The binder Innovations- &Technologiezentrum (ITZ) n Bad Rappenau conducts research and development in the field of printed electronics, covering technology, product, and production development. The ITZ focuses on functionalizing 3D surfaces using pad printing, a direct additive process. Special emphasis is placed on developing sensor components, such as those for capacitive or resistive measurements.
The possibilities of the process for printing force sensors currently depend mainly on the selection of the printing machine, which limits the motif and substrate size. The maximum motif size of a sensor is currently 160x160mm, with structure widths of up to 100µm being achievable.
The pressure can be applied directly to concave, convex or structured surfaces. The measuring resistors (e.g. 350Ohm, 1kOhm) can be subsequently tuned or trimmed using a laser process, as in the classic range. Furthermore, depending on the application, adhesive/insulation and protective layers can also be printed on directly.
With the merger of binder electronic solutions, electronic solutions for sensor data acquisition can be offered from prototyping and development to series production.