Optomec, a global supplier of additive manufacturing solutions for applications ranging from medical to solar to electronics and defence markets, announced the selection of its Aerosol Jet Deposition systems for printed electronics by three major European players namely, Innovation Lab (Germany), CEA Liten (France) and the University of Sheffield (U.K.). Including the three industrial labs, the total number of European users of Optomec exceeds 40.
The jet deposition systems are employed in the development of advanced technologies for fuel and solar cells, 3D electronic devices, electronic displays and sensors amongst other printed electronic devices.
The University of Sheffield will use the Aerosol Jet system to fabricate a glass substrate based series of photomask samples comprising positive and negative microarrays. The Aerosol Jet is an economical and direct method of printing the photo masks as opposed to complex traditional methods riddled with numerous intermediary processes. The Innovation Lab will use the Aerosol Jet system to deposit fluids, thereby eliminating the need for spin coating. In addition, the system facilitates structured layer creation of fluids in the place of full layers.
The Aerosol Jet system will be located at the PICTIC of CEA. PICTIC is the first platform dedicated to printed electronics in Europe. The jet system will allow fine traces of dielectric materials and conductors to be digitally printed on flat and three-dimensional surfaces.