David Savastano, Editor04.18.12
There are tremendous possibilities ahead as new technologies emerge for printing electronic systems, whether it is displays, solar cells, batteries and so much more.
With an eye on that future, University of Texas at El Paso’s (UTEP) College of Engineering formed the Structural and Printed Emerging Technologies Center (SPEC) in early 2011. Backed by $3 million through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, $3 million from The University of Texas System and another $3 million contributed by industry partner Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, the SPEC Center has brought together world-class researchers and state-of-the-art equipment to develop and manufacture printed electronics (PE) systems.
SPEC has a combined leadership of strong academic and industrial personnel, led by co-directors Dr. Kenneth Church and Dr. Ryan Wicker. Dr. Church, research professor in electrical and computer engineering, has extensive experience in technology commercialization as well as strong university connections; he is the founder of advanced-technology companies Sciperio Inc. and nScrypt Inc.
Dr. Wicker has a strong background in academia, is an expert in 3D manufacturing and has been a prolific researcher and publisher. Together, they have a unique skill to work closely with industrial partners and provide relevant solutions while promoting new projects and opportunities to other faculty members who are part of the center.
Dr. Church said that SPEC is partnered with both government and industrial partners for funding and projects and works to tie those together with relevance and leverage to provide all parties a higher return on their investment.
“While grants are important, we are keen on contracts with specific deliverables and hard deadlines,” Dr. Church added. “This is atypical for a university to work on – with deliverables and deadlines, but this is natural for SPEC.”
Dr. Church sees opportunities for companies to emerge in the PE space.
“Emerging markets are established by enabling technologies and consumer preferences,” Dr. Church said. “While it is challenging to guess what consumers will pull on, it is not challenging to see the effect when consumers pull; new companies are created, existing companies can have massive growth and stubborn companies that are refusing to shift may erode and die.”
Dr. Church sees university research as being a key avenue for developing emerging technologies.
“Emerging markets also drive technology and this is important to universities,” Dr. Church noted. “Fundamental science will always be important, and SPEC will participate in fundamental science, but the topics of interest are chosen by emerging markets. In addition to fundamental science, the development of new technologies and even potentially new products is the ultimate goal of the center; again these research areas are influenced by consumer's and strategic partner's desires. “
Dr. Church sees PE as an up and coming field, and noted that there is a shift coming in electronics towards less cost and more personalization.
“The future of electronics will shift and there are two main drivers that will steer this: 1) more for less and 2) personalized,” he said. “The DoD wants more technology in less space and for less money. Consumers want even more than the DoD wants but for much less money. Traditional electronics manufacturing is reaching a limit given the current state-of-the-art technology that is being utilized. Industry has optimized and perfected printed circuit boards and the associated packaging; there is very little room for significant improvement.
“Additionally, individuals have found a freedom of expression in electronic accessories and are now ready to move beyond accessories and will soon demand freedom of expression in electronics,” Dr. Church added. “They do not want to be bound by colors, shapes, sizes or form factors. They will want to choose whatever they can imagine, and they will want it built immediately while maintaining the current purchase price. This is not possible utilizing mass production processes and equipment today. The future is in mass customization, and mass customization will require direct digital manufacturing. The Structural and Printed Emerging Technologies Center is a Direct Digital Manufacturing Center that is answering the need for emerging markets.”
Dr. Church believes that one pathway to printed electronics is through carbon nanotubes (CNT) and graphene, but to integrate these materials, new means of processing and packaging will be needed.
“The future of electronics will be heavily influenced by carbon nanotubes and graphene; while the promises and the funding for these areas have been large, their return to date has been little,” Dr. Church said. “We believe that CNT and graphene will impact consumers one day, but their impact will be limited if industry continues to use standard electronic packaging processes. Our focus is to utilize CNTs, graphene and other future materials but our fundamental focus is to research and develop new ways to package electronics. This implies eliminating solder and wire bonds, using computer-controlled directed self assembly and minimizing excess packaging waste – all of which will reduce the final product volume by one to three orders of magnitude; this is the future of electronics.”
UTEP is an ideal place for this research, as the college’s existing W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation is a leader in the field of additive manufacturing, which creates a part or product by adding layers of material in an efficient way that results in less waste, while improving both design freedom and unit-level customization.
In addition to printed electronics, the SPEC Center has the capability to produce devices of nearly all types, sizes and materials, such as the fabrication of complex three-dimensional mechanical and electronic devices, and even medical products formed of living tissue.
“The SPEC Center was established to co-exist with the Keck Center for 3D Innovation,” Dr. Church said. “There are more than 35 different additive manufacturing tools in the center. In addition, there are a number of electrical and mechanical testing stations and advanced equipment. New equipment is being brought in that will allow for a roll-to-roll process to exist in the Direct Digital Format. New processes that extend beyond ink are critical for the future. Inks are important and will be relevant, but inks are a small fraction of the materials of interest that must be digitally placed. The SPEC Center is equipped to print on any surface using a very broad range of materials to include inks and pastes to provide conductivity, mechanical structure and ferromagnetic and thermal properties.“
During its first year, SPEC has already made some notable advances, including producing 3D PE structures.
“3D printed electronic structures is now possible and SPEC is automating this process,” Dr. Church said. “In addition to this, a number of fundamental device demonstrations have been made to include sensors and transmitters. One of the key contributions in this that extend beyond 3D is the aspect of fabricating circuits without solder. “
SPEC’s faculty has excellent expertise in areas ranging from mechanical, electrical, computer and material science, which is playing a key role in RF devices.
“One of the unique attributes is the RF expertise that exists within the center to advance next generation RF devices; it is unusual to have RF expertise combined with novel material and structures as we have done,” Dr. Church said. “A number of electrical lines have been printed and mechanically tested for flexible attributes as well as RF attributes. SPEC is leading in the RF aspect of printed devices utilizing diverse materials and direct digital manufacturing.”
Aside from the ability to conduct research, universities also have the unique ability to train future generations of leaders.
“UTEP has recognized that manufacturing is a key component in the vitality of the U.S. economy, and must be addressed from a university’s perspective,” Dr. Church observed. “This implies significant research and expertise to understand how to compete in a worldwide market. This also implies training the students to lead the future of manufacturing. UTEP has focused degree programs in manufacturing, and the PE area is an emerging force that will need students trained specifically in this area.”
Dr. Church said that ultimately, consumers decide what products will succeed, and printed electronics have the capability to provide these products.
“Consumers will force a change in electronic manufacturing as we know it,” said Dr. Church. “Consumers do not care how a product is manufactured, but they do care how it feels, performs and costs. These factors will drive disruptive changes in the electronics manufacturing industry – much of which will be driven by PE. PE is starting to establish itself in performance and cost, and as the momentum continues to build, the PE market will grow to the billions as previously forecasted.”
SPEC has a combined leadership of strong academic and industrial personnel, led by co-directors Dr. Kenneth Church and Dr. Ryan Wicker. Dr. Church, research professor in electrical and computer engineering, has extensive experience in technology commercialization as well as strong university connections; he is the founder of advanced-technology companies Sciperio Inc. and nScrypt Inc.
Dr. Wicker has a strong background in academia, is an expert in 3D manufacturing and has been a prolific researcher and publisher. Together, they have a unique skill to work closely with industrial partners and provide relevant solutions while promoting new projects and opportunities to other faculty members who are part of the center.
Dr. Church said that SPEC is partnered with both government and industrial partners for funding and projects and works to tie those together with relevance and leverage to provide all parties a higher return on their investment.
“While grants are important, we are keen on contracts with specific deliverables and hard deadlines,” Dr. Church added. “This is atypical for a university to work on – with deliverables and deadlines, but this is natural for SPEC.”
Dr. Church sees opportunities for companies to emerge in the PE space.
“Emerging markets are established by enabling technologies and consumer preferences,” Dr. Church said. “While it is challenging to guess what consumers will pull on, it is not challenging to see the effect when consumers pull; new companies are created, existing companies can have massive growth and stubborn companies that are refusing to shift may erode and die.”
Dr. Church sees university research as being a key avenue for developing emerging technologies.
“Emerging markets also drive technology and this is important to universities,” Dr. Church noted. “Fundamental science will always be important, and SPEC will participate in fundamental science, but the topics of interest are chosen by emerging markets. In addition to fundamental science, the development of new technologies and even potentially new products is the ultimate goal of the center; again these research areas are influenced by consumer's and strategic partner's desires. “
Dr. Church sees PE as an up and coming field, and noted that there is a shift coming in electronics towards less cost and more personalization.
“The future of electronics will shift and there are two main drivers that will steer this: 1) more for less and 2) personalized,” he said. “The DoD wants more technology in less space and for less money. Consumers want even more than the DoD wants but for much less money. Traditional electronics manufacturing is reaching a limit given the current state-of-the-art technology that is being utilized. Industry has optimized and perfected printed circuit boards and the associated packaging; there is very little room for significant improvement.
“Additionally, individuals have found a freedom of expression in electronic accessories and are now ready to move beyond accessories and will soon demand freedom of expression in electronics,” Dr. Church added. “They do not want to be bound by colors, shapes, sizes or form factors. They will want to choose whatever they can imagine, and they will want it built immediately while maintaining the current purchase price. This is not possible utilizing mass production processes and equipment today. The future is in mass customization, and mass customization will require direct digital manufacturing. The Structural and Printed Emerging Technologies Center is a Direct Digital Manufacturing Center that is answering the need for emerging markets.”
Dr. Church believes that one pathway to printed electronics is through carbon nanotubes (CNT) and graphene, but to integrate these materials, new means of processing and packaging will be needed.
“The future of electronics will be heavily influenced by carbon nanotubes and graphene; while the promises and the funding for these areas have been large, their return to date has been little,” Dr. Church said. “We believe that CNT and graphene will impact consumers one day, but their impact will be limited if industry continues to use standard electronic packaging processes. Our focus is to utilize CNTs, graphene and other future materials but our fundamental focus is to research and develop new ways to package electronics. This implies eliminating solder and wire bonds, using computer-controlled directed self assembly and minimizing excess packaging waste – all of which will reduce the final product volume by one to three orders of magnitude; this is the future of electronics.”
UTEP is an ideal place for this research, as the college’s existing W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation is a leader in the field of additive manufacturing, which creates a part or product by adding layers of material in an efficient way that results in less waste, while improving both design freedom and unit-level customization.
In addition to printed electronics, the SPEC Center has the capability to produce devices of nearly all types, sizes and materials, such as the fabrication of complex three-dimensional mechanical and electronic devices, and even medical products formed of living tissue.
“The SPEC Center was established to co-exist with the Keck Center for 3D Innovation,” Dr. Church said. “There are more than 35 different additive manufacturing tools in the center. In addition, there are a number of electrical and mechanical testing stations and advanced equipment. New equipment is being brought in that will allow for a roll-to-roll process to exist in the Direct Digital Format. New processes that extend beyond ink are critical for the future. Inks are important and will be relevant, but inks are a small fraction of the materials of interest that must be digitally placed. The SPEC Center is equipped to print on any surface using a very broad range of materials to include inks and pastes to provide conductivity, mechanical structure and ferromagnetic and thermal properties.“
During its first year, SPEC has already made some notable advances, including producing 3D PE structures.
“3D printed electronic structures is now possible and SPEC is automating this process,” Dr. Church said. “In addition to this, a number of fundamental device demonstrations have been made to include sensors and transmitters. One of the key contributions in this that extend beyond 3D is the aspect of fabricating circuits without solder. “
SPEC’s faculty has excellent expertise in areas ranging from mechanical, electrical, computer and material science, which is playing a key role in RF devices.
“One of the unique attributes is the RF expertise that exists within the center to advance next generation RF devices; it is unusual to have RF expertise combined with novel material and structures as we have done,” Dr. Church said. “A number of electrical lines have been printed and mechanically tested for flexible attributes as well as RF attributes. SPEC is leading in the RF aspect of printed devices utilizing diverse materials and direct digital manufacturing.”
Aside from the ability to conduct research, universities also have the unique ability to train future generations of leaders.
“UTEP has recognized that manufacturing is a key component in the vitality of the U.S. economy, and must be addressed from a university’s perspective,” Dr. Church observed. “This implies significant research and expertise to understand how to compete in a worldwide market. This also implies training the students to lead the future of manufacturing. UTEP has focused degree programs in manufacturing, and the PE area is an emerging force that will need students trained specifically in this area.”
Dr. Church said that ultimately, consumers decide what products will succeed, and printed electronics have the capability to provide these products.
“Consumers will force a change in electronic manufacturing as we know it,” said Dr. Church. “Consumers do not care how a product is manufactured, but they do care how it feels, performs and costs. These factors will drive disruptive changes in the electronics manufacturing industry – much of which will be driven by PE. PE is starting to establish itself in performance and cost, and as the momentum continues to build, the PE market will grow to the billions as previously forecasted.”