Dr. Martin Hedges – Managing Director

Fully Additive – The Convergence of 3D Printing and 3D Printed Electronics

24.01.17 Eindhoven 23.11.2017

Neotech AMT

Agenda

1. Company Overview

2. Enabling a 3D Printed Electronics Process

3. Current Application Examples

4. Fully Additive 3D Electronics

5. Summary

Neotech AMT

Neotech AMT GmbH

•  Neotech manufactures system for 3D Printed Electronics.

•  Pioneering 3D PE development since 2009.

•  First 3D capable system installed in 2010.

•  First mass-production capable system of type AJ45X built 2012. EU/US/CN patent granted 2015.

•  1st commercial sale & install of mass production system in Q3 2013.

•  1st commercial mass production started on Neotech systems in Q3 2015.

PTC-Heater Pattern on Honeycomb Composite

3D MID Demonstrator

Neotech AMT

Market Need for 3D Printed Electronics

Design Flexibility

Integration of Mechanics-Electronics-Optics

Flexibility of Shape

Minaturisation

New Functionality

Economics

Reduced Part Count

Shorter Process Chains

Reduced Materials Use

Increased Reliability

Environmental

Reduced Materials Mix

Simplified Recycling & Disposal

Reduced Material Quantity

Reduced Parts Tourism

Multi-station Printing at LITE-ON Mobile Mechanical SBG

Tank Filling SensorAutomotive

Neotech AMT

SMD components Printed Circuit structures

Method 2: Embed in part manufactured layer by layer process: FDM, SLS, SLA, etc:

Printed Device3

Strategies for 3D Printed Electronics

1 2

Method 1: Print on existing 3D parts

How to add electronic functionality to 3D shaped parts?

Neotech AMT

Enabling a 3D Printing Process

Key Process Variables

Nozzle

Shutter

Ink Substrate

Post processing method

Ink Chemistry

Particle Size & Type

Viscosity Material & Surface Chemistry

Surface Topography/Quality

Surface Treatment

Motion System

System Configuration

Print Speed

Tool-Path & Print Strategy

Number of Axes

Print Module

Mass Output & Ink Solid Fraction

Nozzle Geometry/Gas Flow

Standoff to Substrate

Geometry

Part Quality

Neotech AMT

0

1

2

3

4

53D Capability

Fine Line Capability

Ink Viscosity Range

Simplicity of operation/cleaning

Materials Efficiency

Process Speed

Investment cost

Process Cost

ABCDInk Jet

Print Head Selection

Nozzle

Shutter

PrintProcess

Each print process has a unique combination of characteristicsProcess selection driven by application requirements:

5 = High Performance1 = Low Performance

Neotech AMT

Dealing with complex geometries

Motion 3D CAD/CAM Tool-path Generation Software

Nozzle

Shutter

Print tool-path simulation3D Antenna Demonstrator

CAD/CAM package that seamlessly interacts with the print platform to enable the printing of highly complex 3D circuits:

Optimised interaction with machine control system.

Integrated, object-oriented programming environment with an open system architecture.

3+2 indexed, 4 axis simultaneous and 5 axis simultaneous printing

Optimised cycle times via free definition of the print sequence.

Printing path & machine motion simulation

Machine specific ISO Standard G-Code post processor

Look ahead function for accurate start/stops of the print processCAM Check Function – check programmed tool-path vs. machine

process limits (point to point time, acceleration and axis speed)

Neotech AMT

Current Applications

Neotech AMT

Printed Antenna/Curcuits

1.  Current Process Route: Printing Ag inks on filled PA resins and oven sinter

2.  RF Performance: matches industry standard

3.  Low temperature inks for PC/ABS

4.  Production Costs: specific antenna designs show cost reduction of compared to current manufacturing techniques Demonstration Antenna

Courtesy: LITE-ON Mobile Mechanical SBG

Multi-station Printing.Courtesy: LITE-ON Mobile Mechanical SBG

Neotech AMT

3D Printed Sensors

Two capacitive Ag sensors & circuit printed on a moulded PA6 tank

The sensors register the water level as it rises, lighting the LEDs to indicate the fill level

When the tank compartment is full the circuit senses the water fill level and reverses the pump direction

Touch Sensor on PC

Neotech AMT

3D Heater Patterns on PCAutomotive Glazing

Ag heater circuits printed on large PC part: 750 x 250 x170mm (x-y-z)

Heating 18W (3A/9V) – tune print process to increase heating capacity

Parts to be coated with protective anti-scratch/anti-UV layer

3D Heater Pattern on PC

IR Thermal Load Test Peak Temperature 107oC

Neotech AMT

3D Heater Patterns on PCAerospace

Ag heater circuits printed on PC.

Low Temperature Sintering – PC has limit of 120oC

Thermal Load Testing – at 6V/0.9A temperature of 107oC.

Even heating across the device

Large area print system to 2m x 1m parts

IR Thermal Load Test Peak Temperature 107oC

PTC-Heater Pattern on Honeycomb Composite

Neotech AMT

Automated Process Chain for 3D Printed Electronics

Pre-processing

Part Input(Moulded, Composite…)

SMD Placement

Print

Post Process

Dispense Adhesive

Place SMD in Pocket

Cure Adhesive

In Line Cure/Sinter(LBS, Laser, UV)

Machining SMD Pockets

Machining Print Areas

Print Main Circuit

Print Interconnects (Adaptive Tool-path)

MODULE 1

MODULE 3

MODULE 4

MODULE 5

Completed 3D PE System

2015 Mass Production

Lab Scale Trials

2017 Lab scale

TimelineOffline Line Sinter(Oven)

Plasma Clean

Central Process Control

MODULE 6

5 Axis 3D Printing

MODULE 2

Neotech AMT

5 Axis 3D Printed Parts(Beta Test Release)

5 axis Fused Deposition Modelling (PLA, PC, ABS…)

5 Axis FDM allows novel geometries to be built without support structures, improved mechanical properties compared to classical anisotropic 3D builds

FDM module allows the encapsualisation/embedding of the printed electronics.

Combination with 4 station print system for higher throughput

Neotech AMT

Embedding SMDs

Module 1: Pocket Machined

QFN (Quad Flat No-lead) Microcontroller

Contact Pads 230µm

Fixed with 2 Component Epoxy

SMD EmbeddedCircuit and Interconnect Printed

Project in cooperation with:

Neotech AMT

Adaptive Tool Paths Process Flow

Interconnects to LED written with Adaptive Tool-path

Automatically find LED contacts coordinates

Locate fiducials on part.Autocorrect X,Y & Theta

Print main circuit

80μm

Main Circuit: RedInterconnect: Yellow

500μm

BenefitsBare LEDs used – no LED package costsRobust Package – LED is protected in device body, no wire bondsCircuit and interconnect can be produced in 1 printing stepLow temperature processing (<120oC) – replaces solder step, low energy, reduced number of materials

Neotech AMT

SMD Connection

50um diameter dotsConductive adhesive on Teslin.

2. Use Circuit material to fix SMD

LED connects directly to heat sink - improve thermal management

1. Print Conductive Adhesive – Flip Chip

4. Wire Bond onto printed circuit

3D Chip Connection

3. Directly Write Interconnects

Image 1-2: Courtesy Optomec Inc. 3: Courtesy Fraunhofer IKTS 4: Courtesy FAPS

Al Wire bond connects Ag circuits to LED

Neotech AMT

Summary

1.  Enabling 3D print process – Motion 3D for complex tool-path generation

2.  Current Application Examples

3.  Adding functionality: SMDs

4.  Development of Flexible Process Chains for Fully Additive 3D Electronics

Dr. Martin Hedges

Thank you for your attention!

Dr. Martin Hedges Neotech AMT GmbH Petzoltstr. 3- 90443- Nuremberg - Germany Tel: +49 911 274 5501 mhedges@neotech-amt.com