An Additive Manufacturing Technique for the Production of Electronic Circuits, Phase I

The proposed 9-month research project aims for the development of additive manufacturing techniques for the creation of electronic devices. It will develop an innovative additive manufacturing technique that combines the ink-based printing with laser melting technology to directly print a three-dimensional (3D) system with built-in electrical properties and functioning as an electronic device. The fundamental electronic device includes the resistor, conductor, semiconductor, insulator and capacitor. This proposed 3D printing technique involves (1) the development of five fundamental ink-based printing materials suitable for conductor, resistor, capacitor, semiconductor and insulator production; (2) the design of the five rotating injectors for five distinct ink-based materials; (3) the development of laser melting technology to provide on-demand melting and solidification of the dispensed ink-based materials; and (4) the evaluation of 3D printing control software. More »