Micromanufacturing & digitalisation

We live in an increasingly digital world, in which every object or machine is likely to provide information on its state, its history or the environment with which it interacts and to which it can adapt thanks to instructions received remotely, or even autonomously. However, to generate, exchange and manage this data, suitable hardware is required, which contains sensors, actuators, batteries, antennas, etc. The integration of these functions must not in any way alter the form or primary function of the product they are associated with.

Micromanufacturing techniques offer the means to integrate sensors and other associated signal processing, energy management and communication functions in the least invasive way possible. In particular, and alongside miniaturisation techniques through micro-fabrication and micro-electronics, printed electronics (PE) allow various electronic functions to be added to a product without the need of a dedicated printed circuit board (PCB). The product becomes the PCB! A PE-based approach has no intention of replacing traditional electronics, but it is an ideal complement to integrate functions in the most discrete way possible or for particularly confined or harsh environments. Its additive nature also makes it more resource-efficient and less waste-generating.

During this express webinar (30 minutes), you will learn about different techniques for integrating electronics, using micro-printing. Various examples of applications in the medical, aerospace or environmental fields will be shown.