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December, 2020 Continued from page 1In-Mold Electronics (IME)....


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must withstand new forces. They must survive a one-off significant stretching, as the 2D printed sheet is formed into a 3D object. This is chal- lenging to achieve with functional inks, since stretching can break the circuit in a conductive ink’s path. There is no single required de-


gree of stretching. However, in gen- eral, higher levels of stretchability are desired. Roughly 20 percent elon- gation is the minimum requirement, while 60 percent or greater is pre- ferred in many cases. Functional materials must also


be reliable under harsh conditions in the field. This is especially critical for automotive applications. This was of- ten neglected in the early days, lead- ing to product failures and recalls. IME is composed of a stack of


materials that must be printed to achieve the desired effect. This stack can include graphic inks, conductive inks, dielectrics, transparent conduc- tive inks, carbon overcoats, and so on.


The most studied functional


material thus far has been conduc- tive ink. There are multiple suppliers worldwide offering conductive inks for IME. This attention is justified, since conductive inks represent the most expensive and high-value mate- rial in the stack, and because they are the most sensitive to changes in conductivity.


Low-temperature printable con-


ductive adhesives that also exhibit stretchability must also be compati- ble with one another. This compati- bility is critical, especially during the forming process and has a significant impact on final properties. The substrates are also being


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developed. Most have thus far uti- lized a polycarbonate substrate, due its good formability. However, many are now developing alternatives, such as special PETs. The molding material will also be important, espe- cially if new material can be made to relax the molding conditions.


Process Trends and Challenges The process is critical, and not


at all straightforward. It involves printing and curing multiple func- tional and graphical materials on a 2D-formable substrate, such as PC. It then involves converting the 2D sheet into a 3D shape through ther- mo or vacuum molding under elevat- ed temperatures. The question of picking and


placing rigid components is also chal- lenging. If the pick-and-place hap- pens after forming, then the system must be able to handle placement in 3D space. This requires a specialized placement system, as well as adhe- sive dispensing tools. The question of yield is a per-


sistent and particular challenge. This is because defects cannot be re- paired, since electronics are embed- ded or structurally integrated. As such, defects are expensive, as they ruin the entire fully formed device. Due to the difficulties, many


traditional membrane switch or oth- er functional printers with little ap- petite for risk have had to wait for the industry to further mature, be- fore investing in IME.


Designing IME Designing IME products re-


quires deep knowledge of materials and processes. It is not a streamlined process yet either, lacking estab- lished software packages with drop- and-place component libraries. This is in stark contrast to the


design processes found in standard PCB production. The market re- quirements are also not yet clear cut, well-established or convergent. De- spite years of development, the in- dustry is still in an exploratory phase, where it is developing numer- ous prototypes and running qualifi- cation processes. The products and prototypes are still mainly custom- made, without standard design. These factors all complicate the


product development process, pro- long time to market and form barri- ers to entry for users, as well as po- tential producers. However, the in- dustry is responding now and some firms are positioning to fill this need, helping to accelerate overall commer-


Continued on page 8 SCS PRECISIONCOAT V Contents


Tech-Op-Ed ........................... 4 Tech Watch ........................... 10 People.................................... 12 Business News......................... 14 Business Briefs........................ 15 Management......................... 16 EMS .................................... 18 ElectronicMfg. Prods............. 24 Production............................ 42 Partnering............................. 44 Distribution........................... 46 New Products....................... 58 High-Tech Events................... 76 Editorial Calendar................. 76 Advertisers Index....................... 78


Special Focus: Test and Inspection .................. 48


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