Electronica Goes Virtual

From Nov. 9-12, 2020, the world’s leading trade fair for electronics, electronica, will take place virtually for the first time. 

On this occasion, LOPEC, the international Exhibition and Conference for printed electronics, will present the current state of the art in printed electronics. 

A web seminar presented by LOPEC co-organizer OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association) will provide information on applications and trends in the automotive industry.

Flexible, ultra-thin and yet robust: Thanks to these characteristics, printed electronics are conquering the market. 

The technology enables curved displays as well as flexible solar cells or sensors for running shoes, car seats and many more applications. 

“Printed electronics is revolutionizing a wide range of industries from medical technology to vehicle construction,” said Lena Haushofer, LOPEC exhibition director at Messe München. “We are observing an increasing number of market launches and are looking forward to giving some insights into the potential of printed electronics at electronica virtual.” 

LOPEC and the industry association OE-A will be represented at an online stand at electronica virtual.

As part of the Printed Electronics Forum at electronica virtual, the OE-A invites you to participate in the web seminar “Future Trends of Mobility” on Nov. 11 from 3-4 p.m. (CET). 

The focus is on applications of printed and organic 3D electronics in the automobile. 

“Thanks to printed electronics, weight, installation depth and costs can be reduced substantially while increasing reliability and meeting high safety standards. In addition, 3D-printed electronics open up completely new possibilities to vehicle designers with regard to interior design,” said Dr. Klaus Hecker, managing director of the OE-A. 

Printed displays and other thin electronic components are so flexible that they can be integrated into virtually any shape of surface in and on the car. Moreover, printed and classical electronics can be easily combined, for example, to create control elements and other complex electronic components.

The connected car of the future, even if it drives autonomously, will offer its occupants various options for interaction. Innovative human-machine interfaces and displays play a key role here. 

In the web seminar, Dr. Wolfgang Clemens, head of Product Management at PolyIC in Fürth, Germany, will discuss the touch sensors required in this context.

The organic liquid crystal displays (OLCDs) from FlexEnable, UK, also promise undreamt-of freedom of design. They are significantly lighter, thinner and more mechanically flexible than conventional LCDs because the liquid crystals of OLCDs are located between two plastic films instead of between glass plates. 

In the web seminar, Chuck Milligan, managing director of FlexEnable, will demonstrate smart windscreens, windows and sunroofs equipped with OLCDs.

Printed electronics also opens up new possibilities for battery management in electric cars, Thierry Goniva, head of Accelerator at IEE in Luxembourg, will illustrate. 

Among other things, IEE prints temperature sensors and heating elements for batteries as well as connector systems for battery modules on thin polymer films.