The combined solution will be of particular interest to manufacturers of consumer electronics goods looking for a robust and reliable method for printing antennas and sensors with silver nanoparticle ink as part of their manufacturing processes.
Industrial inkjet offers significant advantages over traditional print technologies to manufacturers of consumer electronics products. Inkjet is a cleaner process than other methods of printing silver inks; this is especially relevant when printing onto a substrate, such as a display, in which any yield loss is very expensive. With inkjet, manufacturers can very precisely control the amount of ink dispensed in certain areas of a pattern so that the ink or fluid deposited can be thicker in some areas and thinner in others. Similarly, inkjet enables the deposition of a much thinner layer of fluids than traditional methods, which is significant for the manufacturers looking to produce thinner devices. In addition, inkjet is one of the few technologies able to print a circuit over a substrate that has a structured surface.
Both Xaar and Lawter / HCG are leaders in their own respective fields, so the announcement that the companies are working together on a combined silver nanoink and printhead solution will be of interest to many industrial manufacturers.
“This is an excellent opportunity to showcase our latest technological breakthroughs and demonstrate the unique value that our revolutionary nanoparticle inkjet solutions can play as part of an integrated system solutions in the PE world,” says Dr Arturo Horta Ph.D., Business Development Manager for Lawter Innovation Group.
HCG pioneered the development and manufacture of silver nanoparticle conductive inks for the printed electronics industry over 20 years ago and has over 100 patents related to its nanoparticle dispersion technology. This innovative line of nanosilver conductive inks for inkjet printing offers a unique combination of low temperature sintering and high circuit conductivity. In addition, Lawter’s novel inks are compatible with a range of photonic curing tools as well as a variety of substrates. These value-added features, together for the first time in a single product, provide increased project efficiency, decreased raw material costs and finer line printing. All of this adds up to significant, quantifiable benefits for the end-user.
Xaar, also a major player in industrial manufacturing applications, has been delivering unrivalled inkjet technology for 25 years. Its leading printhead, the Xaar 1002 is particularly suitable for Lawter’s nanosilver conductive inks due to the printhead’s unique TF Technology™ (fluid recirculation) which ensures a continuous flow of the heavy particulate in the ink to deliver uninterrupted high volume production printing.
“The applications that will benefit from the combination of Lawter’s nanosilver conductive inks and Xaar’s 1002 printhead are exciting,” says Keith Smith, Director of Advanced Manufacturing at Xaar. “We are seeing more and more that the consumer electronics market is looking for a printing solution that provides the quality of the Lawter ink and production reliability of the Xaar GS6 1002 to allow designers to make thinner devices. The printhead and ink combination, along with photonic sintering, is unlocking mechanical and electrical designs never thought possible before.”
About Xaar
Xaar is a world-leader in the development of inkjet technology and manufacture of piezoelectric drop-on-demand industrial printheads. The company also develops and sells ink systems, electronics and fluid optimisation services to accelerate inkjet system development and adoption. Xaar printheads incorporate patented technology which delivers unbeatable performance when decorating, patterning, depositing functional coatings on, or adding structure to, a variety of industrial and consumer products. Today leading manufacturers worldwide, in sectors ranging from ceramics, wide-format graphics and labels to direct-to-shape packaging and decorative laminates, choose Xaar’s printheads because they are extremely precise, exceptionally versatile, incredibly reliable, and designed for high-volume production. Additional information about Xaar is available at www.xaar.com
About Harima Chemicals Group
Harima Chemicals Group is a manufacturer of chemicals which are based on raw materials derived from pine trees. The technical experts and chemists at Harima transform the pine tree derivatives like rosin, fatty acids and turpentine into chemicals that are essential to our daily lives. Our chemicals are used in a wide range of products from industrial printing inks, paints, adhesives, and synthetic rubbers to paper production, appliances and printed electronics. With an international network comprised of distribution centers, administration offices and manufacturing plants in 11 different countries, Harima is truly a global leader in chemical manufacturing. Visit us at http://www.harima.co.jp/en/
About Lawter, a Harima Chemicals Group company
Lawter, part of Harima Chemicals Group, has a long history and is a result of many highly successful businesses coming together for more than 60 years. We are a company strong in pine chemicals and built on products developed using pine chemical resources. Lawter is a leading global supplier to the printed electronics, graphic arts, adhesives, specialty coatings, aroma chemicals and synthetic rubber industries. Lawter operates in over 20 countries with 9 manufacturing and technology centres. Our strength is built on formulating technology, strategic raw material sourcing and our global network of manufacturing capabilities. We are paving the way for the next generation of sustainable solutions in the specialty chemicals industry. Visit us at http://www.lawter.com/