3D Printed Electronics Get A Step Closer to Full Commercialization

 3D Printing  

Using Voxel8’s new 3D printer, you can co-print matrix materials such as thermoplastics and highly conductive silver materials enabling customized electronic devices like quadcopters, electromagnets and fully functional 3D electromechanical assemblies.

Partnered with Autodesk, Voxel8 is now taking preorders for its electronics-making 3D printer developer kit. The preorder also kicks off availability of Autodesk’s electronics design software, Project Wire.

Like a MakerBot Replicator, the new device prints PLA plastic but also conductive silver filament, which allows the printer to embed conductivity into a 3D-printed device. It essentially prints electronics directly into the part.

The technology is based on years of research by Dr. Jennifer A. Lewis, a Voxel8 founder and Harvard University professor.

The printer alone will not be able to make electronics. That’s why Voxel8 is partnering with Autodesk on Project Wire, software for designing 3D-printed electronics. The program runs on Autodesk’s Spark platform, an open source API that helps connect the many components of 3D printing.

"Our work provides the foundation for Voxel8's effort to revolutionize multi-material 3D printing. To realize our vision, we have recruited a multi-disciplinary team with expertise in the advanced materials, precision hardware, intelligent software and design."

“Project Wire is a new design tool under active development at Autodesk that provides electronics and 3D printing enthusiasts with the ability to place components, route 3D wires, and output multi-material print data for fabrication,” Autodesk explained in a blog post. Meaning the platform could potentially make circuit prototyping as easy as designing a 3D-printed figurine.

"Voxel8 is leveraging over a decade of research, which has led to 17 patents (10 issued) on functional materials, printheads, and other processes for 3D printing, from my lab," said Dr. Lewis. "Our work provides the foundation for Voxel8's effort to revolutionize multi-material 3D printing. To realize our vision, we have recruited a multi-disciplinary team with expertise in the advanced materials, precision hardware, intelligent software and design."

One of keys to developing 3D printed electronics is Voxel8's conductive silver material.  It is over 1000 times more conductive than anything available today. In a demonstration project,  Voxel8 created a quadcopter that reliably powers four motors from 3D printed wires embedded in the quadcopter arms.

Related articles 3D Print Your Own Humanoid Robot  MakerBot Rolls Out 3D Scanner  Some of the Coolest Creations Made with 3D Printing

By 3D printing electronics components into products integrally, it should become very routine to have objects connect to the Internet of Things (IoT) in the future.

One potential drawback of the finished output may mean that it will require extensive treatment for recycling once the created objects have outlived their usefulness.  Separating the materials for reuse in objects made by 3D printing might just be another new business opportunity.

The Voxel8 3D Printer Developer's Kits will start shipping in late 2015 at a price of $8999 USD.


SOURCE  3Ders

By 33rd Square

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