Can additive manufacturing
win over the electronics industry?

Electronics manufacturing is resource-intensive, as it relies on subtractive processes that consume large amounts of materials and chemicals. In the metallisation of printed circuit boards, etchants are used to remove copper to create conductive traces, with some of the copper being lost as waste.

Sustainability in electronics manufacturing is becoming increasingly important as demand for energy, materials and water grows. The IDTechEx report ‘Sustainable Electronics and Semiconductor Manufacturing 2027-2037: Markets, Technologies, Forecasts’ highlights opportunities for companies looking to minimise the environmental impact of electronics manufacturing.

Benefits

Additive manufacturing offers a sustainable alternative to traditional electronics manufacturing, as conductive materials are only applied where they are needed. The adoption of additive manufacturing can also provide further sustainability and cost benefits, as it enables the redesign of manufacturing processes. For example, it could allow a switch from expensive substrates such as polyimide to cheaper alternatives such as PET. In addition, additive processes often enable manufacturing at lower temperatures, which can reduce energy consumption and operating costs.

Challenges

Sustainability is a compelling advantage of additive manufacturing. IDTechEx surveys show a strong interest in sustainable manufacturing and products from European and US customers. While switching to additive manufacturing offers the opportunity to re-design production, it also requires significant investment, which is a barrier when conventional electronics manufacturing is highly optimised.

Potential

Additive electronics manufacturing is likely to gain traction in areas with simple requirements and where it offers advantages in terms of flexibility, customisation or sustainability. Examples include RFID tags for packaging, wearables and e-textiles where electronics need to be printed on flexible substrates. Other areas include disposable sensors or medical patches, and rapid prototyping and low-volume manufacturing, where the elimination of special tools and faster design iterations offer a value proposition.

IDTechEx

IDTechEx, based in Cambridge (UK), provides in-depth, independent analysis of emerging technologies and their markets. Since 1999, IDTechEx has helped customers understand technologies, supply chains, market requirements, opportunities and forecasts.