During the presentation at Trend outlook for November 4, 2025 Prof. Christian Dreyer from the Fraunhofer IAP presented various possibilities for integrating electrical functionalities using 3D inkjet printing. In addition to component-specific printing of electrical conductors on various two- and three-dimensional substrates and components using silver conductive ink, followed by thermal sintering, this process can also be used to realize other functionalities.

The use of carbon-based inks allows for higher resistance values, which, in combination with highly conductive silver ink, enable the production of resistance heaters without additional electronic components. With comparatively little additional electronics, (large-)area capacitive sensors and strain gauges can also be directly applied to various products without masks. For the latter, in particular, high reproducibility of the resistance value of the printed structure is essential.

Microwave sintering is a suitable method for processing conductive structures on thermolabile substrates, as only the metal particles and their immediate surroundings are heated. Current research focuses on reducing so-called hotspots that can occur during the microwave sintering process.

Combined applications of these technologies are particularly conceivable in the field of cable harnesses for mobility. The advantages of the new technology over conventional cables (in terms of price and functionality) decrease as the conductor track lengthens and fewer additional functions, such as sensors, are integrated.

The food4future II project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the "Agricultural Systems of the Future" initiative, serves as an experimental field for various application areas, investigating several of the described applications in cultivation systems for vertical (urban) farming – both as stand-alone solutions and in paternoster systems.

For more information, please visit: Polymer materials and composites PYCO: Lightweight solutions - Fraunhofer IAP