A major added value is the fact that the report includes detailed ten-year market forecasts for each 3D electronics manufacturing technology. These markets are segmented in the report by both revenue and area/volume.

Integrating electronics into or onto plastic objects is a relatively new manufacturing approach. This makes new products have new features, greater integration and better sustainability in the electronics industry.

Main approaches to 3D electronics:

·         Application of electronics to a 3D surface

·         In-mold electronics

·         Fully 3D printed electronics

For each approach, the report outlines the pros and cons and uses a number of case studies to show how different manufacturing techniques and materials meet the requirements for potential applications in automotive, consumer goods, integrated circuit packaging and medical environments.

How to apply electronics to a 3D surface

The report discusses the following technologies:

·         Laser Direct Structuring (LDS)

·         Aerosol blasting

·         Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT)

Adding electrical features to the surface of 3D objects is most commonly done with LDS (laser direct structuring) technology. It is used to produce hundreds of millions of devices each year, including antennas and simple interconnects on the surface of 3D injection molded plastic objects. A huge development in LDS technology was seen about 10 years ago. LDS has the benefits of high patterning speeds and widespread adoption, however, LDS also has weaknesses that leave room for alternative technologies.  LDS uses a valve nozzle for printing, which is already used for a small fraction of antennas. On the other hand, this technique allows for the rapid deposition of a wide range of materials.

Aerosol blasting and laser induced transfer (LIFT) offer higher resolution and fast deposition of a wide range of materials.

In addition to these three main technologies, the IDTechEx report also compares other new techniques such as ultra-precise dispensing, electro-hydrodynamic printing, impulse printing, pad printing and spray metallization. Particularly in the telecommunications and microelectronics sectors, IDTechEx predicts a gradual growth of the semi-additive electronics market.

In-mold electronics

The established in-mold decorating (IMD) process can nowadays be extended with IME technology. It is possible to use a large part of the existing know-how and already acquired equipment. IME differs from IMD in particular in the initial screen printing of conductive, thermoformable inks, followed by the application of electrically conductive adhesives and SMD assembly. More complex multilayer circuits can also be produced by printing dielectric inks that allow crossover.

In-mold electronics (IME), in which electronics are printed/assembled before being thermoformed into a 3D component, facilitates the transition to greater electronics integration. This is particularly useful where capacitive touch sensing and lighting are required.  As a result, IME will offer weight and material reduction of up to 70% compared to conventional mechanical sensors. As an added bonus, your workers will appreciate the easier product assembly.

Unfortunately, the commercial deployment of SMD components integrated into IMEs is still rather limited. The slow uptake is most likely due to the difficulty of meeting the qualification requirements of the automotive industry, which is the primary target market for this technology, as well as a number of less sophisticated alternatives, such as applying functional films to thermoformed parts. However, these are not the only prerequisites for a more mass scale deployment of the technology. For mass scale adoption of IME, the technology will need clear design rules, materials that conform to established standards, and most importantly, the development of electronic design tools.

IDTechEx predicts that the most significant growth in 3D electronics will occur in the area of in-mold electronics (IME) once it passes the validation phase.

Fully 3D printed electronics

Fully 3D printed electronics is arguably the most innovative approach to additive electronics today. In this technology, dielectric and conductive materials are deposited in a sequential manner. SMD components are also gradually placed in these products, resulting in a circuit, potentially with a complex multi-layer structure embedded in a 3D plastic object. Each object and embedded circuit can be manufactured to a different design without the cost of making masks and moulds, which is a huge benefit to manufacturing companies.

If you need to produce a wide range of components in a short period of time, this technology is a great choice. Fully 3D printed electronics technology is also suitable for applications where customized shape uniform functionality is important. The potential of this technology is also to use the same equipment to produce multiple different components where you separate unit cost and volume, which can allow the technology to transition to on-demand manufacturing.

Market analysis and forecasts

"IDTechEx - 3D Electronics/Additive Electronics 2024-2034: Technologies, Players and Markets" provides a comprehensive analysis of the technologies and market trends that promise to move electronics manufacturing into 3D. Based on more than 30 company profiles, this analysis is divided into three distinct segments. If you are thinking about what new technology to incorporate into your manufacturing, this analysis is for you. In fact, the analysis evaluates the different technologies, potential barriers to adoption and opportunities for applications in each segment.

Among other things, this analysis includes detailed ten-year market forecasts for each 3D electronics manufacturing technology, segmented by application sector and defined by both revenue and area/volume.

More info: 3D Electronics/Additive Electronics 2024-2034: Technologies, Players, and Markets: IDTechEx