Automated Hybrid 3-D Printing of 3-D Meandering Interconnects

The role of printed electronics and related technologies in the development of smart connected products

“…Another emerging approach in the manufacture of PE is the automated printing of devices resorting to 3D printing technologies (using e.g. extrusion, binder jetting, photopolymerization, powder bed fusion, direct energy deposition, and sheet lamination processes) [35,36]. This involves one-step multi-material printing that will soon be possible through the symbiotic combination of diverse 3D printing technologies and powerful software development.…”

“…This set of cooperating technologies is called hybrid 3D printing and vows to embed the 3D printing of solid conductive wiring into the device structure, which will be simultaneously printed, allowing for the creation of 3D meanders and interconnects. As a result, fully functional and interactive sensor and actuator devices can be obtained in a one-step procedure [35,37]. Table 2 summarizes the main printing technologies and their main characteristics.…”

“…Hence, fully 3D PE represent the complete transition from the complex and time-consuming conventional paradigm to the entirely printable and customizable one-step manufacturing [35,37]. This much-anticipated technology is currently approaching its full implementation, nonetheless, some constraints still need to be tackled.…”

“…Since those materials present such different physical properties and require different processing technologies, such hybrid slicing software is not yet available. Current multi-material printing software can control several printheads but are quite limited to fused filament fabrication (FFF) [35]. Thus, to achieve a fully 3D printed circuit there is still a demand for more complex and sophisticated software and algorithms.…”

“…Thus, to achieve a fully 3D printed circuit there is still a demand for more complex and sophisticated software and algorithms. The core goal is to develop the already existing technologies and develop an improved process capable of translating CAD-to-print files into multi-material g-code with the power to define different materials and integrate symbiotic cooperation of FFF, microdispensing, laser cutting, and UV curing [35].…”