Prof. Harri Kopola gave a presentation on Printing based Manufacturing and Integration of Flexible Electronic Systems at PE2013, in Dresden, Germany, 9.10.2013.

1. Printing based Manufacturing and Integration
of Flexible Electronic Systems
Harri Kopola, Prof., VP Strategic Research
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Harri.Kopola@vtt.fi ,Tel.: +358405574867

2. Content
1
VTT and VTT Printed Intelligence
2
Roll-to Roll Manufacturing and Hybrid
Integration
Printed and Flexible Electronics concept
cases and applications
3
4
Hybrid In-mould Intelligence
5
PrintoCent for industrialisation and
commercialisation
6
Summary
VTT Printed Intelligence 2012 | For external use

3. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Turnover 316 M€ (2012) • Personnel 3,206 (31.12.2012)
VTT IS
a globally networked multi-technological applied research organisation
VTT HAS
extensive cross-disciplinary technological and business expertise
unique research infrastructure
comprehensive global partnership networks in business,
industrial and research communities
VTT CREATES
new technology and science-based innovations
in co-operation with domestic and foreign
partners

4. VTT Center for Printed Intelligence in brief
The vision is to create easy to use and cost effective products based on
sensing, light emitting surfaces, energy foils, optical films and electrical
circuits by using printing methods.
Key customer
sectors
- Medical and diagnostics
- Consumer electronics
- Construction and energy
- Materials and processes
- Consumer packaging
Key customer
offering
- Contract R&D
- Pilot production trials
- IPR licensing and sales
- Foresight and roadmaps
Key research areas
Program evolution
- Organic devices
- Inorganic devices
- Printed optoelectronics
- Biobased power sources
- Biobased indicators
- Bio- and microsystems
- Integrated solutions
- Large-area
manufacturing
- Pilot manufacturing
- Project mode late 90’s
- R&D program 2006- Commercialization
2010- Pilot Factory 2012
R2R infrastructure
- Laboratories
- R2R printing lines
- R2R evaporation unit
- R2R laser equipment
- R2R hybrid integration
VTT Printed Intelligence 2012 | For external use

5. Printed Intelligence Is Based on…
fluid processable materials technology
large area high-volume printing like massmanufacturing methods
functionality from electronics, biotechnology,
chemistry, optics, optoelectronics, etc. integrated
as devices and systems
Patterning, devices, integration, systems-on-foil,
embedding 'electronics’ into products
Generic,
enabling
technologies
R2R to hybrid processes & production equipment
Materials
Impression roll
Film
Doctor blade
Printing roll
Ink
+ possible interconnections of
printed systems to wider IS/ITsystems

6. Pilot Factory for Printed Intelligence at VTT
Laboratory facilities to fine tune the inks, printing procesess and make proof of concept demonstrators
R2R deposition of functional materials
R2R testing of functional layers
Example:
VIDEO KONEISTA
Section from video:
2:26-2:259
Example:
Deposition of 4 layers in
register with wanted
deposition process
up to 2 160m2 / day
Testing of connections
short cuts and resistivity
between points
50 000 measures /day
R2R assembly of components
R2R injection moulding over printed structure
Example:
Example:
Assembly of printed
and Si-components
from 300µm to 60mm
size
up to 100 000pcs / day
Injection moulding with
selected plastic material
over printed layer with
assembled components
5 000pcs/day
R2R processed Printed Intelligence product

7. Pilot Factory for Printed Intelligence at VTT
Current R2R process capability
Available R2R
processes:
Multilayer processing:
- Up to 4 layers
deposited at one run
- +/-50µm accuracy in
both direction
Dimensions:
- 300mm wide web
- 409,575mm repeat
length
Printing capability:
- 100µm conductive
lines with 100µm
gaps
- ITO patterning
-
Forward gravure
Reverse Gravure
Flexo printing
Rotary Screen
Slot die coating
Hot embossing
Lamination
Diecutting
Drying methods:
- Hot air ovens
- UV
- IR
Process speeds:
- Speed range from
0,1 to 30 m/min
- Gravure and hot
embossing up to 120
m/min
Material possibilities
Substrates used:
- Around 100 different
substrates tested
- Plastics from 36µm
to 500µm (OPP, PET,
PEN, PMMA, CA etc.)
- Papers without and
with coating
- Metal foils
Inks used:
- Conductive inks
- Isolative inks
- Semiconductor inks
- Commercial inks
- Proprietary inks
- Emitter inks
- Light abosorbing
inks
- Etc. A long list

8. 13/10/2013
Concepts for Integration
8

9. VTT creating functional products
from roll-to-roll printing
R2R processed OPV foil
Source
Solar energy module
Autonomous Energy
• Printed, organic and flexible
electronics
R2R processsed OLED foil 7-segment OLED display
element
• Roll-to-roll manufacturing
technologies for electronics,
optics and sensors
R2R hot embossing
sensor with
Microfluidic channels
R2R Printed sensors
signage
& passives
Wide area sensor matrix
R2R printed memory
Printed memory (WORM)
In-moulded OLED
Opto-fluidic
light source
• Integration to devices, systems
and products
Touch control for
Data-carrying card

10. Business Forecasts

11. Freedom of Design
Any shape for light emitting surfaces, solar cells,
touch sensors, microfluidic channels etc. with
printing
• Arbitrary shapes, any size, decorative design
• Flexible, thin and light-weight
• Various colours, transparency
• Scalability, customising
Microfluidic channels
Organic Photovoltaic Organic Light
for energy harvesting Emitting Diodes
in product package

12. Printed & Flexible Electronics Opportunities
Buildings
Asset management with autonomous sensors in
large-area surfaces:
• Temperature, humidity, air flow &quality etc. Printed,
and/or Si, OFT switching
• Arbitrary shape and decorative energy
harvesting &storage with printing
• Zero-power electronics, wireless power
Energy efficiency and Comfort with Smart lighting:
• Thin, conformal, large-area illuminated surfaces
• Integrated smart control, wireless communication
and interoperability e.g. with 3D depth sensors
• Hidden configurable user interfaces and control
panels is walls, furniture
Key features:
Easy integration
Invisible - Decorative
Distributed in large-area
Smart windows and active facades:
• Controllable transmission windows with
electrochromic films
• Transparent User Interfaces
• Building integrated Photo Voltaic

13. Turn any surface to smart User Interface
Wallpapers, construction elements or furniture can
become User Interfaces
• Proximity sensing for wide-area user interfaces
• Hidden/visible UI elements for every surface also conformal
• Thin modular structure for quick installation and
configuration
• IoT compatibility – App and cloud connected
Capacitive sensors – Resistive sensors –
Transparency
touchless
Courtesy FP7 FLEXIBILITY
Force sensors –
robustness

14. Printed & Flexible Electronics Opportunities
Automotive
Conformal In-mould Interiors:
• Integrated lighting & overhead consoles
• Control panels for doors, armrests, pillars and
central console
• Printed Heaters for floors, seats
Conformal autonomous exteriors:
• Photovoltaic and batteries
• Tail lights
• Embedded climatic sensors
Courtesy Fiat
Key features:
Reduced weight, volume
and cabling
Increased safety and
comfort
Fuel savings and reduced
emissions
Vision enhancement & info availability:
• Transparent displays
• Head-up-display optical films
• Sun protection electrochromic films

15. Printed & Flexible Electronics Opportunities
Personal Wellbeing
Wellbeing:
• Detect volatiles in breath or food with printed
sensors
• Detect volatiles or bacteria in food
• Disposable indicators for water quality
Cosmetics:
• Flexible solution for electrical and light-based
skin care with disposable batteries, LEDs
• Microfluidic solutions for liquid and fragrance
delivery
Key features:
Disposable
Easy to use
Low cost
Health:
• Printed medical diagnostics based on
microfluidistics
• Flexible hybrid disposable healthcare sensors
with printable components such as sensors,
displays and batteries.

16. New flexible products- case Disposable
healthcare sensor
Single-patient use disposable healthcare sensor
• Concept demonstrated
• Simple flexible structure with polycarbonate foil,
printed wirings, SMD components bonded with
conductive adhesive
• Connector over-moulded on the functional foil:
mechanical locking, electrical connections and
plastic embedded SMD components.
Developed in TEKES funded
project
Mobisens for GE Healthcare
Healthcare sensor
Over-moulded connector

17. Printed & Flexible Electronics Opportunities
Consumer Electronics & Accessories & Games
Design Freedom :
• Arbitrary shape and decorative battery life
extension with printed photo voltaic
• Elimination of holes and interconnects with
printed touch controls
• Thin, flexible, light-weight and robust for
wearable electronics with elastomer overmoulding
Integrated signage and lighting:
• Conformal indicators and back-lighting with
ultra-small ILED and OLEDs
• Secondary displays with ILEDs,
electrochromics and electrophoretic displays
Key features:
Design Freedom
Conformal functional
surfaces
Reduced complexity and
volume
New user experience:
• Control by bending
• Touch controls
• Combining with graphical products

18. Printed & Flexible Electronics Opportunities
Retail
Point-of-purchase:
• Attention and information
• User interface connecting physical and digital
world for new WEB services
• Interaction and cloud connection with NFC
smart phone
Interactive brand advertising:
• Blinking lights with ILEDs and OLEDs +
wireless power
• Changing images with active paper or
electrochromic displays
• Electronic shelf labels
Key features:
Eye-catching
Interactive
Productivity
Logistics:
• Logistic chain condition monitoring with printed
sensors, displays, memory, battery
• Active 2D&3D RFID tags for goods &
container tracking & history
• Stock management with force sensors

19. Flexible Signage and lighting
Indicators and backlighting elements to be integrated
to thin, flexible and conformal end products
• Interactive packaging and point-of-sale products
• Gaming and entertainment applications
• Interactive graphical products such as posters
with user interfaces
• Smart cards and smart labels
• Consumer electronics and interior design
products
Flexible OLEDs
LED chips on flex
Hidden indicator lights

20. Hybrid in-mould intelligence
Integration of printed and surface mount discrete electronics components
into freeform intelligent products
using roll-to-roll compatible mass manufacturing methods.
Next generation
In-Mould-Labelling
from graphic overlays, front
panels and labels
owards
more integrated
Assembled Film Over
Moulding
Integrated functionalities:
Sensors & Sensor arrays • User feedback • Processing & Communication •
Power supplies & Storage • Antennas & Wiring

21. Assembled Film Over-mouldingOptics-electronics-mechanics combined
Next generation In-Mould-Labelling from graphic
overlays, front panels and labels towards more
integrated Assembled Film Over Moulding
• Flexible OLED foil embedded into 3-D mechanical
structure
• LED bare dies/packages + light guiding optics
• Capacitive touch controls, wirings, control
electronics etc.
• Integrated battery compartment and on/off switch
can be formed in the injection moulding process
without any additional post-processes
Smart covers
In-moulded OLED
Plastic optics

22. New Product concepts:
Spin-offs
Commercialization case of hybrid In-mould Intelligence
•
•
•
•
•
•
Company founded 2011
Cost-effective touch panels
Highly integrated, non-breakable structure
Tablet, phone and PC markets
Patented optical touch screen technology
www.tactotek.com

23. Increase the maturity level

24. Printed Intelligence Industrialisation - Printocent
Centre for business development in the area of Printed
Intelligence and Optical Measurement.
Offers a world-class Roll-to-Roll pilot manufacturing
environment based on Printed Intelligence
processes.
Brings together complementary players across the
value chain - ranging from technology providers to
customers.
New Printocent Industry Cluster: Eco-system
building
Now 35 companies committed
Contact Director Ilkka Kaisto (ilkka.kaisto@vtt.fi)
Copyright VTT

25. PrintoCent Industry Cluster members 31.8.2013
GoodWiller
Oy
Micro & startup
SME
Copyright VTT
LSE

26. PrintoCent 2013 – 2015
Cluster and the Three programmes
Copyright VTT

27. COLAE- pan-European supply chain in
Organic and Large Area Electronics
COLAE project connects players within the industry to
create and develop a pan-European supply chain that
deliver tangible value and benefits for its members.
COLAE Services:
Enhancing awareness
OLAE training
Feasibility network
Virtual OLAE foundry
Acronym: COLAE
Starting date: 1 Sep 2011
Duration: 36 months
Call: FP7-ICT-2011-7
EC budget: EUR 3.75M
Coordinator:
VTT Technical Research
Centre of Finland
More Info: www.colae.eu

28. Summary
• Printed Intelligence and Electronics Technology and Components
demonstrated
• Roll-to-Roll and Hybrid Integration Pilot Factory available
• Time for System and Product development
• We wellcome new Cooperation Partners to join our research and
commercialization efforts
creating application driven value chains
membership in PrintoCent Ecosystem
or bilateral co-operation
Wireless power
Hybrid integration
Printed conductors
Embedded Electronics
Embedded Software

29. VTT creates business
from technology
PRINSE’14 – Printed Intelligence
Industrial Seminar
In Oulu, Feb. 25-26, 2014
Contact information:
Harri Kopola
Prof., VP Strategic Research
Harri.Kopola@vtt.fi
Tel.: +358405574867