3D printing, printed electronics merged

Stratasys and Optomec have announced that they have successfully completed a joint development project to merge 3D printing and printed electronics to create the world's first fully printed hybrid structure, Market Watch reports.

The first project, the development of a “smart wing” for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) model with functional electronics, is a revolutionary event that has the potential to change product development in industries including medical device, consumer electronics, automotive and aerospace.

PC Mag notes that, according to a spokesman for Stratasys, the joint venture is somewhere between a proof of concept and a joint business initiative. While the Stratasys representative said the two companies are ready to takes orders, "this is not expected to be immediately widely used", he said.

In the case of the UAV wing, combining the rapid prototyping of 3D printing with the ability to embed electronics should save on weight and additional payload, eliminating the need to glue or other affix electronics to the structure, executives said. Both Stratasys and Optomec use what's known as additive technologies, building up the object, rather than carving it out of material.

Forbes quotes David Kordonowy, who leads Aurora Flight Sciences' Aerostructures Research Group, as saying: “We envision many potential applications of the Stratasys-Optomec approach for hybrid direct digital manufacturing. The ability to fabricate functional electronics into complex-shaped structures using additive manufacturing can allow UAVs to be built more quickly, with more customisation, potentially closer to the field where they're needed. All these benefits can lead to efficient, cost-effective fielded vehicles.”

The combination of FDM 3D printing and printed electronics technologies can provide benefits over traditional prototyping, manufacturing and field repair processes. Performance and functionality of products can be improved in two ways: 3D printers enable lighter weight mechanical structures; and conformal electronics printed directly onto the structure frees up space for additional payload. In turn, the process has a positive impact on the environment by using fewer materials.