Optimisation of a novel direct-write dispenser printer technique for improving printed smart fabric device performance

Ahmed, Zeeshan; Torah, Russel; Tudor, John

doi:10.1109/dtip.2015.7160978

Cited by 7 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Printing of the capacitive proximity sensor The dispenser printer is a bespoke machine [3][4][5] developed at the University of Southampton. The material is deposited via a pressurised syringe onto the substrate which is controlled in three dimensions using an XYZ stage system according to the desired printed pattern.…”

Section: 2mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent dispenser printing research [3][4][5] offers an alternative digital smart fabric fabrication technique in which the designs are printed, using electronic inks, directly on the fabric in any geometric layout and only where they are needed without the use of masks, screens or other tooling, thus allowing rapid prototyping, minimising resource usage and maximising fabric breathability. Unlike weaving, knitting and embroidery, dispenser printing provides almost complete design freedom since the printed layers can have any orientation on the fabric without being restricted to following the yarn directions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dispenser printed capacitive proximity sensor on fabric for applications in the creative industries

Wei

Torah

et al. 2016

Sensors and Actuators A: Physical

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Abstract:This paper reports a planar capacitive proximity sensor fully dispenser printed on a standard polyester woven fabric using conductive ink. Dispenser printing is a new digital printing technique offering the advantages of complete geometric design flexibility and the ability to direct write multilayer devices without requiring bespoke tooling. A dispenser printer is also capable of printing a wide range of ink viscosities encompassing those of inkjet and screen printable inks. Previous research has demonstrated the principle of using proximity sensors for human interaction but none of them are fabricated directly on fabric. In this research, the proximity sensor is dispenser printed directly onto the fabric with an optimised loop electrode design which uses 76 % less conductive ink while still offering 90 % of the detection range when compared with a standard filled electrode design. The loop design also has the highest detection coefficient (maximum detection distance versus the conductive area of the sensor) of 0.23 compared with 0.06 and 0.1 for the investigated filled and spiral designs, respectively. In addition, the ratio of the track width to the width of the entire sensor is investigated showing 1/16 as being the most suitable ratio for the proximity sensor printed on fabric. Proximity sensors with loop widths ranging from 10 mm to 400 mm are evaluated. The maximum detection distance is 400 mm when the largest sensor is used and the linearity of the sensing circuit is 0.79.

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Section: 2mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dispenser printed capacitive proximity sensor on fabric for applications in the creative industries

Wei

Torah

et al. 2016

Sensors and Actuators A: Physical

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“…When dispenser printing on fabrics, a dispenser printed interface layer on polyester cotton fabrics has been optimised to enable dispenser printed smart fabrics (Ahmed, Torah and Tudor, 2015). A dispenser printed 2.4 GHz dipole antenna on polyester cotton fabric substrate has been recently reported for RF applications (Li, Torah, Beeby and Tudor, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dispenser-printed sound-emitting fabrics for applications in the creative fashion and smart architecture industry

Torah

Wei

et al. 2018

The Journal of The Textile Institute

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This paper presents a printing technology for the design and manufacture of interactive planar speakers. With this technology, sound emission can be easily integrated into various textiles at the design stage with minimal assembly after printing. This paper reports direct write dispenser printed sound emitting smart fabrics, aimed at creative fashion and smart architecture applications opening up new opportunities in product design. Planar spiral speakers generate a membrane vibration and so emit sound when driven from an a.c. audio source if a magnet is in close proximity to the spiral. These speakers are simpler to manufacture than conventional electromagnetic speakers and can be integrated on fabrics to form the basis of clothing in fashion applications. The speaker designs were printed on woven polyester fabric and produced a measured peak sound output level of 85 dB referenced to a reference sound pressure in air of 2×10-5 Pa. The printed fabric speakers demonstrate a wide frequency response from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. This research demonstrates a straightforward fabrication method, based on dispenser printing, to achieve sound emission from a fabric. The fabrication process requires a processing temperature of 130 o C for 10 minutes which is compatible with the majority of fabrics which are used in the fashion and architecture industries. This fabrication method is a direct write technique offering no waste and achieves a conductor resistivity of 7.69×10-6 Ω•m. This paper reports on the theory and the manufacturing technology to achieve direct write dispenser printed planar spiral speakers on fabrics.

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“…Fabrication technology: Dispenser printing is a new direct-write method where a material is additively deposited on a substrate in a computer defined pattern. It is a novel state of the art process developed for use in printed smart fabrics by the University of Southampton [6]. It offers features of custom patterning, rapid prototyping and the ability to print multi-layered and multi-material structures.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…High variation within the polyester cotton surface leads to non-uniform printing of silver layers which adversely affects their electrical properties and durability. An interface layer can be dispenser printed on the polyester cotton fabric to significantly reduce its surface roughness [6]. Electra EFV4/4965 dielectric, a ultraviolet (UV) curable ink is used for printing interface on the polyester cotton fabric in this work.…”

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confidence: 99%

Actively actuated all dispenser printed thermochromic smart fabric device

et al. 2016

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This paper for the first time reports an all printed actively actuated thermochromic smart fabric device using a state of the art dispenser printing technique. The device consists of a UV curable thermochromic ink with an activation temperature of 33°C actuated by conductive track based printed heater. The device is printed on untreated polyester cotton fabric. It offers a significant improvement in flexibility and design freedom over the state of the art thermochromic fabric devices. The printed device changes colour from black to green in 10.8 s using 1.46 W DC power. It is shown that the time required for the device to change colour reduces tenfold with only a threefold increase in input power. It can be fabricated on other fabric or flexible substrates and in a range of colours and activation temperatures depending on the formulation chosen. The printed device is 30 x 21.5 mm which can be scaled up or down to suit the application. It can be used as an indicator in combination with sensors for smart fabric applications. Introduction: Smart fabrics can sense and react to various stimuli with functionalities such as communication, power transmission and information processing [1]. They can be realised by combining fabrics with smart and functional materials such as electroluminescent, piezoelectric and conductive. Colour change functionality can be incorporated in the fabrics by combining them with thermochromic (TC) materials. TC materials change colour in response to a temperature change. Several artists and designers have used these materials with fabrics to integrate functional and aesthetic qualities. The colour change property in TC fabrics can be actively controlled by controlling temperature to produce desired colour/pattern changes. Shimmering flower [2], ambikraf [3], fabrication bag [4] and TC information surfaces [5] are some examples of colour changing fabrics. Applications of TC fabrics include non-emissive displays, interior design, art and as indicators in interactive systems. This paper reports a novel all printed approach for fabricating an actively actuated TC fabric device. The dispenser printed device overcomes existing limitations of design freedom, inflexibility and the requirement to use of multiple fabrication techniques. Dispenser printing is a new technique offering a direct write capability, obviating the need to use design specific screens for each design as required in screen printing. Using a printed heater in this TC device addresses current limitations in the state of the art by offering a flexible heating mechanism integrated in the fabric. Background: Active actuation of a TC fabric is the capability to bring about a colour change in TC materials when desired. Fabrication of actively actuated TC fabrics is a two-step process consisting of the application of the TC material on fabric and the integration of a heater for temperature, and thus transition, control. Previously, the two steps have been performed using distinct fabrication techniques. TC materials have been applied on ...

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Optimisation of a novel direct-write dispenser printer technique for improving printed smart fabric device performance

Cited by 7 publications

References 4 publications

Dispenser printed capacitive proximity sensor on fabric for applications in the creative industries

Dispenser printed capacitive proximity sensor on fabric for applications in the creative industries

Dispenser-printed sound-emitting fabrics for applications in the creative fashion and smart architecture industry

Actively actuated all dispenser printed thermochromic smart fabric device

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