Andreas Frölich | Horizon Microtechnologies: Can you truly metalize the inside of complex, high-aspect-ratio 3D printed structures?
08:06 - 10:20
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Summary of the clip:
Can you truly metalize the inside of complex, high-aspect-ratio 3D printed structures?
This clip provides a deep dive into the HMT metal process, demonstrating its ability to apply a uniform conductive coating to highly complex 3D printed polymer geometries. The technology is showcased using a polymer lattice structure, an open foam with intricate, 50-micron-wide rods spaced 500 microns apart. A cross-section of the metalized lattice provides clear visual proof that the coating penetrates and covers every surface, even in the most recessed and difficult-to-reach internal sections of the part.
The performance of the deposited metal layer is quantified with key engineering specifications. The process achieves a conductivity of 30% or more of bulk copper, making it suitable for a wide range of electronics applications. The standard coating consists of a 2-3 micron layer of copper or silver, but the thickness can be increased dramatically—up to 40 microns has been demonstrated—to enhance a component's thermal capacity and power handling capabilities.
A critical factor for high-frequency RF applications is surface quality, as roughness can lead to significant signal loss. The HMT metal process is shown to add an insignificant amount of additional roughness to the underlying 3D printed part. This preserves the smooth surface of the initial high-resolution print, ensuring that the final component performs as designed, which is later validated in a D-band antenna case study where the surface is shown to be essentially flat to an RF wave.
In this short video, you can learn:
* Visual proof of conformal metal coating on complex micro-lattice structures.
* Key performance metrics: conductivity (>30% bulk copper), thickness (2-40 microns), and materials (Cu, Ag).
* The importance of low surface roughness and how this process preserves the quality of the initial print.
📋 **Clip Abstract** This clip provides a technical deep-dive into a unique metalization process for 3D printed parts. See visual proof of its ability to coat complex internal geometries and learn key performance specs like conductivity, thickness, and surface roughness.
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#3DPrintedMetalization, #HMTMetalProcess, #ConformalCoating, #MicroLatticeStructures, #AdditiveElectronics, #RFElectronics
This is a highlight of the presentation:
Hybrid Microfabrication by 3D printing and subsequent Coating for Electronics and Radio-Frequency Applications
More Highlights from the same talk.
03:43 - 05:01
How do you achieve both high geometrical precision and high conductivity in 3D printed electronics?
How do you achieve both high geometrical precision and high conductivity in 3D printed electronics?
Existing manufacturing technologies for electronic components present a fundamental trade-off. On one hand, you have high-precision polymer 3D printing technologies that can create incredibly detailed and complex geometries. On the other hand, you have processes like bulk metal printing that offer high conductivity. However, it is extremely difficult to find a single technology that delivers both high precision and high conductivity simultaneously.
This technological gap can be visualized on a conceptual map with geometrical precision on the x-axis and functional properties like conductivity on the y-axis. While various technologies populate different areas of this map, the top-right quadrant—representing components with both high precision and high conductivity—remains largely unserved. This gap limits innovation in areas like RF components, interconnects, and miniaturized electronic systems.
Horizon Microtechnologies' hybrid approach directly targets this unserved quadrant. The process begins by fabricating a substrate with a high-precision polymer 3D printing technology to define the exact geometry. Subsequently, a proprietary coating process is applied to add the required functionality, such as a highly conductive metal layer. This two-step strategy effectively combines the best of both worlds, moving the final component into the high-value, top-right corner of the manufacturing landscape.
In this short video, you can learn:
* The fundamental trade-off between precision and conductivity in additive manufacturing.
* How to visualize the manufacturing technology landscape for electronic components.
* The hybrid strategy of combining polymer 3D printing with post-process coating to fill a critical technology gap.
📋 **Clip Abstract** Most 3D printing technologies force a choice between high precision and high conductivity. This clip explains how a hybrid approach, combining precise polymer printing with advanced coatings, uniquely addresses the unserved market for high-performance, high-precision conductive components.
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#HybridAdditiveManufacturing, #Polymer3DPrinting, #ConductiveCoatings, #HighPrecisionElectronics, #3DElectronics, #RFComponents
12:38 - 15:21
Can a 3D printed polymer antenna really outperform a traditionally machined metal one?
Can a 3D printed polymer antenna really outperform a traditionally machined metal one?
This clip presents a compelling benchmark of the hybrid additive technology using a D-band (110-170 GHz) horn antenna. This extremely high-frequency application serves as a rigorous test, as its performance is highly sensitive to any manufacturing imperfections in geometry, precision, or coating quality. The results from two separately manufactured antennas are presented to validate the process's fidelity and repeatability.
The measured performance data reveals an almost perfect match between the two physical antennas and, even more impressively, with the original engineering simulation based on the CAD model. This demonstrates that the process faithfully translates a digital design into a physical component that performs exactly as predicted, without any need for post-process tuning. The excellent return loss measurement confirms the exceptionally low surface roughness of the internal conductive coating, which was measured at just 50 nm within the build plane.
Beyond simply matching the RF performance, the hybrid additive approach delivers transformative Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) advantages. By replacing solid metal with a coated polymer, the antenna's weight is reduced by a factor of six. Furthermore, the additive nature of the process allows for design optimizations that reduce overall size, and the final antenna demonstrates a return loss that is significantly better—by a factor of four—than most conventionally manufactured counterparts, proving a clear performance improvement.
In this short video, you can learn:
* How a hybrid additive process performs in a demanding high-frequency (110-170 GHz) RF application.
* The direct comparison of measured data against simulation, proving high fidelity and repeatability.
* The significant SWaP advantages, including a 6x weight reduction and superior RF performance over conventional methods.
📋 **Clip Abstract** This case study benchmarks a 3D printed and coated D-band horn antenna against simulations and conventional manufacturing. The results demonstrate exceptional performance, repeatability, and a 6x weight reduction, proving the technology's viability for demanding RF applications.
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#3DPrintedAntenna, #HybridAdditiveManufacturing, #DbandRF, #CoatedPolymerElectronics, #AdditiveElectronics, #PrintedElectronics