Growing Opportunities with 3D Printed Electronics

Reading time ( words)

Dr. Kurt Christenson, senior scientist at Optomec, discusses the company’s Aerosol Jet technology, which eliminates the need for wire bonding by printing interconnects on 3D surfaces. Christenson also explores the current state of the technology and highlights the market segments and applications with the most to benefit from being able 3D print electronic components, such as resistors, capacitors, antennas, and transistors.

Barry Matties: Kurt, can you tell us a little bit about your company?

Dr. Kurt Christenson: Optomec makes additive manufacturing equipment. We have two divisions. One division makes a product called LENS that makes a melt pool in metal with a laser and then sprays powdered metal in to add material. When it cools and freezes, it follows the crystal structure, so we can repair a single crystal turbine blade or make full 3D metal parts. My part of the company makes a product called Aerosol Jet, which atomizes an ink. We don’t care what’s in the ink as long as we can make roughly three-micron droplets.

Then, we aerodynamically focus it down to a size where we can make from 10-micron lines to three-millimeter strips, depending on the need. My personal focus has been on connecting integrated circuits. We call it three-dimensional IC or 3D IC.

Matties: A while back, I did an interview with your colleague [Pascal Pierra] where we discussed printing on the wings of airplanes and such.

Christenson: Yes. That was the Aerosol Jet, which is my side of things. One of the things we do is print on aircraft wings. For instance, antennas on drone wings is a common interest that we get. A second would be heaters on specialty windows or headlight heaters.

To read the full version of this article which originally appeared in the  April 2019 issue of Flex007 Magazine, click here.

07/19/2019 | Nolan Johnson and Dan Feinberg, I-Connect007

Dan Feinberg and Nolan Johnson speak with Amit Dror, CEO of Nano Dimension, about recent company events and the company’s focus on high-mix/low-volume and agile local manufacturing.

07/18/2019 | Kelly Scanlon, director, EHS policy and research

IPC member TTM Technologies is proud to show off the new wastewater-treatment system at its Sterling, Virginia plant, which is helping to enhance the company’s pollution prevention and resource recovery performance.

06/12/2019 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007

The Institute of Circuit Technology (ICT) held its 45th annual symposium on June 4, 2019 in Dudley at the Black Country Museum—a symbol of the spirit of innovation in engineering technology and the entrepreneurial and manufacturing skills that had established that region’s supremacy in leading the original Industrial Revolution. Here's a recap of the events and presentations at the symposium.