3D printed Electronics
From Idea to Reality
2
Outline
Introduction
Background TNO
From 2D printing to 3D manufacturing
Different Techniques
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
How are most electronics being build today?
How can AM be used in the Electronics Industry?
Example
Combining 3D techniques with conventional techniques
Techniques to create conductive tracks on a substrate
Why can this be interesting for the industry?
How far are we today – what is already possible?
What still are the challenges?
3
The Netherlands
4
From 2D printing to 3D manufacturing
What is Additive Manufacturing?
Layer-by-layer Production
Conventional way of producing
Additive Manufacturing way of producing
5
Additive Manufacturing
Many different Techniques
FDM: Fuse Deposition Modelling
(Polymers)
SLA: Stereolithography
(Polymers, Ceramics, Metals)
PBF: Powder Bed Fusion
(Metal, Polymers)
3D Printing (Jetting)
(Polymers, Metals, Ceramics)
6
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
How are most electronics being build today?
PCB production (Chemical processes)
SMT production line Electronics production (Stencil printing, P&P, Reflow)
Subassembly of multiple parts (Housing, PCB with components, Battery, Clips, etc)
7
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
What does this mean?
Chemical (environmental unfriendly) processes
Product not designed for purpose, but to fit the electronics
(Too) many steps to finalise a product
Large investment in production equipment
Large floor space required
Energy consumption
Every production step is a possible cause of failure
8
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
How can AM be used in the Electronics Industry:
Replacement of the current techniques to make printed circuit boards
Printed electronic conductive patterns inside a housing (3D shape)
Combining 3D techniques with conventional techniques to build a device
Integration of printed components into electronic conductive patterns
9
Low cost complex electronics
This Dice is an example
of a complicated 3D
shape containing
electronics. The current
method of production
makes it complicated to
build this product. AM
techniques could make
the production of this
product much easier
and therefore cheaper.
10
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
Combining 3D techniques with conventional techniques
11
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
Combining 3D techniques with conventional techniques
Current setup of a SMT (PCB only) production line
PCB
SA
PCB = PCB production
SP = Stencil Printer
I = Inspection
P&P = Pick & Place
RO = Reflow Oven
SA = Sub-assembly
12
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
Combining 3D techniques with conventional techniques
Current setup of a SMT (PCB only) production line
PCB
SA
PCB = PCB production
SP = Stencil Printer
I = Inspection
P&P = Pick & Place
RO = Reflow Oven
SA = Sub-assembly
Near future setup of an Electronics Device production line
3D
AD
I
3D
P&P
I
3D
CTP
I
3D AD = 3D Adhesive Dispenser
I = Inspection
3D P&P = 3D Pick & Place
3D CTP = 3D Conductive tracks Printing
3D future setup of an Electronics Device production line
3D
AD
I
3
D
P
&
P
I
3D
CTCP
I
3D AD = 3D Adhesive Dispenser
I = Inspection
3D P&P = 3D Pick & Place
3D CTP = 3D Conductive tracks & comp. Printing
13
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
Techniques to create conductive tracks on a substrate (2D/3D)
14
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
Integration of printed components into conductive patterns
Resistor
Capacitor
- Passive components is already possible
- What’s next????
15
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
Why can this be interesting for the industry?
New technical features
Cost saving
16
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
New Technical features
Designed for purpose not to fit the electronics
No more need for separate PCB
Print conductive (copper) tracks
No more need for a soldering process
17
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
Cost saving
No more need for a separate substrate (delete the PCB – environment friendly)
Reduce production equipment by reduction of assembly steps
Reduce failure rate by reduced production steps
Reduce floor space by reducing amount assembly steps
Reduce energy cost
Faster production
18
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
How far are we today – what is already possible?
We can print conductive tracks
We can mount components on a 3D substrate
We can print components (certain)
19
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
What still are the challenges?
Conductivity of the printed tracks created by the various techniques
Resistance of the printed tracks created by the various techniques
Optimisation of the various print processes
Repeatability of the different processes
Reliability of the final product
Faster placement of conventional components on a 3D shape
Industrialize the process steps
20
Opportunities of Additive Manufacturing in the Electronics Industry
From Idea to Reality
Thank you for your attention
Questions???