Thomas Kolbush | TracXon: What are the physical and material limits of scaling roll-to-roll via printing?
00:11:54 - 00:13:32
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Summary of the clip:
What are the physical and material limits of scaling roll-to-roll via printing?
Transitioning printed electronics from laboratory proof-of-concepts to high-yield industrial manufacturing requires equipment engineered for both precision and throughput. This section breaks down the technical parameters of the VX300 R&D platform and the high-volume VX600 production system. These platforms integrate lamination, laser-on-the-fly drilling, multi-material dispensing, and in-line optical inspection into a single enclosed tool.
The systems are designed to handle challenging conductive materials, enabling the precise deposition of both silver and carbon inks. While the R&D tool works with 300mm web widths and achieves via diameters down to 150 microns, the production-scale VX600 system scales up to 600mm widths and increases processing speeds up to 50 meters per minute. Achieving this throughput requires sub-50-micron alignment accuracy to target vias that are virtually invisible to the naked eye.
To maintain yield at these speeds, integrated quality control loops and optical inspection systems verify via integrity in real-time. This level of physical control opens up new integration possibilities not only for traditional flexible circuitry but also for advanced applications like battery layer interconnects and flexible solar cells.
In this short video, you can learn:
* The physical specifications and throughput capacities of the VX300 R&D and VX600 production systems.
* How to manage and dispense silver and carbon inks for micro-vias down to 150 microns.
* The role of real-time optical inspection and 50-micron alignment tolerances in high-speed web processing.
π **Clip Abstract** This segment compares industrial-scale roll-to-roll via printing platforms, highlighting differences in web width, speed, and accuracy. It explains the integration of laser drilling, multi-ink dispensing, and real-time optical inspection for high-yield manufacturing.
π Link in comments π
#RollToRollProcessing, #LaserOnTheFlyDrilling, #PrintedMicroVias, #InLineOpticalInspection, #FlexibleElectronics, #BatteryLayerInterconnects
This is a highlight of the presentation:
Scaling Roll-to-Roll Flexible Hybrid Electronics: From Patented VIA Fabrication to Mainstream Manufacturing
Future of Electronics RESHAPED USA 2026
10-11 June 2026
Computer History Museum, Mountain View, California, USA
Organised By:
TechBlick
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00:07:36 - 00:09:20
Can we eliminate PCB complexity by printing a 5-layer architecture down to just 3?
Can we eliminate PCB complexity by printing a 5-layer architecture down to just 3?
Traditional multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs) introduce significant weight, cost, and process complexity, especially when utilizing multiple insulating layers. This segment explores how flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) can collapse a conventional five-layer architecture down to a streamlined three-layer, double-sided printed device. By using vertical interconnect access (via) printing, engineers can pack more functionality into tighter spaces while preserving mechanical flexibility.
Transitioning to this additive, roll-to-roll manufacturing framework eliminates heavy substrates and chemical etching waste. These ultra-thin, bendable foils support robust interconnects and are perfectly suited for weight-critical systems like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Integrating this process into high-volume, high-speed lines allows manufacturers to scale up double-sided surface-mount device (SMD) assemblies effortlessly.
This approach represents a major paradigm shift toward sustainable, lightweight electronics that replace standard rigid-flex boards in the one-to-four-layer application space. By eliminating process steps and cutting material waste, designers gain unprecedented freedom without sacrificing electrical performance.
In this short video, you can learn:
* How to compress a 5-layer PCB stack into a seamless 3-layer double-sided FHE design.
* The mechanical and spatial benefits of utilizing robust, printed vertical interconnects (vias).
* Methods for integrating high-speed roll-to-roll manufacturing into existing production pipelines.
π **Clip Abstract** This clip addresses the stacking limitations of conventional PCBs and presents a three-layer, double-sided printed alternative. It demonstrates how flexible hybrid electronics can dramatically reduce weight and process complexity while maintaining robust electrical interconnects.
π Link in comments π
#FlexibleHybridElectronics, #PrintedVias, #RollToRollManufacturing, #DoubleSidedSMD, #UAVElectronics, #AdditiveElectronics
00:09:53 - 00:10:52
How do you achieve micro-via drilling and filling on a moving polymer web?
How do you achieve micro-via drilling and filling on a moving polymer web?
Continuous roll-to-roll processing of flexible substrates demands extreme precision, particularly during the transition from drilling to conductive filling. This technical clip walks through the complete mechanical sequence of fabricating printed vias on standard polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films. To maintain structural integrity during processing, a protective backing liner is laminated directly onto the ultra-thin polymer web.
The core of this system relies on a high-speed laser operating "on-the-fly" to drill micro-vias through the substrate without pausing the web's motion. Once the holes are cleared, a high-precision dispenser jets conductive silver or carbon ink directly into the micro-cavities. This sequence of rapid material deposition, alignment, and subsequent thermal curing ensures reliable vertical electrical pathways.
To guarantee consistent quality, automated registration marks are printed simultaneously, facilitating downstream double-sided surface mount technology (SMT) component placement. This single-pass process drastically reduces handling-induced defects and eliminates the complex chemical baths typical of traditional electroplating.
In this short video, you can learn:
* The mechanical process of applying a supporting liner and laser-drilling vias on-the-fly.
* How conductive silver and carbon inks are precisely dispensed to fill micro-vias on a moving web.
* The role of printed registration marks in ensuring high-accuracy double-sided component assembly.
π **Clip Abstract** This clip illustrates the step-by-step roll-to-roll via fabrication process on thin PET substrates. It details how laser drilling, precision jet dispensing of conductive inks, and curing are unified into a single continuous web line.
π Link in comments π
#RollToRollLaserDrilling, #MicroViaFilling, #JetDispensing, #DoubleSidedSMT, #PrintedElectronics, #AdditiveElectronics