3D printing is becoming a more common manufacturing method in the electronics industry since large quantities of electronics are placed in challenging environments. This creates specific requirements for materials and structures that are used to protect and insulate the electronics. miniFactory’s 3D printing technology provides a solution to this equation by combining design freedom with high-performance polymers.
3D printing of ultra-polymer insulative parts is a highly cost-effective manufacturing method. Therefore it should be considered for a wide range of high-temperature applications in electronics.
ESD-safe materials are used to reduce the discharge of static electricity. When the base polymer of the ESD material is ultra-polymer, the 3D printed part can be used in the most demanding applications.
miniFactory 3D printing technology enables integrating electronics into manufactured parts. This method allows, for example, wiring and electrical components to be built into structures and thus protect them from the effects of the environment.
High-performance polymers offer extreme electrical insulation properties at remarkably high, up to 250°C temperatures. This enables completely new applications, where the lightness of the polymer combined with excellent insulation properties is utilized. As the transport industry electrifies, 3D printing high-performance polymers can offer lightweight, safe, and cost-effective solutions for all vehicle manufacturing.
With 3D printing in electronics, the most complex housings and protective cases can be manufactured using these high-performance materials. For example, such an application could be housing for an electrical motor to ensure the user's safety or a mounting bracket that needs to be customized by the shape of a circuit board.
High-performance ESD materials enable the manufacturing of jigs and fixtures in environments where traditional engineering plastics are insufficient. 3D printing in electronics enables cost-effective and fast manufacturing.
Electrical components are crucial parts of many machines and devices. Therefore, it’s essential to protect the electronics in all environments to prevent malfunctions. One of the aspects that the electronics might need to be protected from is static discharges. With ESD safe materials, the static discharge can be minimized, and the safety of the electrical component can be ensured. When there are also other aspects such as elevated temperatures, radiation, or chemicals that the electronics need to be protected against, high-performance polymers provide the possibility to do so.
When electrical components like sensors, drivers, or wiring are placed under harsh conditions such as continuous movement, impacts, or chemicals, their life expectancy is usually not ideal. By 3D printing in electronics, these components can be integrated into the structure of a part. When wiring or a sensor is sealed inside the part, it’s protected from these external factors and corrosion. This opens new possibilities in the placing of the electronic and makes modular assemblies available.
One example of such an integrated application could be an assembly where an inductive sensor is sealed inside a high-performance polymer part that protects the sensor from external impacts but allows it to identify desired metal objects.
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