The digital transformation poses a variety of challenges to all industries. One of them is surely the pressure to leverage the potential of new technologies to enhance performance. At the same time, emerging technologies make new approaches possible: printed electronics evolve the traditional electronics in terms of efficiency and flexibility to open up completely new application fields, from personal hygiene products to smart surfaces for home or mobility applications. Being on top of this development, functional ink plays a key role in printed electronics, transforming a substrate into a conductive surface.

Electroninks, the world’s most advanced supplier of particle-free silver, gold, and platinum conductive inks and pastes, today announces that it is entering into a strategic alliance with Enjet Inc., the world leader in ultra-high resolution printing to support advanced manufacturing of display, touchpanel, and packaging products. The key to this engagement is the shared value of commitment to customer success. Combining capabilities and resources will demonstrate both company’s continued investment in delivering world class conductive ink and printing equipment products.

Due to the increasing spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Europe and on the basis of the recommendations of the Bavarian State Government as well as of the responsible health authorities, Messe München feels compelled to cancel LOPEC 2020. This measure is taken in consultation with the industry association OE-A, co-organizer of LOPEC, and in responsibility for the health of exhibitors and visitors. The next LOPEC will be held on March 23 to 25, 2021.

Cameras, light barriers and motion detectors have one thing in common: they work with light sensors, which are already indispensable in many applications. In the future, these sensors could also play an important role in telecommunications by enabling data transmission using light. Scientists from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) at the InnovationLab in Heidelberg have succeeded in taking a decisive step forward in this development: printable light sensors that can see colors. They have now published their results in the journal Advanced Materials (DOI: 10.1002/adma.201908258).

PolyIC will be presenting new touch sensor applications at this year's Embedded World fair from February 25 - 27 in Nuremberg and at LOPEC from March 24 - 26 in Munich. On display will be advanced sensor solutions for the complex demands of the automotive, consumer electronics and household appliance industries.

At LOPEC 2020, the company Folex is showing coated films for the production of printed electronics on an industrial scale. These materials include transparent, conductive coated substrates for e.g. heating applications or sensors.

In partnership with Folienwerk Wolfen, Linxens announces its first eco-friendly PRELAM® manufactured using recycled PETg, reducing the need for PVC in smart card manufacturing and contributing to making plastic cards ‘greener’.

Stretchable circuits have the advantage that they also work in textiles such as clothing. However, their production is considered to be very costly. A new, simplified process has now been presented by two computer scientists from Saarland University. It is based on a so-called laser cutter and its precise, fast cuts. These are provided by easy-to-use software developed by Daniel Gröger and Professor Jürgen Steimle for designers. Since the necessary materials are available on the market, almost any person can now produce stretchable electronics for their own purposes.

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) pave the way to self-driving vehicles. In 2022, they will become mandatory in the EU in order to improve road safety. To achieve this objective, the camera, Radar and LiDar (light detection and ranging) systems have to accurately function in all weather conditions. Especially at freezing temperatures, sensors must be deiced quickly and kept ice-free while the vehicle is on the road. Specifically for ADAS applications, Schreiner ProTech offers innovative film heaters based on printed electronics. Installed in the enclosures of the environment-monitoring systems, they ensure reliable and permanent deicing of the sensors.

Nissan Chemical granted licence of StoreDot’s MolecuLED™ solution

Nissan Chemical to expedite the development and production of high performance in-pixel wavelength conversion coating materials

- Printed circuit board (PCB) engineers can develop accurate virtual prototypes to validate designs throughout the PCB design process with ease.

- Xpedition® platform provides the industry's first "shift-left" upfront verification capability within the engineer's authoring environment to minimize design re-spins and improve overall product quality.

MGI Digital Technology and Agfa Specialty Products announced today the formal creation of a strategic development agreement focused on the Printed Electronics industry. The objective is to combine MGI Digital Technology’s innovative industrial engineering and Agfa’s unique and complementary chemical research to develop and launch the world’s first comprehensive industrial inkjet solutions for the Printed Electronics market. With this alliance, the companies target the growing global demand for printed electronic components and solutions.