ElectroPRINT

CTTC is involved in various collaborative projects, and ElectroPRINT is one of them.

Printed electronics on ceramics

Electronics / Additive manufacturing

ELECTROPRINT AIMED TO BLUR THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN PRINTED ELECTRONICS AND CERAMICS.

This project aimed to demonstrate for the first time the possibility of creating a three-dimensional ceramic/metal component by combining two 3D printing technologies (Stereolithography for ceramics and Aerosol Jet Printing for metal).

For the demonstration, a 20x20 mm² alumina pyramid, featuring slopes at 45° and 70°, was fabricated using SLA technology. After sintering, the resulting part matched the desired shape and dimensions within one-tenth of a millimeter.

Using several 3D scans of the part, it was then possible to precisely position a second 2D pattern (metal tracks) to be printed with Aerosol Jet Printing with very high accuracy (within two hundredths of a millimeter) on a 3D surface.

Different design phases and 2D/3D measurements of the ceramic part and the metallic tracks were conducted.

These results demonstrated the value of hybridizing multiple additive technologies for manufacturing multi-material components with complex shapes, particularly for ceramic components (MLCC, HTCC, etc.), sensors, connected objects, packaging, and high-frequency applications.

Ongoing developments focus on fabricating multi-material structures in a single step using a new hybrid printer, enabling the production of buried 3D tracks.

Project duration: 2015–2016
Funding: €126,000
Collaboration: CTTC / Ceradrop