Dave Savastano05.05.12
NovaCentrix, the leader in photonic curing tools and innovative conductive inks for printed electronics, announced the presentation of the PulseForge 3200-X2, the newest PulseForge model, operating on-site at drupa 2012 in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The new PulseForge variant offers increased production speeds and decreased consumables cost in comparison to the other PulseForge tools, which already lead the industry. Additionally, the new X2 variant optimizes the high-speed drying capabilities of the PulseForge tools. The PulseForge 3200-X2 is being demonstrated as integrated into a MicroFLEX roll-to-roll web processing system offered by 3D-Micromac AG.
This integrated tool is printing NovaCentrix Metalon ICI copper-oxide reduction inks and curing them to copper in a single operational sequence on-site in real-time. The new PulseForge 3200-X2 tool can be seen currently operating at the NovaCentrix exhibit in Hall 7 (Innovation Park), booths E21 and E23 until May 16.
“The drupa event is a great opportunity to launch the latest PulseForge model, to a community that appreciates and demands economical, scaled production,” said Stan Farnsworth, vice president marketing. “The shear scope and international reach of this event is allowing us to connect with our existing printed electronics customers as well as reach new clients. This newest PulseForge model directly supports our customers who are now commercializing printed electronics-based products.”
PulseForge photonic curing tools process high-temperature materials on low-temperature substrates, and are ideal for drying, sintering, annealing, and reacting the functional materials of interest in the emerging printed electronics industry. Unlike traditional oven technologies, the patented photonic curing process selectively heats thin films to very high temperatures using microsecond-scale flash lamp pulses without damaging low temperature substrates, such as polymers and paper.
By adjusting the pulse attributes using the touch-screen interface, temperature profiles in the film and substrate can be closely controlled and optimized to achieve high-performance properties at high-speed roll-to-roll processing rates. These capabilities are critical for customers developing new applications in photovoltaics, RFID, displays, sensors and batteries.
NovaCentrix is also be presenting its Metalon-brand conductive inks, including the ICI-series of copper-oxide reduction inks. The ICI inks are an innovative class of inks developed by NovaCentrix based on the patent-pending formulation of copper oxide particles and a reduction agent.
After printing, these inks are converted to highly-conductive thin-film copper when a PulseForge tool is used to modulate a high temperature reduction reaction between the copper oxide and the reducing agent. Additionally, the conversion process happens in ambient air and on low temperature substrates such as paper or plastic at production speeds. The ICI inks are available in print-method-specific formulations and are priced in volume at $75/kg.
The new PulseForge variant offers increased production speeds and decreased consumables cost in comparison to the other PulseForge tools, which already lead the industry. Additionally, the new X2 variant optimizes the high-speed drying capabilities of the PulseForge tools. The PulseForge 3200-X2 is being demonstrated as integrated into a MicroFLEX roll-to-roll web processing system offered by 3D-Micromac AG.
This integrated tool is printing NovaCentrix Metalon ICI copper-oxide reduction inks and curing them to copper in a single operational sequence on-site in real-time. The new PulseForge 3200-X2 tool can be seen currently operating at the NovaCentrix exhibit in Hall 7 (Innovation Park), booths E21 and E23 until May 16.
“The drupa event is a great opportunity to launch the latest PulseForge model, to a community that appreciates and demands economical, scaled production,” said Stan Farnsworth, vice president marketing. “The shear scope and international reach of this event is allowing us to connect with our existing printed electronics customers as well as reach new clients. This newest PulseForge model directly supports our customers who are now commercializing printed electronics-based products.”
PulseForge photonic curing tools process high-temperature materials on low-temperature substrates, and are ideal for drying, sintering, annealing, and reacting the functional materials of interest in the emerging printed electronics industry. Unlike traditional oven technologies, the patented photonic curing process selectively heats thin films to very high temperatures using microsecond-scale flash lamp pulses without damaging low temperature substrates, such as polymers and paper.
By adjusting the pulse attributes using the touch-screen interface, temperature profiles in the film and substrate can be closely controlled and optimized to achieve high-performance properties at high-speed roll-to-roll processing rates. These capabilities are critical for customers developing new applications in photovoltaics, RFID, displays, sensors and batteries.
NovaCentrix is also be presenting its Metalon-brand conductive inks, including the ICI-series of copper-oxide reduction inks. The ICI inks are an innovative class of inks developed by NovaCentrix based on the patent-pending formulation of copper oxide particles and a reduction agent.
After printing, these inks are converted to highly-conductive thin-film copper when a PulseForge tool is used to modulate a high temperature reduction reaction between the copper oxide and the reducing agent. Additionally, the conversion process happens in ambient air and on low temperature substrates such as paper or plastic at production speeds. The ICI inks are available in print-method-specific formulations and are priced in volume at $75/kg.