Page 8 - Summer 2025

Industry News
FOCUS ON ADDITIVE
MANUFACTURING
Reshaping Product Development with Additive
Manufactured Electronics
This article, by Nir Sade, General Manager of
Nano Dimension, in the May 2025 issue of Design
Solutions (p.26-27) explores how additive
manufactured electronics is rapidly emerging
as a transformative alternative to traditional
prototyping and production techniques.
Additive manufactured electronics are noted
particularly for revolutionising R and D in the
electronics industry by providing greater freedom of
design through geometry, allowing for the creation of
smarter and smaller products with integrated non-
planar electronics. Designers can simultaneously
3D-print conductive and dielectric materials so as to
produce completely new designs, including integrated
printed components such as twisted coils, capacitors
and any angle connections of conductors. These
capabilities simplify assembly and improve signal
integrity.
Closely related to this is the ability to rapidly prototype
parts in-house, particularly for complex small devices
such as antennas and sensors. The use of digital
inventories for on-demand, on-site creation of
electronics spare parts is also possible, a major benefit
when unexpected disruptions prejudice the supply
chain.
A further benefit is the ability to rapidly 3D-print cost-
effective, multi-layer prototype PCBs, streamlining
product development and shortening lead times,
removing dependence on external vendors and
allowing the simultaneous printing of multiple designs.
Additive manufactured electronics, however, is not
without its challenges. It is still at a relatively early
stage of industry adoption, and there is still a lack of an
established knowledge base for designing 3D-printed
electronics, which several universities and research
institutes are in the process of addressing along with
Nano Dimension:
8 9
“Together with the University of Stuttgart and the
BMBF Cluster4Future QSens, we are leveraging our
multi-layer, multi-material DragonFly IV 3D-printer
to accelerate advancements in quantum devices.
To instil trust in the AME offering, we are working
with IPC, the global organisation for electronics
manufacturing, to develop IPC Standard 2851 -
a dedicated standard for the qualification and
production of 3D-printed electronics.
We are expecting there to be breakthrough
developments in the way AME is used soon,
as customers we’re working with have already
qualified the first applications to be manufactured
using the benefits of AME.”
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3D-printed Electronics accelerate Quantum Improving Metal 3D-printing
Sensor Innovation
Metal additive manufacturing uses a high-powered
In a related article entitled ‘A Quantum Leap laser to selectively fuse fine metallic powder so as to
Forward: How 3D-printed Electronics are build parts layer by layer from a precise 3D model,
accelerating Quantum Sensor Innovation at the creating complex, highly customised components
University of Stuttgart’, Oliver Johnson explains with minimal material waste. It is frequently
in Med-Tech Insights, June 24th., how the BMBF hindered, however, by the hitherto high cost of
Cluster4Future QSens initiative is pioneering having to determine optimal process parameters
transformation in the field of quantum sensor
by trial and error.
technology, bridging the gap between academic
research and industrial applications. Now, researchers at the University of Toronto have
developed a new framework known as the Accurate
The author states: Inverse Process Optimisation Framework in Laser Directed
Energy Deposition (AIDED) that quickly identifies the
“QSens “Quantum Sensors of the Future” - a
optimal process parameters for the application required.
consortium comprising fifteen industrial partners,
the Universities of Stuttgart, Ulm and Tuebingen, the A closed-loop system uses a generic algorithm that
Charite in Berlin, and three research institutions - has mimics natural selection to determine optimal solutions.
set itself the task to pioneer the advancement of This first suggests combinations of process parameters
quantum research at an unprecedented pace. With and then applies machine learning to evaluate printing
the ambitious mission to bring quantum sensors to quality. The algorithm then verifies these predictions
the market over the next five to nine years, the group iteratively until the best parameters are found.
sought a solution that would address key challenges
and allow for the scalable integration of electronics, Numerous experiments were conducted to collect
photonics and quantum sensor technology, while vast data set with the aim of developing an enhanced
reducing the time and cost investment that typically autonomous, or ‘self-driving’ additive manufacturing
restricts accessibility”. system.
The solution that was adopted was AME with DragonFly First Author of the study Xiao Shang, states:
IV, which the University of Stuttgart integrated into
“We have demonstrated that our framework
its research workflow and manufacturing platform can identify optimal process parameters from
Quantum4SME. customisable objectives in as little as one hour,
This combined additive manufacturing with the ability to and accurately predicts geometries from process
print both conductive and non-conductive materials in parameters. It is also versatile and can be used with
a single process, provides the ability to create complex various materials”.
multi-layered electronic circuits and, critically, the
heterogeneous integration of quantum devices. This Yu Zou, Professor of Materials and Engineering in the
enables the creation of specialised quantum devices, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the
such as those used to measure brain activity or nerve University of Toronto, adds:
signals in med-tech and those used to evaluate atomic “ By combining cutting-edge additive manufacturing
structure in chemical engineering.
methods with artificial intelligence, we aim to create
Leveraging AME drastically streamlines the multiple a novel closed-loop controlled self-driving laser
stages of design, prototyping and testing, resulting in system. This system will be capable of sensing
rapid prototyping and immediate testing of new designs,
potential defects in real-time, predicting issues before
reducing the time and cost of developing and refining
they occur and automatically adjusting process
quantum sensors.
parameters to ensure high quality production. It will
Now installed in a dedicated research building within be versatile enough to work with different materials
the Center for Applied Quantum Technology (ZA Quant) and part geometries, making it a game-changer for
at the University of Stuttgart, the DragonFly IV is allowing manufacturing industries”.
experts in quantum physics, photonics and engineering
science to collectively leverage its capabilities for applied Reference: ‘AIDED Framework for Metal 3D-printing’, International
quantum research: Sheet Metal Review, Vol.25, No.5, June 2025, p.19
“Within months of installation, the 3D-printer has created
a step-change in the pace of research and opened up
entirely new interest areas in a number of fields”.
Jasmin Atta of the Institute of Smart Sensors, University of
Stuttgart, comments:
“Historically, flexible sensors have been extremely difficult
to produce. Now, with the help of these 3D-printers, we are
able to achieve any kind of pattern, any kind of design”.
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