QA107 Printing, Curing, and Characterization Methods for Printable Conductors

Course Description

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to using printable conductors for additive manufacturing on polymer substrates. Students will explore various classes of conductive inks and learn to assess their performance and cost-effectiveness. The course also includes an overview of traditional and digital printing methods, techniques for drying, curing, and sintering, as well as the design and assembly variations compared to conventional circuit boards.

Course Objectives

• Gain historical insight and an overview of conductive ink classes, filler types, strengths, and weaknesses of printed conductors.
• Understand performance criteria for conductive inks and how to measure resistance.
• Explore the microstructure of low-temperature printable conductors.
• Learn test methods for assessing mechanical and environmental reliability.
• Review different printing methods, understanding resolution, and sheet resistance limits.
• Calculate trade-offs for transparent, printable conductors and films.