PCB Conductive Ink Market to Reach $2.4 billion in 2020

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According to an extensive research by IDTechEx, the market for conductive inks will reach USD 2.4 billion in 2020. Only three applications account for 95% of the value of conductive inks - the printed busbars and fingers on PV solar cells, external heating applications for cars (demister) and touchscreen edge electrodes.

For years, new applications are working for conductive ink at a variety that will be implemented gradually commercially. These market opportunities will be in the spotlight at Printed Electronics Europe 2020, which will take place in Berlin from 13 to 14 May 2020, with more than 2,500 participants and more than 250 speakers covering the wide range of opportunities. Many will have a cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of several hundred percent by 2025.

In this article, Raghu Das, CEO of IDTechEx, evaluates some of these opportunities.

Material Opportunities for 5G

The Opportunity: By 2025, the value of 5G connections will be USD 303 billion worldwide.

The Problem: 5G systems use higher frequencies such as 28 GHz and 39 GHz for data transmission at the highest speed, which are significantly higher than the frequencies typically used in a mobile phone from 0.7 GHz to 2.5 GHz. This leads to a greater potential for electromagnetic interference (EMI) between the components so that they have to be "shielded" accordingly. Another important trend is the rise of multi-chip packages, in which connectivity and other matrices in a single package In such cases, internal EMI shielding and compartmentalization may even be required.

The Solution with Printed Electronics: Sprayed, coated or printed solutions are in the test and in early production and they offer uniform coverage of components at higher production speeds and at potentially lower costs. At Printed Electronics Europe 2020 there will be a meeting on material opportunities for 5G, including advances in EMI shielding.

Material Opportunities for Power Semiconductors in Electric Vehicles

The Opportunity: In 2025, 126 tons of die-cast material will be needed for electric vehicles.

The Problem: The market for electric vehicles is expanding. As a result, the power module market for all types of electric vehicles with semiconductor technologies such as SiC and GaN is growing. The trend is towards higher power densities, which is expressed in higher operating temperatures of 170 to 250 degrees Celsius. The materials used in the service packages have to cope with these higher temperatures.

The Solution with Printed Electronics:  Silver offers high conductivity and a high melting point in comparison to conventional materials for semiconductor mounting. Nanoparticle silver is already used by some EV manufacturers as part of the die casting system Printed Electronics Europe 2020 will offer sessions on die casting materials as well as materials for heat management in electric vehicles.

Printed Heaters in Autonomous and/or Electric Vehicles

The Opportunity: In 2025, 148 million electric vehicles will be used in the country. Sold by air and air.

The Problems: Cold temperatures affect the batteries by increasing their internal resistance and reducing their capacity. For those who live in a very cold climate, electric vehicle batteries may need auxiliary heating. LIDAR systems that are used to enable autonomy require clear optical paths so that ice or any snow on the LIDAR optics must be melted off by a heating system. In addition, electric vehicles without an internal combustion engine need other ways of generating heat for the occupants.

The Solution with Printed Electronics: Printed heaters are lightweight, relatively easy to use with customized designs and shapes, and are usually flexible so that they can be easily integrated and apply heat where it is needed. Printed Electronics Europe 2020 will offer presentations and exhibitors on these aspects, including transparent and flexible heating supplies.

3D Electronics To Improve Interfaces Between Humans And Machines

The Opportunity: The market for 3D printed electronics and PCB prototyping will be worth more than USD 1 billion by 2025.

The Problem: The combination of circuit substrates, switches, LEDs and other components and their subsequent assembly on control panels requires a relatively large number of components and time for the set-up of tools. The end product is often not weight-efficient and is not the cheapest, even with small batch numbers.

The Solution with Printed Electronics: Printing the wiring, switches and other components and then shaping this structure, as the final structure can overcome the limitations mentioned above. The final articles can be easier. It can be easier to change or adapt designs. Differentiation can be achieved through interactive 3D surfaces instead of 2D surfaces. Printed Electronics Europe 2020 will offer presentations and exhibitors from the fields of cast electronics, electronics with foil insert and 3D printed electronics.