Printed Electronics with GeSiM Bioprinters:
GeSiM bioprinters offer qualitative advantages over the competition. Two important points:
- The variety of different extrusion tools allows to print a huge range of polymers, more than just biocompatible materials.
- The high XYZ accuracy – particularly with BS5.x instruments – allows to print at higher resolution then many other bioprinters do.
Inkjet printing is most important for printed electronics. GeSiM offers appropriated piezo dosage heads since 25 years. They generate tiny drops of low-viscous liquids and do well with organic semiconductors and in OLED production. Higher viscous materials like metal inks, pastes with Nanoparticles and isolating polymers can be applied pneumatically or with syringe extruders. As with any 3D printer, GeSiM printers accept CAD-data and print multi-layer models. Thus, functional components like resistors or capacitors can be printed.
The left picture shows the combination of following tools on a GeSiM BS5.3 printer:
1) Double-syringe-extruder with mixing head
2) FDM head to print from filament rolls
3) Droplet dispenser and UV-pen
4) Layer-thickness measurement head (Manufacturer Keyence), camera, plasma pen (Manufacturer Relyon)
Modules on the building platform of the instrument:
5) Stroboscopic camera for droplet detection
6) Levelling table with object holders
Beside of the home-made GeSiM tools, third-party modules can be adapted to GeSiM instruments on customer request.
Smaller and more dense arrangements of functional components can be printed also by NIL (Nanoimprint Lithography) and microcontact printing. GeSiM makes the necessary print heads, they fit to these printers as well.
All tools are available for housed and in-line versions of the GeSiM printers as well, even for setup of production environments (right picture).