Electronic Component Fusing in 3D Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional additive manufacturing processes for fabricating electronic circuits and devices are slowed down and result in suboptimal physical and electrical connections due to the need for separate steps to connect electronic components, which can cool and harden, making them difficult to integrate effectively with conductive and non-conductive regions.
Innovation Solution
Integrating electronic components directly into the fabrication process of three-dimensional objects using additive manufacturing, leveraging the fusing conditions of the process, such as heat in multi jet fusion, to fuse the components with conductive regions without pausing the manufacturing process, allowing for robust connections within the same process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate steps are used to connect electronic components after additive manufacturing, then electronic components can be integrated into three-dimensional objects, but the fabrication process is slowed down and connection quality deteriorates due to cooling and hardening of conductive regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electronic component connection process with the additive manufacturing fabrication process by inserting components during layer formation and using the same heat fusion mechanism to bond both the conductive material and the electronic components simultaneously, eliminating separate connection steps and maintaining high connection quality without slowing production
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by inserting electronic components into the three-dimensional object during the fabrication process while the conductive regions are still in a pliable, unfused state, allowing components to be positioned and initially secured before the heat fusion step bonds everything together, ensuring proper placement and connection quality
2Ease of manufacture
If electronic components are inserted after conductive regions cool and harden, then components can be physically connected, but the connection quality becomes suboptimal due to difficulty in integration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by inserting electronic components into the three-dimensional object during the fabrication process while the conductive regions are still in a pliable, unfused state, allowing components to be positioned and initially secured before the heat fusion step bonds everything together, ensuring proper placement and connection quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by exploiting the temperature-dependent physical state of the conductive material - inserting components when the material is in a soft, pliable state above its melting point, then using the same heat application to fuse and permanently bond the components, thereby achieving easy integration and high connection quality
3Reliability
If the additive manufacturing process is paused to connect electronic components, then components can be integrated, but manufacturing delays occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electronic component connection process with the additive manufacturing fabrication process by inserting components during layer formation and using the same heat fusion mechanism to bond both the conductive material and the electronic components simultaneously, eliminating separate connection steps and maintaining high connection quality without slowing production
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuity of useful action by keeping the additive manufacturing process running without interruption - the heat fusion step that is already part of the continuous fabrication process is simply extended to also bond electronic components, eliminating pauses and manufacturing delays while ensuring robust connections
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables efficient and robust physical and electrical connections between electronic components and conductive regions, minimizing delays and disruptions, while maintaining the integrity of the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
during some types of additive manufacturing processes, such as multi jet fusion processes, heat is used to fuse the materials that form the layers of the three-dimensional object
Implementation Method 2
the heat used to fuse the layers of the conductive regions can also be used to effectively fuse the electronic component to the conductive regions
Data Source
AI summary
In an example, a method is described that includes building a first layer of a three-dimensional heterogeneous object in a first plurality of passes of an additive manufacturing system. An electronic component is inserted directly into the first layer. The electronic component is then fused to the first layer in a second plurality of passes of the additive manufacturing system.