The progressive development of additive manufacturing (3D printing) makes it possible to integrate components with modern functional elements. In cooperation with industrial partners ITA is able to create hybrid electro-mechanical components through the laser-induced conductive trace generation, which is the starting point for a diverse range of products.

The technical approach is based on the wetting of the 3D element with copper-filled pastes. During the subsequent laser process, the copper compounds are reduced to elemental copper and sintered together. Laser sintering is carried out on laboratory and industrial equipment, so that a comprehensive characterization of the produced tracks takes place in comparison to previous technologies.

By investigating necessary pretreatments of the circuit carriers, the achievable properties of the copper layers, the parameterization of the laser sintering process and the validation of the final assembly and soldering processes, the entire process chain is covered. The reduced complexity of metallization without chemical baths also enables small and medium-sized companies in particular to manufacture electronic components cost-effectively and with high variability. This enables extensive knowledge transfer in the economy.

Funded by: BMWi - Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, AiF - Association of Industrial Research Associations "Otto von Guericke" e.V. as part of the IGF - Industrial Community Research, IGF project number: 20133 N