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Masterclasses

Download Masterclass Presentations (subject to permission)

The four optional expert-led masterclasses are interactive consultancy sessions. At each masterclass you will have the chance to handle many samples, and take away printed copies of presentations. They will ensure you get the most from the conference and leave with answers to your questions.

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Masterclass 1: Introduction to Printed Electronics

November 12, Morning Session, 8:30am - 11:30am

8:00am Registration & coffee | 11:30am Coffee & tour departure

Raghu Das, CEO - IDTechEx

Dr Peter Harrop, Chairman - IDTechEx

Gary Johnson, President and CEO - Thin Battery Technology

Designed for those who are new to this disruptive technology or need to understand the big picture to assess the challenges and opportunities, this Masterclass will arm you with the latest knowledge of the applications and technology developments involving printed electronics. Led by experts, it is the ideal time to voice your questions as part of the interactive session and learn of the technologies that are available and emerging. The session will cover:

Applications of printed electronics - now and near future
Lessons to be learnt from early successes and failures
- The value chain
- Market forecasts
The need for printed electronics
- Key markets that need printed electronics - reasons why and their technology requirements
- Creating new markets versus competing with conventional electronics in existing ones
Assessment of technologies, companies, strategies and progress so far, including
- Thin film transistor circuits (organic, inorganic semiconductors, thin film silicon)
- Displays (OLEDs, electrophoretic, electroluminescent, electrochromatic and others)
- Sensors and conductive inks
Batteries and actuators
A discussion of manufacturing techniques, their relevancy and challenges
Challenges and the roadmap to the full printed electronics toolkit

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Masterclass 2: Displays & Lighting

November 12, Afternoon Session, 2:30pm - 5:30pm

2:00pm Registration & lunch | 5:30pm Masterclass ends

Dr Peter Harrop, Chairman - IDTechEx

Dr Lorenza Moro, Senior Scientist - SRI International

Steven L. Ludmerer - Foresight Science and Technology

Professor Ian Underwood FRSE, CTO - MicroEmissive Displays

Dr Devin MacKenzie, Director of Technology - Add-Vision Inc

Prof Ghassan Jabbour, Director of Research-Optoelectronic Materials and Devices - Arizona State University Flexible Display Center

Displays will be one of the largest market segments in printed/organic electronics. For example, Samsung has invested over $500 million in developing next generation OLED displays. Already 70% of the MP3 flash memory music devices use an OLED display. However, OLEDs are just the tip of the iceberg with electroluminescent, electrophoretic and electrochromic displays with unique benefits being commercially used now. Within ten years we will also see another major development - conventional lighting being replaced with lighting that is laminar and flexible.

This masterclass, led by experts in the field, will guide you through the full range of technologies, market opportunities and challenges, and issues to be resolved. The IP situation will also be covered as will companies in the value chain, along with their positioning and strengths.

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Masterclass 3: Printing Technologies

November 15, Morning Session, 8:30am - 11:30pm

8:00am Registration & coffee | 11:30am Coffee & tour departure

Susann Reuter, Consultant - IDTechEx

Dr Bruce Kahn - Printed Electronics Consulting

Dr Mike Renn, Senior Scientist - Optomec Inc

In the early years of printed electronics it was believed that one printing technology might be optimal for a given device such as a transistor circuit or flexible display. It was felt that the inks used would be almost entirely organic in nature. However, life has not proved that simple and most manufacturers and putative manufacturers are now using a variety of printing technologies for the various layers in a given device in order to optimize performance and cost.

Indeed, it is even common to combine printing of certain layers with spin coating, vacuum deposition and other non-printing technologies for other layers of a given device. Some thin film circuits even incorporate a silicon chip as an interim stage.

Another complication is that the active layers in thin film transistors, photovoltaics and other devices now commonly incorporate combined organic and inorganic substances, some in nanoparticle, carbon fullerene or other form.

All this means that there is a place for ink jet printing but also the various reel to reel printing technologies such as gravure, flexo and rotary screen. However, each must be customized to purpose.

This Masterclass demystifies the how, where, why and what next, bringing the subject alive with many real world examples.

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Masterclass 4: RFID & Its Progress towards Being Printed

November 15, Afternoon Session, 2:30pm - 5:30pm

2:00pm Registration & lunch | 5:30pm Masterclass ends

Raghu Das, CEO - IDTechEx

Dr Peter Harrop, Chairman - IDTechEx

Dr. Somnath Mukherjee- RB Technology

RFID is rapidly taking off for a wide range of applications, with the 1.3 billion tags shipped in 2006 rising to over 500 billion tags in 2016. The endgame is the item level tagging of all items but this calls for an ultra low-cost tag, costing little more than a barcode does today.

Printed RFID is one of the most promising technologies to achieve this. Today, we already have fully printed sub one cent RFID tags, some meeting EPC data specifications. These do not use thin film transistor circuits though and have various performance compromises. Additionally, over 50 companies are developing printed thin film transistor circuits which can mimic the silicon chip and be used as a printed RFID tag.

But how do these compete with the lowering cost of silicon chips? Is more value and functionality required? What are the enabling technologies, progress of the leaders and timelines? Which are the most suitable applications for printed RFID initially? This masterclass answers these questions, assesses the technologies and how they work, and the latest progress.

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Testimonies

Previous Masterclass delegates have reported:

"It's great to actually get real information on where RFID is going INDEPENDENTLY without someone trying to sell their particular product"

Jim Chatz, Labelmakers Australia

"Excellent"

James Zhang, GE Global Research Center

"A good class for introducing display/lighting technology"

Leo Paper Group

"I liked the review of the fundamental technologies"

The Marketing Store

"Very informative and useful"

Weyerhaeuser Company

"Outstanding and very useful"

WaveZero

America's largest event on printed and thin film electronics. With over 50 exhibitors and more than 500 delegates anticipated - the whole industry will be at this event. Will you?