle content, as well as reduced energy consumption in the bonding process. The reduced environmental impact is documented by an independent part (CEMAsys), which shows a considerable reduction in CO2 emission, compared to two traditional processes: Reflow soldering, and bonding with silver filled epoxy. Extensive in-house and customer tests have been performed, regarding temperature cycling and humidity stability, in-plane and through-plane resistance, mechanical stress, capacity to lead current, adhesiveness etc.

Modern day advanced technology for electronics are on track for major use cases and applications for terrestrial purposes. But the environments of space and getting there, lead to a set of new challenges that may force us to reinvent how we will produce systems that will reside in space. This talk will discuss those challenges and offer some suggestions on where the technology needs to go. It will also investigate which are candidates for actually producing these articles, not just for space, but in space which could include on orbit, or on planetary or lunar surfaces. The need is there. The technology is not. Come see why.

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To achieve the advanced electronics requirements of many defense applications and systems there is a demand for the use of heterogenous solutions that can integrate a variety of semiconductor chiplets onto conformal surfaces. The leading representative examples include missiles and Group 1 unmanned platforms. An increasing number of platforms are similarly moving toward these requirements, particularly with the migration to converged sensing architectures in which the electronics are located very near the RF and EOIR sensors.

Examples of the type of Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE) that is needed for edge sensing and computing in defense applications include the following types of advanced electronics:

· RF mixed signal sensor front end electronics (antenna, RF, filters, channelizer)

· Small Signal Power (SSP) Point-of-Load (PoL) power management

· Sensor signal processing including AI/ML algorithms.

· Computation for backend processing (data fusion, object detection/recognition)

· Optical interconnects to transport RF sensor data more efficiently.

While the long-term solution requires many heterogenous chiplets integrated into a common system-in-package (SiP), current efforts focus on a discriminating subset of the key challenges by integrating a single mixed-bump, high-performance data converter die onto an FHE substrate. By doing so, it will demonstrate the FHE advanced electronics manufacturing, assembly, and packaging build, with process steps for 1) assembly and alignment of high-density die at 55um and 150um bump pitch devices, 2) high-speed RF and digital signal handling, 3) electrical connectivity via flip-chip, and 4) reliability testing of the packaged solution.

Past efforts have also targeted optical RF interconnects for more efficient transport of sensor data by building an RFoF PIC system for long distance fiber backhaul to replace existing RF cabling systems. These systems improve and normalize sensor data across larger aperture antenna arrays bringing life back to edge array elements previously experiencing exceptionally high RF losses.

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Many flexible heater products are produced using printing techniques. In all cases, each mass-produced heater is a replicate of the last, making their manufacture well suited for “analog” print manufacturing, such as flexography. The use of high-resolution printing enables the additive manufacturing of custom heater designs – whether they be transparent or have other unique design features. These heaters can be built from “all-ink” materials or from copper micro-wires for additional transparency and function. This talk will provide an overview of the requirements for different heater applications and how these requirements can be achieved with high-resolution flexographic processes. Examples and data will be shared from lab-scale and production scale evaluations.

The need for high volume flexible, functional devices for sensor, energy, optical, biomedical, and aerospace applications requires the ability to integrate new product and process controls into roll-to-roll solutions for vacuum coating. Key factors in equipment selection include powerful automation, modular equipment design, deposition source technology, power supply selection, substrate handling e.g. transport, temperature, surface treatment and in-situ monitoring, are all critical for providing solutions for the production of flexible devices. Modern flexible electronic sensors can be manufactured from coated thin films using laser patterning of the vacuum deposited layers. This technique can also be used to control surface morphology of individual layers to provide functionalities catered to the end use. The ability to provide unique comprehensive solutions for all these requirements in a single R2R vacuum web coating system is driving production of the next generation of light-weight flexible devices with high yield and the best performance for high volume production.