FEATURE ELECTRONICS
DEVELOPING NEAR-FIELD communication packaging capability
CPI is leading a specialist consortium creating a world class UK manufacturing supply chain that will enable the widespread adoption of packaging incorporating NFC-based technology
T
he three-year SCOPE project (a £10 million collaboration involving
industry and co-funded by the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative) is building the manufacturing capability, capacity and skills required to commercialise and position the UK as a world leader in the production of smart products with printed sensors; a fast growing billion dollar global market. The Internet of Things (IoT) describes a
world in which everyday physical objects are able to communicate and exchange data with other connected devices through wireless technologies such as RFID and NFC. The latter is an emerging technology which constitutes an NFC chip embedded or applied onto an object such as product packaging and then activated by interaction with an NFC reader or a Smartphone. Data can be gathered and transferred between the two devices when held in close proximity. The production of NFC tags using printable electronics means that in the future this be achieved in a high volume, low cost manner with conformable geometries.
PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION ON FMCG Printed NFC will be able to be used for many applications including providing product differentiation on fast moving consumer goods, tracking or indicating the authenticity of a product in logistics, anti- tampering controls which provides data management information. However for the these products to reach
the retailer technology innovation is needed to develop the supply chain that facilitates the price points and market volumes industry needs for mass market adoption. The aim of SCOPE is to develop new processes, equipment and applications to enable the high volume manufacturing (billions or even trillions)
CPI), NFC know-how (NFS) and systems integration (CPI and PragmatIC). “The NFC-based applications targeted by the project are an ideal use case for the form factor and cost advantages of PragmatIC’s flexible integrated circuits,” says chief executive officer Scott White. “We are excited to be working with leading players across the entire supply chain to deliver commercial product solutions in mass market volumes.” The British Print Industry Federation
(BPIF) is supporting dissemination for the project, linking the supply chain together and providing end user feedback on the market readiness of the technology.
of printed electronic components that incorporate NFC. The project is providing a technology platform to develop innovative and novel functionalities and applications alongside the building of specialist skills and capabilities. A key emphasis is to apply highly automated and high speed integration techniques to meet target costs of <1cent per NFC tag. The consortium comprises 14 partners
across the UK’s packaging supply chain including world class end-users in Unilever, Hasbro, Crown Packaging alongside Tier-1 product supply-chain companies Andrews & Wykeham and Mercian Labels. Additionally the consortium unites complementary technical expertise in the production of flexible integrated circuits (PragmatIC), the automation of processes (Optek), ferrite materials (University of Kent), electronics design (Silvaco), polymer substrates (Innovia), inks (Invotec and
NFC is an emerging technology which constitutes an NFC chip embedded or applied onto an object such as product packaging
MULTIPLE APPLICATION SECTORS The project covers multiple application sectors including FMCG, beverage, games and security and provides a platform to develop second-generation opportunities within other key UK sectors including healthcare, food, energy, built- environment, defence and transport. Initial concepts are being developed around low-cost, high volume, printed logic for integration into labels for smart packaging and product branding on fast moving consumable goods “The project brings together the whole
The IoT describes a world in which everyday physical objects are able to communicate and exchange data with other connected devices through wireless technologies such as RFID and NFC
innovation value chain, providing the platform for end-users to develop their next generation packaging concepts and to prove these in terms of market viability and appeal,” comments programme manager Mike Clausen. “So far the consortium has made
excellent progress and worked closely to produce a range of NFC product concepts that integrate logic circuits produced on flexible substrates. “Going forward, the next steps are to upscale the manufacturing process to ensure that these novel NFC applications are produced at the cost and speeds that industry demands. To do this we are currently developing the capability to scale up these production processes to produce market trial samples of up to 50,000-100,000 tags”.
CPI T: 01642 455340
www.uk-cpi.com
16 SUMMER 2016 | IRISH MANUFACTURING
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