Optomec Showcases GE Production Application at European Conference
May 9, 2017 | OptomecEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Optomec announced today that the company will showcase a groundbreaking production application developed working with its customer General Electric (GE). The application, which establishes the convergence of additive manufacturing and the Industrial Internet of Things, will be the highlight of the Optomec exhibit at the IDTechEx conference held May 10 -11 in Berlin, Germany. Optomec will be in stand # E-11.
This production application utilizes Optomec’s Aerosol Jet technology to print passive strain sensors directly onto turbine blades used in an industrial gas turbine. The sensors are composed of a ceramic material that can withstand the very high operating temperatures seen in the hot section of the gas turbine. These sensors can detect deformations in the underlying metal that could ultimately result in an expensive and sometimes catastrophic failure. GE recently unveiled this proprietary 3D Printed Sensor technology at their Future of Work Showcase in Boston. The data from the sensors has a direct tie to GE's Predix software platform, demonstrating the digital convergence between Additive Manufacturing and the Internet of Things. A video showing this Aerosol Jet printing process integrated into a robotic work-cell at GE will be available in the Optomec booth.
Also, examples of printed electronic devices will be on display in the Optomec booth along with a live demonstration of an Aerosol Jet 200 system for printed electronics used for a wide array printed electronics applications from R&D to high volume manufacturing. Optomec will also display fully printed and repaired 3D metal components produced by the company’s LENS customers that illustrate a range of 3D metal additive manufacturing capabilities.
In addition to the exhibition, Matthew Schrandt, Optomec Aerosol Jet Applications Engineer, will give a presentation titled “3D Printing of Flexible Circuits and Sensors”. Mr. Schrandt will explain how sensors can be printed onto 3D and flexible substrates using a variety of metal and resistive materials. Aerosol Jet is an ideal printing tool for precision deposition of polymeric and metal inks for these sensors. The process is a non-contact, high resolution printing technology that is compatible with a wide range of conductive, insulating, and resistive materials. He will present the functionality of printed strain gauges and thermocouple sensors in terms of robustness with flexing, thermal coefficients, resistance stability, gauge performance, and thermocouple Seebeck coefficient.
About Optomec
Optomec is a privately-held, rapidly growing supplier of Additive Manufacturing systems. Optomec’s patented Aerosol Jet Systems for printed electronics and LENS 3D Printers for metal components are used by industry to reduce product cost and improve performance. Together, these unique printing solutions work with the broadest spectrum of functional materials, ranging from electronic inks to structural metals and even biological matter. Optomec has more than 300 marquee customers around the world, targeting production applications in the Electronics, Energy, Life Sciences and Aerospace industries.
Suggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
05/03/2024 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007This week’s most important news is strategic—and telling. When one puts together the IPC industry reports, we simply have to include the recent conversation with Shawn DuBravac and Tom Kastner. On the design side, check out the latest “On The Line With…” podcast featuring Brad Griffin from Cadence Design Systems, discussing SI and PI in the realm of intelligent system design.
IMI Welcomes New CEO
05/03/2024 | IMIIntegrated Micro-Electronics, Inc. (IMI),The IMI Board of Directors announced, in a disclosure dated April 25, 2024, the appointment of Louis Sylvester Hughes, Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Electronics Industry Sentiment Rose in April, Hitting New High
05/02/2024 | IPCApril 2024 marked the third consecutive month of sentiment growth among electronics manufacturers. When asked if they expected labor costs for hourly workers to rise over the next month, manufacturers in the United States, Mexico, and Europe predicted a five percent increase, while manufacturers in Asia predicted a slightly lower four percent increase.
iNEMI Names Grace O'Malley CTO
05/02/2024 | iNEMIThe Board of Directors of the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) has named Grace O'Malley Chief Technical Officer (CTO).
ZESTRON Academy Launches 2024 Advanced Packaging & Power Electronics Webinar Series
05/01/2024 | ZESTRONZESTRON, the leading global provider of high-precision cleaning products, services, and training solutions in the electronics manufacturing and semiconductor industries, proudly announces the launch of its highly anticipated webinar series on Advanced Packaging & Power Electronics, a webinar series on the latest innovations, cleaning, and corrosion challenges.