IntEgreat – Sustainable PCB integration Through 3D overprinting

Coordinator: MyTooliT GmbH (https://www.mytoolit.com/)

Integracija elektronskih podsistemov v industrijske komponente omogoča prehod na digitalno transformacijo. Trajnostni način prekrivanja tiskanih vezij (PCB) je tehnologija 3D pretiska. Omogoča različne možnosti oblikovanja, uporabo naprednih trajnostnih materialov in zmanjšanje odpadkov v primerjavi s subtraktivnimi proizvodnimi procesi. Namen projekta je pretisniti PCB-je z uporabo metode ciljnega nanosa filamenta (FDM) in razmisliti o postopku recikliranja za ločevanje elektronike od nosilnega materiala.

Ker je tehnologija 3D-tiskanja relativno nova, je tehnološki razvoj aplikacij, kot je 3D-pretisk PCB-jev, precej omejen. Trenutno ni razvite tehnologije na ključ za avtomatizacijo tega procesa. Med projektom bomo razvili najprimernejši tehnološki postopek za zaustavitev procesa 3D tiska, vstavljanje tiskanih vezij in nadaljevanje tiskanja. V okviru projekta bo izvedena tudi evalvacija dizajna in materialov, kjer bo podjetje myTool IT zagotovilo elektronske podsisteme za to fazo. Tukaj bo na voljo PCBA z notranjim napajanjem, ki je sposoben meriti pospešek in brezžični prenos podatkov prek povezave Bluetooth (BLE), torej v bistvu popolnoma funkcionalno IoT senzorsko vozlišče. Vendar pa za vse praktične aplikacije potrebuje namensko ohišje z možnostjo montaže, kar bo izvedeno z neposrednim 3D-tiskanjem preko elektronike.

Razvili bomo aplikacijsko tabelo za uporabo različnih FDM filamentov za 3D pretiskanje na podlagi mehanskih lastnosti filamentov, UV in kemične odpornosti ter številnih drugih lastnosti, kot je odpornost na gorenje. Izvedli bomo testni 3D tisk v različnih profilih materialov in iz rezultatov, kot so čas tiskanja, enostavnost tiskanja, vizualni izgled ipd. naredili primerjalno analizo ustreznosti materiala glede na zahtevane mehanske lastnosti in standarde. Poleg tega bomo uporabili tudi poseben oblikovalski pristop za 3D natisnjeno ohišje, da bi olajšali ločevanje materialov z lomljenjem/pokanjem v primeru razstavljanja. S tem bomo uporabili tudi osnove industrijskega oblikovanja, ki stremi k zmanjšanju teže. Frakcioniranje različnih komponent bo znatno zmanjšalo delež e-odpadkov.

ENG:

IntEgreat – Sustainable PCB integration Through 3D overprinting

Integration of electronic subsystems into industrial components enables us to get towards digital transformation. A sustainable way of covering printed circuit boards (PCBs) is 3D overprinting. It enables attractive design options, the use of advanced sustainable materials, and a reduction of waste compared to subtractive production processes. The project aims to overprint PCBs via Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and to consider a recycling procedure to separate electronics from the carrier material.

As 3D printing technology is relatively new, the technological development of applications, such as 3D overprinting of PCBs, is quite limited. Currently, there is no turnkey technology developed to automate this process. During a project, we will develop the most suitable technological procedure to pause the 3D printing process, insert PCBs and continue printing. During a project also an evaluation of design and materials will be performed, where the company myTool IT will provide electronic subsystems for this phase. Here, a PCBA with internal power supply will be provided, which is capable of measuring acceleration and wireless data transmission via Bluetooth low energy (BLE), so basically a fully functional IoT sensor node. However, for all practical applications, it needs a dedicated enclosure with mounting features which will be realized by directly 3D printing over the electronics.

Experimental testing of different types of FDM filaments from sustainable/advanced lightweight materials to overprint electronics based on specified material requirements; application table. We will develop an application table for the use of different FDM filaments for 3D overprinting, based on mechanical properties of filaments, UV and chemical resistance, and several other properties. We will perform a test 3D printing in different materials, and from results, such as time of printing, ease of printing, visual look, etc. made a comparative analysis of the adequacy of the material against the required mechanical properties and standards. In addition, we will also use a specific design approach for the 3D printed housing, to facilitate the separation of materials via breaking up/cracking in the case of disassembly. With this, we will also use the basics of industrial Ecodesign, which strives to reduce weight. Fractioning the different components will reduce the share of e-waste significantly.