Electronics manufacturing companies face increased challenges due to the constraints of the current manufacturing architecture. A promising solution is the combination of Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) and the fourth dimension – adding electrical and optical functionalities, known as 4D printing. This innovative approach involves printing 3D structures with additional functionalities, like metal interconnect lines, simultaneously.
The AMPERE project aimed to enable flexible, reliable production of smart systems relevant to Industry 4.0 and smart industrial processes. AMPERE Penta-Euripides² Project advanced smart design processes and extended the application range to power electronics, moving beyond the current state-of-the-art. This effort helps Europe regain its manufacturing leadership by closely integrating required processes with the design cycle, creating a world-leading and difficult-to-replicate capability.
Achievements and results of the project
The AMPERE project covered three use-cases:
- The (Philips) Lead extraction device:
— Baseline concept: adding the Philips Ultrasound module by Pick and Place on printed 3D structures
— Innovation track: new machine and software were built to fully integrate the structural body printing, pick & place and interconnect printing for functional imaging cores. - The (Signify) LED lighting demonstrators:
— LED spots and LED pendants were realized using 4D printing. - The (Würth) SPE connector:
— Possibility of the basic manufacturing of SPE connectors using hybrid production has been shown.
Technological achievements
Close cooperation across the entire value chain was key to achieving AMPERE’s ambitions. The project partners covered the whole range of necessary technical competences, as well as the complete value chain of materials, processes, equipment, product design, manufacturing and applications. This project has provided very valuable results and knowledge. This helps end users to realize more easily minimal viable products, such that early feedback can be obtained is a very important learning of this project.
To further benefit from the 4D printing approach, we need to reach a certain technological maturity level for widescale adoption, for which AMPERE has definitively shown the potential.
TNO and NeoTech gained a lot of knowledge on the 4D printing process, both technically as well as in terms of sustainable processing. In addition, insights gained in the AMPERE project have led Neotech to take the initiative to re-develop a CAD/CAM toolpath generator, aiming at a simple user interface enabling easier printing, sort of automatic code generator.
Market Potential
Lead extraction. The lead extraction device market will grow 5% annually, reaching $200 million by 2030. Philips Healthcare, currently holding 75% of the market in the US and Europe, may increase its share to nearly 90%. New ultrasound-guided sheets could boost market growth by 20-30%. Integrating these into the Philips Cathlab suite will strengthen Philips’ dominance.
LED. Electronics is a promising market for additive manufacturing, with high growth potential. Signify’s 2021 turnover was 6.86 billion euros, with 83% from LEDs. If 1% of this turnover is in AM luminaires, it could reach 57 million euros. The LED lighting market forecast for 2026 is 145 billion euros. Growth beyond 100 million euros is possible with increased market share.
SPE. By 2030, the global market for SPE connectors is projected to reach 25 million units. With a market share between 2% and 4.5%, this translates to 500,000 to 1.1 million units. Sales forecasts, based on Würth Elektronik eiSos’s past year sales and market knowledge, predict SPE connector sales starting in 2025. Given the strong growth of passive connectors and their projected market value of 40 billion USD by 2026, the market for SPE connectors is expected to rise. Even capturing 0.1% of this market translates to several hundred thousand units. The new SPE connector is likely to follow a similar distribution as the RJ45 connector.
Societal & Economic Impact
Philips CMUT housing is printed using a prototype 4D printing technology. In its current state it is already projected to be more environmentally friendly than a possible competing technology. Signify LED spot housing when printed with a more mature 4D printing process generates practically no waste during processing and near-unity material efficiency.
The Würth showcase has shown that the basic manufacturing of the SPE connector using hybrid production is possible. The further development of the Pick & Place and camera systems and the programming of the Neotech System 15XSA, had a positive impact on the production of the SPE connector. Towards the future we suggest investigating the use of copper for 4D printed electronics which will reduce the potential greenhouse gas emissions further.
Get to know more about AMPERE Project’s developments and impact here.
Penta and Euripides² are Eureka Clusters operated by AENEAS.