Jetting Functional Fluids
Rheology, Deposition, Process & Development
Thursday 4 - Friday 5 July 2024
Novotel Gent Centrum Hotel, Ghent, Belgium
COURSE FOCUS
Digital deposition of fluids containing functional materials using inkjet is an extremely attractive proposition: being able to place a small and highly controlled amount of fluid to a few microns of placement accuracy has the potential to transform conventional manufacturing processes. Whether the functional fluids have electronic, pharmaceutical or other attributes, the challenge of getting them to jet from an inkjet printhead with suitable performance and to give the correct functionality on the target substrate can be a real headache.
In this course we will focus on the practicalities of inkjet printing of these challenging fluids. We will consider in detail the basic building blocks of a material deposition inkjet system: the inkjet printheads, the ink or fluid, the motion platform and the substrate. We will look at the methods available to create printed structures that deliver the required performance. In addition we will provide a background to fine-tuning inks and their jetting waveforms to improve performance. The course will also provide a background on the conventional manufacturing capabilities that must be matched for inkjet material deposition to move into large scale production environments.
LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS
As part of the course, there will be demonstrations using a Dimatix DMP deposition system - your chance to see this deposition platform in action.
COURSE OUTLINE
Thursday 4 July 2024
12:30 - 13:30 Registration
13:30 Course begins
The basic components of an inkjet system for functional fluid deposition
Heads
Choice of inkjet heads
Material compatibility
Drive electronics and systems
Selection criteria for inkjet heads
Inks
Basic tests for potential inkjet inks and re-formulation options
Jetting methods to evaluate ink performance
Inkjet platform
Buy or build?
Fundamental choices when deciding on a system
Accuracy and compensation methods
Control software considerations
Substrate
Fundamentals of the substrate – ink interaction
Practical substrate characterisation
How to optimise your patterning
Surface treatment options
Functionalising
Making the printed fluid into the printed “thing” you need
Thermal vs photonic methods for nano-metal materials
UV methods for dielectric type materials
17.00 Session ends
17:00 - 18:00 Reception
Join us for beers, wines and good company!
Friday 5 July 2024
09:00 Session begins
Inkjet image fundamentals
A primer on printing bitmap images (when you really want a nice vector)
What is a bitmap?
Encoders and drive systems
Resolution and image conversion
Dealing with image artifacts
Software techniques
Ink delivery and ink management systems
Filtration, heating/cooling, degassing and ink delivery
Customised and commercial ink delivery systems
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 Session begins
Practical applications and case studies
Examples and lessons learnt
Hands on with inkjet components
Moving functional printing to industrial scale
System considerations, yield requirements and cost modelling
An overview of material deposition and printed electronics using inkjet
Things that can (and maybe cannot) be done
17:00 Course ends
Course LeaderS
Dr Neil Chilton, Technical Director
Printed Electronics Limited, UK
Neil has more than twenty years’ experience in the field of electronics and electronic components. After completing his BSc and PhD in Physics, his technical career took him to Japan where he worked for four years at the advanced materials research division of Nippon Steel Corporation.
After returning to the UK he joined Europe’s then largest printed circuit board manufacturing company where he was later part of an MBO team and technical director. In 2006 together with co-founder Dr Steve Jones, he started Printed Electronics Limited to focus on the practical use of inkjet for manufacturing electronic interconnects, devices and systems.
Dr Clare Conboy, Formulation Chemist
Printed Electronics Limited, UK
Clare has more than 20 years’ experience of formulating and characterising fluids for spray and printing applications. This includes many years of working with inkjet inks for piezo and thermal DOD printheads, initially for graphics and in recent years for materials deposition applications, including a diverse range of materials including metals, inorganics and adhesives in a range of solvent systems. Following completion of a PhD in Chemistry, she has worked for a number of organisations with a focus on inkjet technology, including Xaar and Plastic Logic. Clare has been involved with Printed Electronics Limited since its establishment.