Additive PCB Manufacturing
InnovationLab says its additive PCB process is more energy efficient and generates less waste than traditional PCB manufacturing methods.
In traditional printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing, chemicals are used to etch away excess copper and create the finished board. However, many of these chemical solvents are toxic and pose a hazard to the environment and the people who handle them.
InnovationLab, a German company specializing in printed and organic electronics, has launched a new additive manufacturing process it claims is safer and more energy efficient.
InnovationLab has recently partnered with ISRA on a research project called Smart EEs2, funded by Horizon 2020, to create a manufacturing process for copper-based solderable circuits.
Printed, Solderable Flexible PCBs
These novel circuits are compatible with reflow processes, allowing manufacturers to easily install components and switch to this new technology without having to buy new equipment. InnovationLab’s PCBs are screen printed and can include up to four layers. The new process can also produce standard and flexible PCBs for hybrid electronics.
Automated Additive Manufacturing Process
The additive process introduced by InnovationLab uses a highly automated production process to build PCBs using multi-layer additive technology. The process operates at 150°C, which is lower than the temperature required for traditional PCB manufacturing.
InnovationLab offers a three-phase “Lab-2-Fab” pipeline for manufacturing PCBs, including R&D, pilot production and industrial production. During the R&D phase, InnovationLab works with the client to understand project requirements and feasibility. During the pre-production phase, InnovationLab rotates prototypes. Finally, during the industrial production phase, the prototype is rolled out to one of InnovationLab’s various manufacturing sites.
How InnovationLab Rethinks PCB Production
The novelty of InnovationLab’s additive manufacturing process is that it uses screen printing to create circuits that go into the PCB. At one of its production sites, InnovationLab has a “printer” that can print circuits onto copper very efficiently—the total area printed in one hour is the size of a tennis court. Compared to traditional technologies, InnovationLab’s substrates are 15 times thinner, reducing overall material consumption and waste.
Industrial Production Presses at Innovationlab
Instead of etching away copper to form traces (as in traditional PCB manufacturing), InnovationLab uses copper inks to quickly create electronic devices on-screen through an additive process. Copper inks, such as those made by Copprint, have a high level of conductivity after sintering. Sintering is the process of forming copper into a solid conductive substance after applying heat and pressure. This copper ink and additive process is likely to become more common in the future as PCB manufacturers seek to increase the efficiency of their manufacturing processes.
From Lab to Reality
Using multiple layers of printing, metals, and dielectrics, InnovationLab has developed a prototype that includes a low-power sensor and recorder, a printed antenna with a near-field communication (NFC) interface, and a small battery that harvests energy from one. Printed solar cells.
According to Dr. Janusz Schinke, head of the Printed Electronics Division at the Innovation Lab, the company will scale up its process to high-volume—one million or more solderable tracks—by the end of this year.
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