Micropen printing is the most precise and cost effective way of printing fine line, conformal traces of functional materials onto many different substrates and 3D surfaces. Micropen is one of the pioneers in the field of using electronic printing for over 30 years.
Electronic Printing is the most precise and cost effective way of printing finely patterned functional materials onto many different substrates and especially highly three-dimensional(3-D) surfaces. Micropen Technologies Corp.pioneered the field in the early 1980s and has continuously advanced, expanded, and refined the technology ever since.
In Electronic Printing a flowable material, called an ink, is extruded through a small, precise pen tip orifice directly onto a substrate.
Using Electronic Printing, virtually any flowable material can be extruded onto virtually any substrate is a flow-based micro dispensing technique in which printed materials are extruded with a high degree of control through a syringe and a precision pen tip. The pen tip “rides” on the surface of the material, not touching the substrate.
- Additive Process: The Micropen printing process is an additive printing technique dispensing the precise amount of material needed, making it beneficial when using novel, expensive or rare inks. The efficient use of materials and the ease of changing them provide product designers with increased prototype control as well as reducing time-to-market.
- Substrate and Ink: Ink and substrate selection are important factors when choosing to apply flow-based printing technology in all markets Medical, Metalized Ceramics and Instrumentation are just a few markets today that benefit from the material selection and ink selection combination to optimize the Micropen printing manufacturing process.
Micropen uses off the shelf materials whenever possible to provide the quickest, least expensive path to a solution. We have over 30 years of experience with the products of all the major ink and substrate manufacturers. For industry-wide applications that do not have a good off the shelf solution we have developed our own in-house material formulation capability.
Inks: Any liquid material is a candidate for Micropen printing. Generally, applications call for flowable materials that range in viscosity from 5 to 500,000 centipoise (cP). A wide variety of printing inks have been identified or developed and optimized for both low temperature, flexible, flat and 3D applications, as well as high temperature ceramics, steels and other materials.
Micropen routine manages the supply chain so that you do not have to worry about getting the right product at the right cost and quality into the right hand at the right time. From raw material planning and forecasting, purchasing, moving and storage, and customer service, Micropen has the experience and professional staff for understanding and optimizing business processes so you don’t.
In many applications there are opportunities to simplify the manufacturing process by naturally combining printing operations with assembly tasks. We have extensive experience in this.
In many applications products will face a wide range of environmental challenges over its lifetime: extended storage, sterilization, stress and abrasion, chemical and biological exposure, high EM fields and energy. Often, the antagonists are so specific that appropriate test methods become a major challenge.
In many applications printed devices must be connectorized to the outside world. Micropen has the in-house expertise to provide creative, cost effective solutions to every one of your interconnect schemes. From flex circuit attachment designs to soldering or wires, our engineering teams can provide that solution.
Our Exxelia Ohmcraft division can print custom resistors to suit your needs.
Only Micropen has the material science expertise, design engineering expertise and proven success to create the next generation of metallized ceramics
Flat plate printing
Micropen can accommodate writing on flat substrates up to 24” x 24” with available systems.
Axial printing
Micropen routinely processes tubes and rods from 30 mil (0.030”) diameter up to 6 inch diameter.
Inside printing
Micropen has the most advanced precision equipment enabling printing even on the inside diameter of a cylinder.
Only Micropen Technologies has precision printing capability for odd topologies, i.e. inside and 3D printing, on any ceramic material, enabling design engineers to push beyond existing boundaries.
Inside diameter writing
Micropen has the most advanced precision equipment and experience applying materials on the inside diameter of tubes, ID greater than 0.250”.
3D shapes
Micropen can print on just about any 3D object. If you supply the substrate, we can offer a solution.
Multi-layer Applications
Micropen has experience with integrating multiple materials in a multilayer circuit, interweaving conductive, resistive, and dielectric materials to meet dimensional and performance specifications.
Only Micropen Technologies is able to offer end-to-end design engineering, product development and fabrication, manufacturing and production for advanced metallized ceramic initiatives.
Ceramic Substrates
CoorsTek, CeramTEC, EnRG, etc.
Inks
Heraeus, Dupont, Ferro, Creative Materials (CMI) etc.
Novel Materials and Applications
From substrates of standard ceramic and AlN, to inks of Silver, Gold and Platinum, Micropen can work with our strategic partners to find your custom solutions.
To set up a consultation or request a quote, simply contact us.