David Savastano, Editor03.09.22
After missing out on in-person 2020 and 2021 LOPEC conferences due to the COVID-19 pandemic, LOPEC 2022 returns March 22-24, 2022 at Messe Munich.
Held in partnership with the OE-A and Messe Munich, LOPEC 2022 provides a forum for leading researchers in the industry, featuring scientific papers and speakers. This year’s show will feature the latest products and services for the production of printed and flexible electronics.
Klaus Hecker, the OE-A’s managing director, said that attendees and exhibitors are enthusiastic about getting together again, adding that LOPEC is at pre=pandemic levels in terms of presentations and exhibitors.
“We are looking very much forward to the live event,” Hecker said “Meeting people, networking, discussing, seeing, touching and experiencing latest technologies and products – that’s what we are looking forward to. We currently have around 150 exhibitors onsite and 200 conference presentations. This means we are back to a pre-pandemic level and keep growing as an event and community - everything is prepared!”
Hecker noted that the OE-A is receiving a lot of positive feedback from the community.
“Since a large part of our industry consists mainly of small, medium-sized companies, networking to them is more important than ever,” he added. “If you are still growing as a company your need for meeting potential partners and contacts is high. And of course, also established companies looking forward to the direct feedback from the customers and the community.”
The Industry Shows Growth
Since the last meeting in 2019, much has changed, and Hecker sees the printed and flexible electronics industry as making strong headway.
“The flexible, organic, and printed electronics industry has matured,” said Hecker. “Currently, companies around the world are looking at how they can incorporate the technical advantages of printed and organic electronics into their product with the objective to make it even better and to gain competitive advantages.
“Automotive, consumer electronics and medical applications made significant steps, entering mass production during that time,” added Hecker. “Touch sensors are now widely used in in cars and in consumer products. The first monitor based on printed OLEDs has entered the market.
“Another proof is the constantly growing OE-A Competition,” Hecker pointed out. “We received more than 20 submissions from 11 countries. The competition projects for automotive and healthcare which are close to market are growing year by year. There is definitely going on a lot in the industry and in research. Make sure to stop by the OE-A booth to get an update.”
Among this year’s key topics are Smart Living and Mobility, with the cross-cutting topic of Sustainability also featured.
“There are good reasons for these focus topics: In many Smart Living applications printed electronics are included,” Hecker observed. “The thin electronic components can have key functions that provide more comfort, well-being and safety in all kinds of circumstances and environments.
“And printed electronics has a its place in mobility long since, flexible, organic and printed components have already gone into series production and setting about trends and concepts for the mobility of the future,” he added. “Sustainability is an overarching topic that connects the focus topics and is a feature and the essence of PE being thin and lightweight. All these topics will be a common thread running through the exhibition, the conference agenda, the Innovation Showcase and the Start-up forum.”
Highlights of LOPEC 2022
Wolfgang Mildner, general chair of LOPEC, anticipates many highlights ahead for LOPEC 2022.
“Exhibition-wise, it’s the large number of industry heavyweights,” said Mildner. “Alongside Coatema, DuPont Teijin Films, Eastman Kodak, ELANTAS, Evonik Operations, Hamamatsu Photonics, and Heidelberg Printed Electronics, other companies including Henkel, Heraeus, Kroenert, NovaCentrix, OES, Panasonic, TNO/Holst and Varta Microbattery will also be at LOPEC 2022. And don’t miss the Innovation Showcase, the new start-up area and its forum, where latest products and developments will be presented.”
LOPEC 2022 will have three conference modules: the Business Conference, the Technical Conference, the Scientific Conference and the Plenary.
“In their plenary speeches, Prof. Ronald Dekker, senior research scientist at Philips, and Dr. Guido van Tartwijk, CEO of Heliatek, will present impressive application examples,” said Mildner. “They will look at intelligent medical technology and organic solar films. In addition, Rainer Hundsdörfer, chairman of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, and Dr. Michael Heckmeier, EVP of Merck, will speak in the plenum.”
The LOPEC Business Conference will also focus on industry-relevant aspects. Mildner noted that Dr. Wolfgang Clemens from PolyIC will outline the market opportunities offered by printed touch sensors which companies such as Volkswagen and the home appliance manufacturer BSH integrate in their products.
“The presentations during the Technical Conference will have a practical focus, too,” Mildner added. “There will be plenty of ideas for innovations, for example when Pete Valianatos from E Ink explains how a technique found in e-book readers can allow car bodies to change color at the push of a button. Visit the exhibition to experience the E Ink BMW live!”
The scientific highlights will include the plenary speeches from Prof. Luisa Torsi, professor of chemistry at the University of Bari, Italy, and Prof. Elizabeth von Hauff, head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology.
“Luisa Torsi, an expert in organic electronics and winner of the Wilhelm Exner Medal in 2021, will present ultra-sensitive biosensors which, among other things, can be used for early detection of cancer,” Mildner reported. “Elizabeth von Hauff will focus on flexible electronics. Her presentation will give insights into processes for depositing functional layers on flexible substrates.”
LOPEC 2022 Schedule
Tuesday, March 22 opens with the Plenary Session, LED by chair Wolfgang Mildner, followed by “Decimating the CO2 Footprint of Solar Energy with Organic Solar Films,” presented by Heliatek CEO Dr. Guido van Tartwijk.
It then breaks into two sessions: Business Conference and Short Courses. The Business Conference features sessions on Business and Product Development; Markets ad Business Environment; and End-User Applications and Requirements.
The Short Courses include Inks Solvent and Bio-Based; Printing Process Control; Substrates (Paper/Plastic/Stretchables); Barrier Properties (Stability); E-Textiles and Smart Patches; Displays; and Sustainability.
The March 23 Plenary Session will include:
• LOPEC general chair Wolfgang Mildner, founder and CEO of MSW;
• Rainer Hundsdörfer of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG – “Leveraging Heidelberg’s 170 Years Heritage to Create a Digital Future Based on Printing and Electronics.”
• Michael Heckmeier, Merck – “ OLED at Merck: Shifting Paradigms in Display”
• Prof. Luisa Torsi, University of Bari – “Sensing at the Zeptomolar Concentration Level with Large Area Bioelectronic Interfaces.”
Day 2 features two Technical Conference tracks and one Scientific Conference tracks. The Technical Conference tracks include Wearable Electronics; User Interfaces; Smart and Hybrid Systems; Substrates and Encapsulation; Functional Materials; and Upscaling Production and Manufacturing Processes.
The Day 2 Scientific Conference has sessions on Advanced Materials for Energy Applications; Circuit Design, Simulations and Systems; and Advanced Materials for Flexible and Printed Applications. There will be a poster session afterward.
The March 24 Plenary Session will include:
• LOPEC general chair Wolfgang Mildner, founder and CEO of MSW;
• Dr. Henri Rajbenbach, European Commission – “Eco-designed Flexible and Printed Electronics Gains Support in Horizon Europe.”
• Prof. Ronald Dekker, Philips – “Accelerating Innovation for Smart Medical Devices.”
• Prof. Elizabeth von Hauff, Fraunhofer FEP – “Future Directions in Flexible Electronics - Fraunhofer FEP”
• Christof Ernst, Kunststoff Helmbrechts AG, and Christian Ruhe, GE-T GmbH – “3D IML Touch Panels Manufactured with Functional Foil Bonding (FFB).”
Day 3 features two Technical Conference tracks and one Scientific Conference tracks. The Technical Conference tracks include Flexible and Large Area Displays; Biomedical and Healthcare Applications; Lighting; 3D Structural Electronics; Circular Economy and Green Electronics; Smart Textiles; and Energy.
The Day 3 Scientific Conference has sessions on Strategic Devices; Smart Sensors for Quality Control; and Smart Sensors for Wearable Applcations.
For more information on LOPEC 2022, visit www.lopec.com.
Held in partnership with the OE-A and Messe Munich, LOPEC 2022 provides a forum for leading researchers in the industry, featuring scientific papers and speakers. This year’s show will feature the latest products and services for the production of printed and flexible electronics.
Klaus Hecker, the OE-A’s managing director, said that attendees and exhibitors are enthusiastic about getting together again, adding that LOPEC is at pre=pandemic levels in terms of presentations and exhibitors.
“We are looking very much forward to the live event,” Hecker said “Meeting people, networking, discussing, seeing, touching and experiencing latest technologies and products – that’s what we are looking forward to. We currently have around 150 exhibitors onsite and 200 conference presentations. This means we are back to a pre-pandemic level and keep growing as an event and community - everything is prepared!”
Hecker noted that the OE-A is receiving a lot of positive feedback from the community.
“Since a large part of our industry consists mainly of small, medium-sized companies, networking to them is more important than ever,” he added. “If you are still growing as a company your need for meeting potential partners and contacts is high. And of course, also established companies looking forward to the direct feedback from the customers and the community.”
The Industry Shows Growth
Since the last meeting in 2019, much has changed, and Hecker sees the printed and flexible electronics industry as making strong headway.
“The flexible, organic, and printed electronics industry has matured,” said Hecker. “Currently, companies around the world are looking at how they can incorporate the technical advantages of printed and organic electronics into their product with the objective to make it even better and to gain competitive advantages.
“Automotive, consumer electronics and medical applications made significant steps, entering mass production during that time,” added Hecker. “Touch sensors are now widely used in in cars and in consumer products. The first monitor based on printed OLEDs has entered the market.
“Another proof is the constantly growing OE-A Competition,” Hecker pointed out. “We received more than 20 submissions from 11 countries. The competition projects for automotive and healthcare which are close to market are growing year by year. There is definitely going on a lot in the industry and in research. Make sure to stop by the OE-A booth to get an update.”
Among this year’s key topics are Smart Living and Mobility, with the cross-cutting topic of Sustainability also featured.
“There are good reasons for these focus topics: In many Smart Living applications printed electronics are included,” Hecker observed. “The thin electronic components can have key functions that provide more comfort, well-being and safety in all kinds of circumstances and environments.
“And printed electronics has a its place in mobility long since, flexible, organic and printed components have already gone into series production and setting about trends and concepts for the mobility of the future,” he added. “Sustainability is an overarching topic that connects the focus topics and is a feature and the essence of PE being thin and lightweight. All these topics will be a common thread running through the exhibition, the conference agenda, the Innovation Showcase and the Start-up forum.”
Highlights of LOPEC 2022
Wolfgang Mildner, general chair of LOPEC, anticipates many highlights ahead for LOPEC 2022.
“Exhibition-wise, it’s the large number of industry heavyweights,” said Mildner. “Alongside Coatema, DuPont Teijin Films, Eastman Kodak, ELANTAS, Evonik Operations, Hamamatsu Photonics, and Heidelberg Printed Electronics, other companies including Henkel, Heraeus, Kroenert, NovaCentrix, OES, Panasonic, TNO/Holst and Varta Microbattery will also be at LOPEC 2022. And don’t miss the Innovation Showcase, the new start-up area and its forum, where latest products and developments will be presented.”
LOPEC 2022 will have three conference modules: the Business Conference, the Technical Conference, the Scientific Conference and the Plenary.
“In their plenary speeches, Prof. Ronald Dekker, senior research scientist at Philips, and Dr. Guido van Tartwijk, CEO of Heliatek, will present impressive application examples,” said Mildner. “They will look at intelligent medical technology and organic solar films. In addition, Rainer Hundsdörfer, chairman of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, and Dr. Michael Heckmeier, EVP of Merck, will speak in the plenum.”
The LOPEC Business Conference will also focus on industry-relevant aspects. Mildner noted that Dr. Wolfgang Clemens from PolyIC will outline the market opportunities offered by printed touch sensors which companies such as Volkswagen and the home appliance manufacturer BSH integrate in their products.
“The presentations during the Technical Conference will have a practical focus, too,” Mildner added. “There will be plenty of ideas for innovations, for example when Pete Valianatos from E Ink explains how a technique found in e-book readers can allow car bodies to change color at the push of a button. Visit the exhibition to experience the E Ink BMW live!”
The scientific highlights will include the plenary speeches from Prof. Luisa Torsi, professor of chemistry at the University of Bari, Italy, and Prof. Elizabeth von Hauff, head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology.
“Luisa Torsi, an expert in organic electronics and winner of the Wilhelm Exner Medal in 2021, will present ultra-sensitive biosensors which, among other things, can be used for early detection of cancer,” Mildner reported. “Elizabeth von Hauff will focus on flexible electronics. Her presentation will give insights into processes for depositing functional layers on flexible substrates.”
LOPEC 2022 Schedule
Tuesday, March 22 opens with the Plenary Session, LED by chair Wolfgang Mildner, followed by “Decimating the CO2 Footprint of Solar Energy with Organic Solar Films,” presented by Heliatek CEO Dr. Guido van Tartwijk.
It then breaks into two sessions: Business Conference and Short Courses. The Business Conference features sessions on Business and Product Development; Markets ad Business Environment; and End-User Applications and Requirements.
The Short Courses include Inks Solvent and Bio-Based; Printing Process Control; Substrates (Paper/Plastic/Stretchables); Barrier Properties (Stability); E-Textiles and Smart Patches; Displays; and Sustainability.
The March 23 Plenary Session will include:
• LOPEC general chair Wolfgang Mildner, founder and CEO of MSW;
• Rainer Hundsdörfer of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG – “Leveraging Heidelberg’s 170 Years Heritage to Create a Digital Future Based on Printing and Electronics.”
• Michael Heckmeier, Merck – “ OLED at Merck: Shifting Paradigms in Display”
• Prof. Luisa Torsi, University of Bari – “Sensing at the Zeptomolar Concentration Level with Large Area Bioelectronic Interfaces.”
Day 2 features two Technical Conference tracks and one Scientific Conference tracks. The Technical Conference tracks include Wearable Electronics; User Interfaces; Smart and Hybrid Systems; Substrates and Encapsulation; Functional Materials; and Upscaling Production and Manufacturing Processes.
The Day 2 Scientific Conference has sessions on Advanced Materials for Energy Applications; Circuit Design, Simulations and Systems; and Advanced Materials for Flexible and Printed Applications. There will be a poster session afterward.
The March 24 Plenary Session will include:
• LOPEC general chair Wolfgang Mildner, founder and CEO of MSW;
• Dr. Henri Rajbenbach, European Commission – “Eco-designed Flexible and Printed Electronics Gains Support in Horizon Europe.”
• Prof. Ronald Dekker, Philips – “Accelerating Innovation for Smart Medical Devices.”
• Prof. Elizabeth von Hauff, Fraunhofer FEP – “Future Directions in Flexible Electronics - Fraunhofer FEP”
• Christof Ernst, Kunststoff Helmbrechts AG, and Christian Ruhe, GE-T GmbH – “3D IML Touch Panels Manufactured with Functional Foil Bonding (FFB).”
Day 3 features two Technical Conference tracks and one Scientific Conference tracks. The Technical Conference tracks include Flexible and Large Area Displays; Biomedical and Healthcare Applications; Lighting; 3D Structural Electronics; Circular Economy and Green Electronics; Smart Textiles; and Energy.
The Day 3 Scientific Conference has sessions on Strategic Devices; Smart Sensors for Quality Control; and Smart Sensors for Wearable Applcations.
For more information on LOPEC 2022, visit www.lopec.com.
