Smart digital production

Thermo-mechanical reliability aspects of printed functionalities

© Fraunhofer ENAS
Experimental and simulative evaluation of printed interfaces using pull tests.

Printed functionalities are new »Printed Smart Objects« generated by traditional and digital printing technologies, such as sensors, antennas or batteries, and are increasingly being integrated into classic design components and technologies. This automatically brings with it the transmission of their reliability requirements to these new technologies.

In the Fraunhofer lighthouse project »Go Beyond 4.0«, which is headed by Fraunhofer ENAS, the necessary technologies are being researched, with the department Micro Materials Center being responsible for the reliability aspects. The aim is to establish a generally valid reliability concept for these new technologies, which is why this work accompanies the technology development as early as possible.

The work focuses on the analysis of potential failure causes, failure types and failure consequences for weak point identification and for the Physics of Failure-based assessment of reliability risks. Both process and operational reliability are taken into account.

Fraunhofer ENAS focuses primarily on the behavior of the printed materials used and their integration. For this purpose, a combined experimental-simulative methodology is used, which is adapted to the special requirements of the technologies. Special challenges are the necessary determination of material data and the evaluation of the interface behavior, especially the adhesion. For this purpose, novel analytical methods are developed and extensive tests are carried out.