Abstract Current research is concentrating on the development of additively printed thermoformable circuitry for In-Mold Electronics (IME) because of its benefits such as flexible design, cost-effectiveness, weight reduction, and smooth integration into structural components. In this investigation, a direct write printing technique is employed to craft conductive Full Wave Rectifier (FWR) circuits using stretchable silver ink. The process involves utilizing a stretchable ink capable of thermoforming. Following the printing of conductive traces, Surface Mount Devices (SMDs) are affixed using Electrically Conductive Adhesive (ECA). The effectiveness of the printed FWR circuit is assessed using an impedance analyzer. Thermoforming-compatible materials like High Impact Polystyrene sheet and Polycarbonate substrates are utilized. The dimensions of printed lines are measured through white-light interferometry, and the influence of process parameters on resistivity is examined. Parameters optimized from the printing and sintering analysis are applied to manufacture FWR circuitry. OrCAD software is employed to simulate the FWR circuit, and its performance is compared to the actual output of the printed thermoformed circuit. This investigation underscores the practicality of additively printed FWR circuits in IME using a direct write process with thermoformable silver conductive ink and ECA.
Lall et al. (Wed,) studied this question.