BOSTON – Can electronics be additively manufactured and flexible without compromising on the capabilities of conventionally produced integrated circuits (ICs)? Often described as 'print what you can, place what you can't', flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) offers an enticing blend of capabilities, enabling rapid prototyping, flexibility/stretchability, and roll-to-roll manufacturing of circuits with conventional ICs. Furthermore, this manufacturing methodology is moving out of research labs and into commercial production, with new and existing contract manufacturers now offering FHE.

IDTechEx's report "Flexible Hybrid Electronics 2024-2034" evaluates the status and prospects of FHE circuits, which we forecast to reach a market size of around US$1.8 billion by 2034 - more if the associated infrastructure, software, and services are included. Drawing on years of following the printed electronics industry and 40 interview-based company profiles, the report outlines trends and innovations in the materials, components, and manufacturing methods required. It explores the application sectors where FHE is most likely to be adopted, drawing on both current activity and an evaluation of FHE's value proposition. Granular market forecasts break down the opportunities for FHE circuits across 5 application sectors (automotive, consumer goods, energy, healthcare/wellness, and infrastructure/buildings/industrial) into 39 specific opportunities, such as skin temperature sensors and printed RFID tags.

Enabling Technologies

Manufacturing FHE circuits requires many current and developing emerging technologies that are essential to circuits. These include:

• Low-cost thermally stabilized PET substrates that are dimensionally stable.
• Component attachment materials compatible with flexible thermally fragile substrates, such as low-temperature solder and field-aligned anisotropic conductive adhesives.
• Flexible integrated circuits based on both thinned Si and metal oxides.
• Conductive inks based on both silver and copper.
• Thin film batteries, especially if printable.
• Printed sensors of all types.
• Manufacturing methods for mounting components on flexible substrates.

The IDTechEx report assesses the status and prospects of each technology in detail, with recent developments and technological gaps highlighted and the merits of different approaches compared. This analysis is based on interviews with many suppliers and annual attendance at multiple printed/flexible electronics conferences. Furthermore, we profile 6 government research centers and a range of collaborative projects from around the world that support the adoption of flexible hybrid electronics, demonstrating the major players and technological themes.

Assessing Application Opportunities

With so many potential addressable markets, establishing where FHE offers the most compelling value proposition relative to alternative electronics manufacturing approaches is essential. As a manufacturing methodology rather than a specific product, the benefits of using FHE are highly dependent on the application.

For prototyping and high mix low volume production, printing with digital methods such as inkjet rather than chemically etching the conductive traces enables straightforward adjustments to design parameters. This brings multiple benefits, including shortening the product development process by reducing the time between design iterations and facilitating product 'versioning' to meet specific customer requirements without substantially increasing production costs.

Alternatively, for very high-volume applications such as RFID tags, smart packaging, and even large-area lighting, the compatibility of FHE with high throughput roll-to-roll (R2R) manufacturing via rotary printing methods such as flexography and gravure offer the potential for reduced costs. Rapid production can be expedited by low-temperature and/or high-speed component attachment methods, with competing approaches analyzed in detail within the report.

Flexibility and stretchability, of course, also form part of FHE's value proposition. While conventionally manufactured flexible PCBs already meet some application requirements, such as for making electrical connections in confined spaces, the resilience of many printed conductive inks to repeated bending and tighter curvatures offers a clear differentiator. FHE is thus well suited for wearable applications such as electronic skin patches and applications where conformality is enabled by stretchability, such as integrated lighting.

Comprehensive Insight

IDTechEx has been researching developments in the printed and flexible electronics market for well over a decade. Since then, we have stayed close to technical and commercial developments, interviewing key players worldwide, annually attending conferences such as FLEX and LOPEC, delivering multiple consulting projects, and running classes/ workshops on the topic. "Flexible Hybrid Electronics 2024-2034" utilizes this experience and expertise to summarize IDTechEx's knowledge and insight across the compelling and rapidly emerging manufacturing methodology of FHE.

To find out more about this new IDTechEx report, including downloadable sample pages, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/FlexElec

DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY – From smart health patches to continuous glucose monitors to smart glasses, the use of medical wearables and consumer wearables for remote monitoring has increased dramatically. The shift from hospital care to remote home care has led to a demand in remote tracking and diagnostics. Devices are smaller, require better environmental protection and reliable diagnostics, while maintaining patient safety and comfort. These advancements in medical device design require innovative solutions to optimize devices and processes beyond today’s level of care.

For decades, Henkel’s adhesives and electronic materials have facilitated the design and manufacture of leading-edge medical devices, all engineered to streamline diagnostics and improve patient outcomes. The combination of the company´s materials know-how with its longstanding industry expertise continuously enables the co-development and support of medical solutions for caregivers and patients to improve quality of care and life.

Based on this experience Henkel now has expanded its portfolio for wearables in healthcare applications. Therefore, the company leverages its unique capabilities and broad portfolio of high-performance materials for a variety of wearable application types alongside the entire value chain. Henkel´s technology portfolio includes high-impact solutions for low pressure molding technologies, skin bonding, assembly adhesives and electronics and printed electronics.

Recently, the company has worked to adapt a molding technology, that was traditionally used in industrial electronics, for wearable medical applications. The new technology is medical grade and skin safe and replaces the typical clamshell housing, which requires multiple components and assembly steps, with a single step over-mold design. With this technology Henkel offers a significant process saving step that contributes to lower production cost, especially when there is a high volume of production.

“At Henkel, we believe that offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and solutions to our customers is the sustainable way to drive innovation and growth for businesses,” explained Philipp Loosen, Head of Industrials EIMEA and Global Key Accounts Medical at Henkel. “We are proud to expand our product portfolio of medical wearables into the market to further support our customers and eco-system partners with an efficient and reliable healthcare solution. With our products and technologies, we help to redefine the way people access and monitor their health.”

Henkel’s Medical Device Adhesives are tested to the industry’s most comprehensive ISO 10993 biocompatibility standards. In addition, the company employs strict manufacturing and quality controls to ensure continuity of compliance.

Henkel will showcase its wearables portfolio at the 44th WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES CONFERENCE 2023 USA from August 1-2, 2023, in Fort Mason Center, San Francisco (USA) and will be presenting on August 1st at 2:05 PM PDT.

To learn more about Henkel´s offering for innovative wearable solution for medical and healthcare applications, please visit Medical Electronic Devices – Henkel Adhesives (henkel-adhesives.com)

NASHVILLE – KYZEN, the global leader in innovative environmentally friendly cleaning chemistries, will exhibit at the SMTA Michigan Expo & Tech Forum on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at Laurel Manor in Livonia, MI, and the SMTA Ohio Valley Expo & Tech Forum on Thursday, August 17, 2023, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Cleveland- Rockside in Independence, OH.

At both events, the KYZEN clean team will highlight two products, each specializing in a different phase of the cleaning process: AQUANOX A4626 AND KYZEN E5631J. Though they are used at different phases of PCB assembly, both chemistries are formulated with a priority on cleaning efficiency and effectiveness.

AQUANOX A4626 is an environmentally friendly aqueous cleaning agent designed to quickly remove the latest polymeric no-clean flux residues with a wide compatibility window on boards, components, labels and metallic surfaces. A4626 is easy to use and control in addition to possessing long tank life and superior effectiveness for jettable paste applications.

KYZEN E5631J is a ready-to-use understencil wipe solution for removing raw solder paste in online and offline stencil cleaning processes. Formulated with both the worker and environment in mind, E5631J quickly and efficiently cleans all types of raw solder pastes and is proven compatible with common stencils, cleaning equipment and printer manufacturers.

For more information, visit www.kyzen.com.

DERRY, NH – StenTech® Inc., the leading multinational SMT Printing Solutions company, today announced the expansion of its operations with a new facility at 1050 Perimeter Rd. in Manchester. The move comes as a result of the company’s remarkable organic growth, necessitating additional space to meet the increasing demands of its valued customers.

With the current combined tooling and stencil operation in Derry reaching its capacity, StenTech has decided to relocate the stencil operation to the new state-of-the-art facility in Manchester. This strategic move creates room for the addition of more advanced tooling machines in Derry, optimizing production capabilities. Additionally, the new facility will offer ample space for the stencil department to grow and thrive independently, further enhancing StenTech’s service offerings.

“Our remarkable organic growth in Derry has presented us with exciting opportunities to better serve our customers,” said Greg Starrett, Director of Sales at StenTech. “By streamlining our operations and providing specialized space for our stencil department, we can continue delivering the best service and solutions to our valued clients.”

The move to the new facility represents a significant milestone for StenTech, signifying its commitment to continuously improving its operations and strengthening its position as the industry leader. With enhanced capabilities and increased capacity, the company is poised to meet the evolving needs of its customers with unparalleled efficiency and precision. StenTech remains dedicated to providing top-notch tooling and stencil solutions, tailored to meet the unique requirements of its diverse customer base. The new facility’s strategic location ensures seamless access to essential resources and a more convenient experience for clients seeking StenTech’s renowned services.

To learn more, visit www.StenTech.com