Luc van Neer | Metafas: How does a traditional print shop transform its engineering process to serve high-tech industries?
10:34 - 12:08
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Summary of the clip:
How does a traditional print shop transform its engineering process to serve high-tech industries?
The transition from traditional printing to high-tech printed electronics demands a fundamental transformation of the engineering and product development process. A simple "make-to-print" workflow, where a customer provides a finished design for production, is inadequate for complex applications. The scope has expanded from designing a simple membrane switch circuit to developing entire systems that include PCBs, software, and novel materials, which requires a far more rigorous and collaborative approach.
To meet the demands of sophisticated customers in sectors like automotive and medical, a structured development process is essential. Adopting a framework modeled on the automotive industry's Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) provides a proven, phase-gated methodology. This systemizes the journey from concept to mass production, ensuring that all technical requirements, quality checks, and validation steps are properly managed. It also establishes a common language and set of expectations, facilitating smoother collaboration with large, process-driven customers.
The strategic advantage of implementing such a robust process is the ability to engage with customers at much earlier Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). Instead of waiting for a finalized design, the manufacturer can act as a true development partner during the concept phase. This early involvement allows for crucial design-for-manufacturability input and ensures that prototypes are not just functional but are also designed on a viable path toward scalable production, ultimately accelerating the customer's time to market.
In this short video, you can learn:
* The limitations of a "make-to-print" model for complex printed electronics.
* How to implement a structured, APQP-based development process in a smaller company.
* The importance of engaging with customers at early TRLs to ensure project success.
π **Clip Abstract**
Transitioning from a simple print shop to a high-tech partner requires a complete overhaul of the engineering process. This clip details the move from a "make-to-print" model to a structured APQP-based framework, enabling collaboration with customers from the earliest concept stages.
π Link in comments π
#PrintedElectronics, #APQP, #DesignForManufacturability, #SystemIntegration, #AdditiveElectronics, #FlexibleElectronics
This is a highlight of the presentation:
Printing Electronics: Technical and Business Transition from the manufacturing of Membrane Switches to Printed Electronics, including smart textiles and smart plastics.
More Highlights from the same talk.
00:07:26 - 00:08:25
Is simply printing conductive inks enough to succeed in flexible electronics?
Is simply printing conductive inks enough to succeed in flexible electronics?
In the transition to advanced printed electronics, being a component supplier is no longer sufficient; you must become a full solution provider. This requires significant vertical integration beyond the core competency of screen printing. The challenge is that customers often need a complete, functional module, not just a printed sensor or heater. This forces the manufacturer to solve the entire system problem, which introduces a host of new technical requirements.
One of the most significant technical hurdles is creating reliable interconnections. Standard, off-the-shelf connectors are rarely suitable for novel substrates like stretchable TPU films used in smart textiles. This means manufacturers must design, develop, and validate their own bespoke connector solutions. Furthermore, new assembly processes, such as laminating or pressing printed elements onto textiles, must be mastered to create a robust final product.
This expanded scope pushes the manufacturer's engineering capabilities into entirely new domains. It's not just about printing anymore; it's about designing the supporting rigid PCB, developing the control software, and in some cases, even implementing artificial intelligence to process the sensor data. To deliver value, the company must look at the whole concept and integrate all the necessary electronic and software components to create a turnkey solution for the customer.
In this short video, you can learn:
* Why vertical integration is critical for printed electronics manufacturers.
* The technical challenge of interconnecting flexible printed sensors with traditional electronics.
* How manufacturers must expand their scope to include PCB design, software, and even AI.
π **Clip Abstract**
Discover why being a skilled printer is no longer sufficient in the world of printed electronics. This clip explains the necessity of vertical integration, from developing custom connectors for TPU to designing the entire electronic system, to deliver a complete, functional product.
π Link in comments π
#FlexibleInterconnects, #CustomConnectors, #StretchableElectronics, #SystemIntegration, #PrintedElectronics, #WearableElectronics
00:08:59 - 00:09:41
Your spec sheet says 20% stretchable, but is that measurement repeatable or reliable?
Your spec sheet says 20% stretchable, but is that measurement repeatable or reliable?
A critical but often overlooked challenge in the commercialization of flexible and stretchable electronics is the lack of industry-wide standardization in testing and validation. While material suppliers and manufacturers provide datasheets with performance metrics, the methods used to obtain those metrics can vary significantly. This creates ambiguity and risk for product developers who rely on that data for their designs.
The problem is exemplified by a common specification like "stretchable to 20%." This seemingly simple metric is fraught with complexity. How is the stretch appliedβuniaxially or biaxially? At what speed? For how many cycles? Without a standardized test protocol, a 20% stretch claim from one company may not be comparable to another's, leading to inconsistent and unreliable real-world performance.
This standardization gap forces manufacturers to take matters into their own hands. To guarantee product quality and provide reliable data to customers, it becomes necessary to design and build custom test equipment. This in-house development of test rigs allows for consistent, repeatable measurements tailored to specific product requirements, but it also represents a significant investment and highlights a major bottleneck for the industrial-scale production of flexible electronics.
In this short video, you can learn:
* The critical lack of standardized test equipment and parameters in flexible electronics.
* Why a simple metric like "20% stretch" can be highly ambiguous and difficult to verify.
* The necessity for manufacturers to build their own custom test rigs to ensure product quality.
π **Clip Abstract**
This clip addresses a crucial bottleneck in the flexible electronics industry: the absence of standardized testing. Learn why metrics like "stretchability" are often ambiguous and why manufacturers must resort to building their own test equipment to validate their products.
π Link in comments π
#FlexibleElectronicsTesting, #StretchableElectronicsValidation, #StandardizedTestProtocols, #CustomTestEquipment, #PrintedElectronics, #WearableElectronics