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LABELS&LABELING |87<br />
Printed electronics<br />
revolution<br />
A RESEARCH PROJECT technology innovation centre in the UK is demonstrating how converters can create<br />
their own smart label operations using standard narrow web equipment. Andy Thomas reports<br />
The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI)<br />
has installed a custom-built, multi-process<br />
narrow web Nilpeter press to a UK<br />
government funded research institute as<br />
a test bed to develop printable electronics<br />
for a variety of applications including<br />
labels, cartons and flexible packaging.<br />
The press will form part of the Integrated<br />
Smart Systems line ( ISS) which will<br />
enable electronic components to be<br />
integrated with printed circuits.<br />
Although electronic circuits are already<br />
being printed on flexible webs, these are<br />
often located in dedicated and expensive<br />
clean room operations using expensive,<br />
bespoke equipment. The project at the<br />
Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) aims<br />
to demonstrate that any label converter<br />
using commercially available equipment<br />
can be part of the Integrated Smart<br />
Systems supply chain through printing<br />
of conductive inks print Integrated Smart<br />
Systems (ISS) – electronic components<br />
integrated with printed circuits -in a<br />
standard pressroom environment.<br />
The Nilpeter press is a 16in wide<br />
machine specified to handle paper, carton<br />
board, films, foils and label stocks with<br />
thicknesses between 25-370 microns.<br />
The modular machine includes two MO4<br />
offset units equipped with conventional<br />
and UV curing stations; two FA4 flexo<br />
units able to run with water-based, solvent<br />
and UV drying systemsinks; two screen<br />
units with for UV inksand water-based<br />
drying; and a solvent gravure unit. The<br />
press operates in both reel-to-reel and<br />
reel-to-sheet modes, and can re-register<br />
from unit 1, allowing CPI to simulate<br />
larger presses with multiple print stations.<br />
Auxiliary processes include de-lam/re-lam,<br />
UV lamination, cold foil and die cutting/<br />
sheeting.<br />
The process of manufacturing<br />
Integrated Smart Systems pieces starts<br />
with printing the label or carton’s graphic<br />
elements, followed by printing ‘large<br />
area’ electronic circuits. After sheeting,<br />
the pieces are coated with conductive<br />
adhesive on a flatbed DEK screen press<br />
with a print accuracy of 10 microns. A<br />
commercially available pick & place unit<br />
used extensively in the electronics sector<br />
then positions miniature components –<br />
which might include chips, flexible LED<br />
screen displays, batteries or even tiny<br />
loudspeakers – onto the printed circuit<br />
tracks. The sheets are cured in an oven<br />
to bond the components to the printed<br />
circuits, forming both a structural and<br />
electrical connection. The oven can<br />
handle both air-drying and UV-cured<br />
adhesive systems.<br />
As a final stage, the ISS sheets are<br />
converted into short runs of finished<br />
labels, flexible packaging or cartons.<br />
Finishing equipment includes an Esko<br />
Kongsberg i-XE 10 digital cutting table to<br />
cut & crease boxes and kiss cut labels.<br />
A Trotec CO2 laser handles fine cutting,<br />
engraving and ablation of circuits.<br />
The operation is also supported by<br />
CPI’s wide range of sophisticated analysis<br />
equipment to measure material, ink and<br />
structural properties.<br />
CPI is supporting the ISS operation with<br />
a wide range of sophisticated analysis<br />
equipment to measure material, ink and<br />
structural properties.<br />
CPI TEAM ISS<br />
Running the project platform is ISS<br />
programme manager Bela Green,<br />
supported by technical print manager Neil<br />
Porter. Porter draws on a wealth of narrow<br />
web print operator experience at leading<br />
converters including CCL Label Clondalkin<br />
Group (formerly Harlands Labels).<br />
The CPI team is looking for partners<br />
from across the supply chain to take<br />
the ISS project forward, from brand<br />
owners and designers to suppliers of<br />
inspection equipment, substrates, inks<br />
and pre-press equipment. The ISS line<br />
at CPI will be available for development<br />
CPI technical print manager Neil Porter in front<br />
of the multi-process modular Nilpeter press<br />
work, prototyping, scale-up and pilot<br />
production.<br />
The research results will be freely<br />
available to all participants for commercial<br />
implementation.<br />
A key task will be assessing the<br />
performance of the conductive inks.<br />
‘We need to get total uniformity of ink<br />
coverage and no pin-holing or scratches<br />
on the printed surface if we are to achieve<br />
the required levels of conductivity,’ says<br />
Porter. ‘So scuff and rub testing will be<br />
critically important, particularly when the<br />
label is on the applicator line. We will be<br />
evaluating print inspection systems to see<br />
if they are adequate to detect these kinds<br />
of flaws. It is more a question of uniform<br />
coating than high print resolutions.’<br />
Another issue to be researched is how<br />
to clean conductive inks in each<br />
print process.<br />
Although adhesive coating and pick and<br />
place are currently off-line operations,<br />
Porter believes both processes could<br />
eventually be made modular and run<br />
in line with a narrow web press. ‘You<br />
would print a mark possibly to register<br />
both adhesive coating and pick & place<br />
systems.’ If successful, the Integrated<br />
Smart Systems project line at CPI could<br />
mark a watershed in the history of label<br />
production. For the first time, label<br />
converters of any size will be able to<br />
start up their own smart label operation,<br />
tapping into leading edge research into<br />
micro-electronics to create entirely new<br />
applications for designers and end users<br />
across the supply chain.<br />
JULY 2012 | L&L