PrintoCent Pilot Factory offers unique, world-class roll-to-roll pilot processing facilities and experienced staff for high throughput manufacturing process development. The main development areas are printed electronics and diagnostics components, flexible electronics, and plastic- and hybrid-integrated systems.
Key facts
Unique pilot facility enabling printed intelligence from prototyping to upscaled manufacturing
Experienced multidisciplinary team of almost 100 experts for research, development and operation of pilot lines
Highly networked ecosystem with external partners supporting fast development and commercialisation
Printocent pilot factory is a unique facility for upscaling printed and hybrid manufacturing processes for electronics and diagnostics. We can develop new technologies and applications from rapid lab prototypes to large area roll-to-roll proof of manufacturability.
PrintoCent Pilot Factory processes include general printing and coating technologies topped with several supporting processes such as evaporation, nanoimprint lithography, hot embossing, laser etching, and lift-off. With additional post processing, hybrid and structural electronics integration and testing facilities, PrintoCent Pilot Factory covers the whole development and manufacturing chain from vision to proof of production of novel products and tech transfer.
Facilities and services
R&D services at laboratory scale
We have extensive development, prototyping and characterization facilities in tabletop scale for all major printing and coating technologies used in printed electronics. These include technologies, from screen printing to ultra high resolution Reverse Offsett printing.
- Application development
- Component and system design and modelling
- Ink and process development and testing
- Lab scale manufacturing with up-scalable techniques
- Demonstrator manufacturing
R2R pilot scale services
Printocent Pilot Factory has full capability for upscaling printed and hybrid electronics. Pilot scale (mostly 300mm web width).
- R2R printing trials and process upscaling with rotary-screen, gravure-, flex-printing, and slot die and bar-coating methods
- Component prototyping and testing
- Pilot production for components, devices, systems, and end-user products
- R2R process development, production running, machinery and plant consulting
- Online measurement systems, functional testing and production control solutions
- Test bench environment for commercial printing units, process control units and other accessory units
R2R post-processing and hybrid integration
- Converting using laser-, die and kiss cutting as well as lamination processes
- Printed Hybrid Systems concept design and fabrication
- Pick&place assembly for chip and flexible component bonding. Roll fed assembly lines for high accuracy flip-chip bonding for ACA (Anisotropic Conductive Adhesive) bond and high throughput assembly line for ICA (Isotropic Conductive Adhesive) bonding
- Functional foil in-mold-integration (IMI) process with roll feeding for plastic integrated and structural electronics
Facilities for Diagnostics
One of our key application areas for printed electronics is diagnostics. Flexible, thin, lightweight and even stretchable form factor enables unique wear ability for skin contact sensor patches. For rapid diagnostics, biosensors combined with functional microfluidics can be produced large volumes thanks to the unique competences and facilities.
- Roll-to-roll microfluidic production capability using imprinting for various plastics
- Dedicated roll-to-roll pilot for PDMS silicone imprinting for super elastic microfluidics and microstructures
- Biomaterial dispenser integrated to pick and place assembly line
- Diagnostics lab for assay development
- Converting pilot line post-processing for fluidic chip
Towards sustainable electronics
At VTT, our goal is to set a new standard for sustainability in the electronics industry and offer solutions that increase circularity at every stage of the electronics life cycle. Explore:
- Five ways to improve sustainability of electronics
- How to create new business from sustainable electronics?
- How to reduce electronics waste with sustainable printed electronics?
Applications
Our printing process enables manufacturing of thin film active components such as printed solar cells, lighting solutions (ILEDs, OLEDs), printed transistors, printed sensors and indicators, printed power sources, as well as flexible backplane circuit boards with conductors and passives.
These components can integrate with other printed functionalities to form systems and devices. The final end-user product are built by using PrintoCent Pilot Factory’s multidisciplinary converting facilities.
