On-Site Masterclasses
There will be multiple parallel tracks of industry-led masterclasses on 21 October 2025, the day before the conference. Each 45-min masterclass will cover a technology or application in detail, offering an insightful blend of practical, technological and application knowledge. These masterclasses will be delivered by industry experts & may involve live demonstrations.
The topics below give a sense of the classes you can expect in 2025.
Please note that you will be able to move between tracks at the end of each class. The numbers in each class are limited to 50, and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. All masterclass presentations will be recorded and available along with the PDF slides for all attendees on-demand one week after the event.
Contact Chris@TechBlick.com if you have any queries.
Masterclasses | Track 1
9:00 AM
Selecting Conductive Inks: A Property-Driven Approach for Printed Electronics Applications
Alan Brown
Nagase ChemteX
Printed electronics offers a transformative approach to manufacturing, enabling flexible, lightweight, and cost-effective electronic devices. Central to this rapidly expanding field is the choice of appropriate conductive inks, an often-overlooked yet critical decision. With a diverse array of ink materials and formulations available, selecting the optimal screen-printable conductive ink for a specific application presents a significant challenge.
This masterclass will delve into the fundamental properties of screen-printable conductive inks, exploring how material characteristics directly impact performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness in printed electronics. We will discuss key considerations such as electrical resistivity, rheology, adhesion to various substrates, curing mechanisms, and environmental stability. By understanding these intrinsic properties, designers and engineers can make informed decisions to optimize device functionality and manufacturability. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors driving ink selection, empowering them to navigate the vast landscape of conductive inks and unlock the full potential of their printed electronics applications
10:00 AM
Printable Thick Film Heaters: Essentials for Design, Material Selection, and Printing
Zach Kelly
Heraeus Electronics
Polymer thick film and cermet thick film heaters are emerging as the preferred thermal management solutions in various applications, from automotive to home and personal devices, due to their inherent reliability, versatility, and cost-effectiveness. This Masterclass will explore design considerations, material selection, and printing techniques essential for optimizing these printable heater technologies. In the first segment of the class, the principles of Joule heating will be examined and its impact on circuit design considerations will be discussed.
Additionally, the session will cover specific heater technologies, such as Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater paste, polymer heater thick film paste, and cermet thick film pastes, highlighting their unique design constraints and optimal printing conditions. Through this detailed examination of material composition, heater build-up, and innovative printing methods, participants will learn how to achieve excellent performance and reliability in various environments. This Masterclass aims to equip professionals with the knowledge to leverage these advanced materials for cutting-edge heating solutions.
11:00 AM
Screen Printing Technology For Printed Electronics Manufacturing
Mario Kohl
Fraunhofer IFAM
Function-integrated components are in the focus of various industrial sectors. Functional printing enables a high functional density and customization of products for individual customers. Fraunhofer IFAM has extensive experience in the development of printing inks and pastes for the targeted functional integration of components and structures. The development of printing technologies at Fraunhofer IFAM is directly linked to the development of functional materials associated with new technologies. A wide range of materials are used, from metals and alloys to polymers and composites.
These materials can then be used to print functional structures. In addition to printing conductive paths or complete circuit boards, a variety of sensors can be applied directly at Fraunhofer IFAM. Examples of printed sensors include strain gauges, temperature sensors and capacitive sensors, among others. Active elements such as actuators and heaters can also be printed.
One of the processes used by the experts at Fraunhofer IFAM for functional printing is screen printing. As a well-established process, screen printing offers robust production quality, high throughput rates and good resolution.
12:00 PM
Driving Reliability and Scalability in E-Textiles and Wearables via Embroidery Technology.
Steliyan Vasilev
3E Smart Solutions/ZSK
This Masterclass is tailored for engineers, designers, and manufacturers who want to explore how industrial embroidery can revolutionize the production of e-textiles and wearables. Learn how to integrate flexible, reliable, and deep functional elements into textiles—perfect for stretchable, washable, and long-lasting applications.
Join us to see how embroidery technology reduces system complexity by combining mechanical and electrical functions in one streamlined production step, enabling an easy transition from prototyping to scalable production.
You will learn:
-How to integrate PCBs and electronic components into textiles using automated embroidery tools like the ZSK Functional Sequin Device and the ZSK PCB Placement Device.
-How to produce soft, 3D moss-embroidered textile electrodes for ECG, EMG, EEG, EMS, and TENS applications—ideal for fitness, wellness, and healthcare.
-How to place functional elements such as heating and sensor wires, optical fibers, and even tubes into fabrics in a single production step.
You’ll also see functional demonstrators in action and gain insights into how embroidery-based integration can benefit your products—whether you're working in healthcare, automotive, sports, or consumer electronics.
Masterclasses | Track 2
9:00AM
Multi-material Additive Manufacturing of 3D Electronics
Zhe Shu
Hahn Schickard
This technical master class dives into the forefront of multi-material additive manufacturing for 3D electronics, with a focused exploration of breakthrough technologies enabling the integration of functional conductors and dielectrics. We will begin by examining advanced printing methods for conductive metals, with an emphasis on molten metal printing using the pioneering StarJet technology. This innovative approach unlocks new possibilities for creating highly conductive, robust metal features directly on three-dimensional surfaces. Complementing this, we will discuss leading polymer printing platforms such as Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) and the ARBURG freeformer, both of which provide versatile solutions for fabricating complex dielectric and structural components in 3D electronics assemblies.
The session will provide a comparative overview of multi-material additive manufacturing platforms, weighing their relative advantages in precision, process integration, material compatibility, and industrial scalability. Real-world application examples will illustrate how combining StarJet technology with FFF and ARBURG freeformer platforms enables the design and manufacture of next-generation devices—such as embedded circuitry, conformal electronic modules, and custom sensors—offering unmatched freedom in form and function. Join us for a technical deep dive into the synergies between molten metal and polymer printing, and discover how these integrated processes are propelling the future of 3D electronics manufacturing.
10:00 AM
Advancements in Printed Electronics Prototyping: Direct Ink Write Technology for Printed Multi-Layer Flexible Electronics
Giovanni Obando
Voltera
The evolution of printed electronics has been significantly influenced by additive manufacturing techniques, such as direct ink write (DIW) technology. This masterclass examines the application of DIW in the development of flexible printed circuits, emphasizing its capacity for rapid design iteration using materials that are scalable to screen printed manufacturing processes.
The masterclass will also highlight how DIW technology compares to other technologies, such as inkjet. Special attention will be given to the use of materials, such as silver-, gold-, copper-, and carbon-based inks, their adhesion with various substrates including PET, TPU, and polyimide, and will also cover sheer thinning and nozzle compatibility. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the interdependencies between ink and substrate characteristics, enabling informed decision-making in the selection of materials and a dispensing system for printing functional, flexible hybrid electronics.
This presentation is particularly relevant for academics, researchers, materials scientists, and engineers involved in the design and prototyping of next-generation electronic devices.
11:00 AM
Life Cycle Assessment of Printed Electronics: Challenges, Insights and Opportunities
Zikulnig Johanna
Silicon Austria Labs GmbH
This masterclass provides an introduction to conducting Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) in the context of printed electronics, using real-world examples from disposable sensor applications such as point-of-care diagnostics and smart packaging. The session will cover key methodological choices, such as defining appropriate system boundaries, interpreting data, and considering end-of-life scenarios.
Key findings from our recent research will be presented, highlighting environmental hotspots, the influence of material selection, and current methodological limitations of LCA. The session concludes with a discussion of scientific strategies to tackle these challenges, including design-for-recycling concepts, modular architectures, and the use of alternative or bio-based materials to support more sustainable development in printed electronics.
12:00 PM
Advancing PCB Technology Through Additive Manufacturing: Process, Sustainability, and Reliability
Lina Kadura
CEA
As electronics manufacturing faces growing pressure to reduce its environmental footprint, additive manufacturing offers a compelling alternative to traditional subtractive PCB fabrication. This masterclass introduces the field of printed and hybrid electronics, highlighting how additive processes enable more sustainable, material-efficient production methods for modern electronics.
We will explore real-world application examples, from concept to finished device, with a deep technical dive into material validation, design rules, fabrication techniques, testing, and assembly. Special emphasis will be placed on the sustainability gains of additive methods, supported by life cycle assessment (LCA) results for selected use cases. Finally, we will examine the long-term performance and reliability of printed devices through aging and environmental stress testing.
This session provides engineers and industry professionals with a complete, application-driven view of additive PCB manufacturing to harness this technology as a viable, sustainable, and reliable alternative to conventional fabrication methods.
Masterclasses | Track 3
9:00AM
Stable and efficient architectures for perovskite solar modules and tandems
Tom Aernouts
imec
The unprecedented fast rise of power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite-based solar cells (PSC) in recent years has created a vast worldwide research activity in this material class for photovoltaic and other opto-electronic applications. Several materials compositions and device architectures have been described and best reported PCE’s yield recently up to 27%. Also improved stability under specific conditions has been shown for specific architectures. Whereas all these results indicate a high potential for this novel solar technology, further steps must be taken to convince industry and even the whole PV community that perovskite-based photovoltaics can really emerge from the lab into industrially applicable solar module processing.
Similarly, the perovskite PV technology has boosted the tandem research whereby perovskite cells and modules are placed on top of other PV devices like Si or CIGS solar cells. Impressive lab scale results surpassing 35% PCE have been reported. New challenges arise when this needs to be upscaled to full wafer or module size.
The challenges ahead to scale up perovskite PV technology to full modules and large area tandems, suitable for long term outdoor use, will be discussed.
11:00 AM
Slot Die Coating: Principles and Practice Towards Mass Production
Matteo Lacomini
Coatema
The basics of slot die coating:
-The different types of slot die coating and the application areas
-Theory of slot die coating
-Parameters to take into account, like cavity, rheology, surface tension and more (this is a longer part)
-Simulation of slot die coating
-How to find the coating window to operate a slot die
-Slot die Hands on (we would bring a few slot dies with us and our new tabletop coater #smallbutmighty and would do live coatings
-What else is important, like coating stand, integration in to a coating line
-Summary
-Q&A session
Company Tours
All our tours are open to attendees of the morning masterclasses. Places on the tours will be allocated on a 'first come, first served' basis.
The tours will leave at 1.30pm and attendees should meet at the registration desk. Transportation will be provided and the tours are expected to return to the Estrel by 6.00pm.
Confirmed tours include Fraunhofer IZM, Fraunhofer IAP, Helmholz Zenrum Berlin, Adlershof Research Park, and others