Project Filter Functionalization Technologies

The combination of 4D printing technology on pre-stressed textiles in conjunction with multi-material additive manufacturing offers the possibility of obtaining ultra-light, individual components with integrated electrical functions, complex 3D geometries, quickly and cost-effectively from a single production facility.

With WEAM (Wire Encapsulation Additive Manufacturing), orthoses can initially be printed in 2D to the individual size and pre-dimensioned for the individual body measurements.

Flexible conductor technology offers many advantages over conventional cables. For this reason, the application areas of Flex-PCBs and flexible flat cables (FFC) are continuously expanding. Both technologies facilitate assembly, reduce space requirements, and increase the achievable complexity of circuits. However, their manufacturing involves complex process technology and chemicals. Sustainable recycling strategies do not yet exist. Therefore, we are focusing on reducing the materials needed for flexible wiring harnesses to combine their functionality with the environmental compatibility of standard cable.

If components are to perceive their environment, it means that additional components must be integrated into the part. This usually leads to the need for planning and assembling additional parts, which can disrupt the original function of the component in the worst case. The integration of sensors can help implement this close to the point of action without significantly affecting the component, but it often requires manual processes.

Future production processes must meet the current trends of functional integration and the increasing variety of product variants. To address these challenges, highly flexible and cost-efficient production technologies are required, which simultaneously allow for an increase in the functional density of components. In the project, a prototype of an automotive light carrier was developed to demonstrate the capabilities of the technology.

The WEAM process enables the construction of a theoretically unlimited number of coil windings through rotational decoupling. Thanks to the free choice of materials, we can fully automate the integration of coils into various environments. The additive compo-nent of the WEAM process allows for the creation of any coil contours to achieve tar-geted field line densities.

As part of the Go Beyond 4.0 flagship project, piezo-jet technology was successfully implemented to address key challenges in integrating sensors and circuit traces directly onto components. Significant progress was made through the project, including a fully printed control module for operating light elements on vehicle doors. This module includes both wiring and integrated force sensors, using silver paste for the circuit traces and a dielectric polymer paste for insulation to ensure optimal functionality and safety.