Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1481368
OCTOBER 2022 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 91 develop the solutions. at's why the printed cir- cuit board industry has been so successful—they all worked together, and they developed standards. is elevates that indus- try every day. We've done a good job with printed electronics, but I think we could do better. Wagner: You're dealing with a whole genera- tion of folks who are used to touch and different form factors than we were. I grew up with the "boxiness" of cars. is genera- tion is not expecting that. ey want to see something different, more interfacing with the operator. Bianchi: H o w d i d E l o n Musk describe the Tesla? A computer on wheels. I got my first chance to drive in one. Personally, I didn't like it because it was not what I want in a car. I'm used to driving something that feels like and acts more like a car. Well, I would bet the first time somebody who was used to a land- line phone and then switched over to a smart- phone probably said that it didn't act like a phone, but then adapted and started seeing this as the norm. It's just a matter of time as things evolve, and this is the technology to solve that prob- lem. Flexible technology is coming and it's just taken a little while. It's not that it hasn't happened. I think all of us would say that we have successful business from it, but there's more to come. Miller: Yes. We participate heavily in the printed circuit board flexible market, and we see our flex circuitry sales experience about 10% growth every year. It usually outpaces what the rest of the industry is doing, as more products that used to be on a rigid applica- tion are now on a flexible one. You may have a high temperature with the flexible polyimide, but you could also do some of that with polyester printed electronics. Shaughnessy: is has been great. Let's go around the table and share any advice you might have for PCB engineers or anyone else who wants to get into PEC. Wagner: We talked earlier about how people get into printed electronics. You must network with everybody who partakes in this, because the technology really has a collaborative feel at this point. e technology is moving rap- idly and there's a lot of expertise, but you can't necessarily have it all in-house. You must reach out and make use of your suppliers, your whole ecosystem of suppliers and partners. I recommend that you don't close yourself off, but really get involved with the industry and your partners—and even friendly competitors like Tom. We can talk if we need to. Bianchi: Yes, I agree. I enjoyed spending pre- pandemic time with all these guys, John and Mike, even though we're "competitors." e biggest thing that I've seen from the printed circuit board folks and some of your readers is that getting a design and a cost for a printed electronic project is vastly different than get- ting one for a printed circuit board. ere isn't a per-square-inch price that can be created to do a printed electronic, like you do with two layers, four layers, eight layers or whatever the case might be. Printed electronics is a little more of an engineered solution at this point. Shaughnessy: Is it like the Wild West now? Bianchi: ere are just different material sets, requirements, and equipment sizes. ere's a lot that goes into it. John Lee