One of the most important features of the annual LOPEC conference is the annual Business Conference, in which leading industry executives discuss their experiences with flexible and printed electronics. LOPEC 2017’s Business Conference brought many insights to attendees.
 
Wolfgang Mildner, LOPEC general chair and founder/CEO of MSW, opened the Business Conference. He noted that the hall that LOPEC has used through the years has now completely sold out of exhibition space.
 
“We have completely filled the exhibition hall, and moved our Start-Up Forum outside of the hall,” Mildner said. “There’s more that is being exhibited and seen this year.”
 
Mildner was followed by John LeMoncheck president and CEO of Cambrios Advanced Materials, who discussed “Lessons from Our Rise, Fall & Rebirth.” Cambrios had been forced to auction itself off, and was acquired by one of its customers, TPK.
 
“These lessons apply to all of us,” LeMoncheck said. “First, you have to keep your head up, as you never know where your success will come from.” He noted as an example how touch pads became the tool of choice for laptops.
 
The second lesson was “The new new thing will beat the new old thing every time.” He urged that start-ups have to change the world. That is quickly followed by lesson three, “Fail fast but don’t fail often,” or recognize mistakes fast.
 
Lesson four, “Be better not cheaper,” was illustrated by Cambrios’ ClearOhm technology, which initially had the same performance for less cost than ITO. LeMoncheck noted that the ITO manufacturers simply lowered their prices until the start-ups ran out of money. Cambrios quickly improved its technology, gaining market share, but the loss of a big contract hurt them, leading to their first demise.
 
When Cambrios was acquired by TPK, the fifth lesson came into focus: “Perseverance and luck.” Today, Cambrios has regained its market share, and is moving into new markets such as building integrated organic photovoltaics.
 
The Business Conference then broke into two concurrent groups, Business Conference and Short Courses. The first Business Conference session was End-User Applications and Requirements. The speakers included Dr. Christopher Hand, chairman of Abingdon Health Ltd, who discussed “Biosensors for Medical Diagnostics.”
 
“We are combining printed electronics and immunodiagnostics, using antibodies to detect substances,” Dr. Hand noted. “We are working with Sumitomo Chemical to develop multiplexing quantitative lateral flow immunodiagnostic devices with a portable sensor.” These devices can be used to detect human health, animal health or agriculture, depending on the sensor. The OLEDs and organic photodetectors are printed.
 
Vincent Salle, VP, business development, Parlex Europe next analyzed “Printed Electronics in Automotive Applications.” Salle focused on human machine interfaces (HMI).
 
“The auto industry requires that HMIs have an inclusive design and avoid distracting the driver,” said Salle. “They must be used in a simple way, be able to reach and use force to activate. Cost is very important, both for product and system as well as integration.”
 
Salle noted that conductive traces and electrodes are printed. He noted that PEDOT inks are used, but they are more expensive than nanosilver or graphene, which he expects to be used in the future for the conductors and electrodes. He also said that in-mold electronics could replace assemblies in the future as well.
 
Thomas Gallner, director Search Field CO2 Reduction Technologies, Continental Automotive GmbH, focused on “Printed Electronic Solution for Future Automotive Applications.” Gallner reported that printed electronics has been of interest to Continental for the past two to three years. Ine advantage is printed electronics’ ability to quickly develop next-generation technologies.
 
“PE can reduce lifecycle time to meet consumer demand,” Gallner said. “We use non-contact printing due to fragile substrates and topography. Printed electronics can go into sensors, flexible HMIs, energy harvesting, intelligent glass control and tire sensors. PE is a growing market segment.”
 
Enid Kivuti, director of innovation and technology, Multek Flexible Circuits, who covered “Enabling Smart and Connected Living through Advances in High Volume Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing,” discussed printed electronics delivered by roll-to-roll screen-printing technology.
 
“Flexible printed electronics can use standard technologies,” said Kivuti. “Roll-to-roll printing offers economy of scale. Advantages of roll-to-roll screenprinting include the ability to print large format, multi-layer and fine line printing with the ability to use multiple ink types, different curing methods on a wide variety of substrates. This will continue to provide high volume, cost effective solutions.”
 
YD Ynvisible S.A. GM Jani-Mikael Kuusisto led off the second segment, Business and Product Developments, discussing “Natural Human Machine Interfaces in Ambient Intelligence: a Case for Printed Electrochromics.” 4JET microtech GmbH & Co. KG CEO Jörg Jetter looked at “Unchartered Territory - A Laser Equipment Maker´s Approach to Organic and Printed Electronics.”
 
“Activities of TOYOBO Focusing on Substrates, Stretchable Conductive Ink and Smart Textiles” was the focus of the presentation by TOYOBO Co., Ltd. manager Yasuaki Koseki. Molex business development manager Wladimir Punt analyzed “New Generation Hybrid and Flexible Platform for Electronic Sensors & Systems.”
 
Supply-Chain Challenges was the subject of the third session, with talks by Dr. Stephan Klotz, BASF Schweiz AG’s director new business development, offered his thoughts on “Novel R2R Barrier Film Solutions and Their Applications.” Dr. SeongWoo Chung, chief marketing officer and EVP, Sunic System, Ltd., looked at “Rise of OLED Equipment Market.”
 
Dr. Stephan Kirchmeyer, relations and marketing manager, University of Cologne, covered “The Role of COPT. Center to Initiate Business for Organic Electronics in North Rhine-Westphalia.” Matthias Jotz, global product manage, semicon and sensors, SCHOTT AG, covered “Ultra-Thin-Glass - Striving for the Seamless Integration of Thin Glasses into Today’s Mass Production Processes and Environments,” a look at flexible glass.
 
Examples and Strategies of IP Usages to Transform Technology was the focus of the final Business Conference segment. Central Midori International GM Pascal Delloue opened with “From Adding to Creating Value.” Dr. Andreas Haldi, chief marketing officer, CYNORA, analyzed “Towards Commercialization of New Blue TADF Emitters for OLED Displays.”
 
Dr. Florian Pschenitzka, director of new application, Kateeva, Inc., covered “Inkjet Printing for OLED Manufacturing.” Genes’Ink CEO Corinne Versini closed the Business Conference with “The Nano Revolution,” a look at the beginnings of a new age of chemistry.
 
The other session is devoted to a series of Short Courses. The first course, Materials for Printing Electronics, was led by Pukyong National University professor Prof. Jiyoul Lee, who discussed “Printable Electronic Materials for Organic Thin-Film Devices: Design and Applications,” a look at fundamentals of organic semiconductor for printed electronics.
 
The second course, presented by Prof. Henrique Leonel Gomes, professor at Instituto de Telecomunicações, covered “Electrical Characterization of Printed Circuits and Devices: Strategies to Improve Yield and Performance.” The third Short Course was given by Prof. Luisa Torsi, full professor, University of Bari, who covered “Ultra-Low Detection Limits and Selectivity with Organic Bio-Electronic Sensors.” The final Short Course was conducted by Dr. Christoph J. Brabec, University Erlangen-Nürnberg professor, who focused on “Printed Photovoltaics.”