-
-
News
News Highlights
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Hole Truth: Via Integrity in an HDI World
From the drilled hole to registration across multiple sequential lamination cycles, to the quality of your copper plating, via reliability in an HDI world is becoming an ever-greater challenge. This month we look at “The Hole Truth,” from creating the “perfect” via to how you can assure via quality and reliability, the first time, every time.
In Pursuit of Perfection: Defect Reduction
For bare PCB board fabrication, defect reduction is a critical aspect of a company's bottom line profitability. In this issue, we examine how imaging, etching, and plating processes can provide information and insight into reducing defects and increasing yields.
Voices of the Industry
We take the pulse of the PCB industry by sharing insights from leading fabricators and suppliers in this month's issue. We've gathered their thoughts on the new U.S. administration, spending, the war in Ukraine, and their most pressing needs. It’s an eye-opening and enlightening look behind the curtain.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
Purdue Joins Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Initiative
September 9, 2015 | Purdue UniversityEstimated reading time: 2 minutes

Purdue will be a part of a $171 million initiative that hopes to bring America to the forefront of an emerging technology.
The University will head a part of the Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute, which aims to improve the manufacturing side of flexible hybrid electronics. In addition, the project will include 96 companies, 11 laboratories and non-profits, 41 other universities and 14 state and regional organizations.
The initiative is funded, in part, by the Department of Defense. The Obama administration wants America to be at the forefront when it comes to the manufacturing of flexible hybrid electronics. A key aspect of this five-year undertaking is job creation.
“We don’t want to put all of these types of jobs offshore,” said Ali Shakouri, the Mary Jo and Robert L. Kirk director at the Birck Nanotechnology Center in Discovery Park and professor of electrical and computer engineering. “20 years ago they said we just want to be a service industry, but now they realize that is not good. If you don’t manufacture, you don’t innovate in that area and eventually others will.”
Flexible hybrid electronics serve many uses. Many of the uses are in the realms of soft robotics, medical health monitoring and fitness. If you have ever played “Call of Duty,” you can picture the idea of information being fed to you as you wander about playing soldier. This is not too far from reality. The Department of Defense has taken an interest in this project, because of the benefits it could have for what they define as warfighters.
The warfighter will be able to understand his or her environment better by superimposing information onto a battlefield screen that tells the individual about resources and threats in the environment, allowing for more awareness and safety.
Most of these uses are already known, but there is still a problem.
The methods of manufacturing the flexible hybrid electronics are not efficient or cost effective enough in the U.S. to compete with global markets.
To do this, the flexible hybrid electronics will be exposed to an additive process of printing, as opposed to the subtractive process of etching that currently holds back the industry.
“The cost, in many cases, is dictated by tooling and set up time,” said Tim Fisher, professor of mechanical engineering, who is involved in the initiative. “If you can make your process much more customizable, then you could be faster and more adaptable to the need for customization. There will also be less material wasted if you are printing it directly as opposed to dumping it on and washing part of it away, then recovering what is left.”
The improvements to the manufacturing and printing processes will take place, in part, at Purdue. It will give students the chance to learn and help the process, thanks to the infrastructure already on campus.
“It is really all about making devices for what people need in their daily lives,” said Fisher. “So much of what we do involves things that bend and fold, like newspapers, but also the visor for a pilot that needs to be bendable. The impetus is to make it more consumer friendly.”
Purdue gives a large sum of money to the world of military technology.
Purdue puts forth a substantial amount of money for the world of technology, as the U.S. strives to better provide for soldiers. Part of the developmental process will take place at Purdue, where students will be given to chance to take part in the process.
Suggested Items
I-Connect007’s Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
07/04/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007For our industry, we have seen several bullish market announcements over the past few weeks, including one this week by IDC on the massive growth in the global server market. We’re also closely watching global trade and nearshoring. One good example of successful nearshoring is Rehm Thermal Systems, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in Mexico and the official opening of its new building in Guadalajara.
Hon Hai Education Foundation Continues to Promote Quantum Education
07/04/2025 | FoxconnHon Hai Education Foundation has long been committed to promoting forward-looking technology education in Taiwan's high schools, and held the "High School Quantum Teacher Training Camp" in Tainan City on July 1.
Incap UK Achieves JOSCAR Zero Accreditation
07/04/2025 | IncapIncap Electronics UK has been accredited under JOSCAR Zero, a new sustainability-focused extension of the defence and aerospace sector’s supplier assurance system.
Kitron Secures Contract for Components Supporting Unmanned Aerial Systems
07/04/2025 | KitronKitron has received a contract with an estimated value between EUR 4 and 8 million for the production and supply of advanced electronic components used in unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
NOTE Receives Order Worth 132 MSEK and Expands Collaboration with Customer within Security & Defense
07/04/2025 | NOTENOTE has received an order worth SEK 132 million from one of its existing customers operating within Security & Defense. NOTE thereby strengthens its long-term collaboration with the industry-leading customer.