Industrial printing capabilities for organic electronics (Printed Electronics Europe 2005)

During the development of today's industrial printing technologies traditional press makers and printers gained a number of abilities and competences which will help to extend their scope beyond printed products addressing the human visual sensory nerve.

 

For example, printing an appropriate pattern with an ink which generates on a substrate the functionality electrical conductivity gives the opportunity to print electrical circuitry or antennas for RFIDs. Adding further patterns with functionalities like semi conductivity and electrical insulation opens routes to print polymer transistors and LEDs.

 

The paper will discuss opportunities, challenges and limitations of industrial printing systems for printing electronic functionality with the focus on low end applications for mass markets.

Robert Weiss is Head of Technology & Business Development at MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG, Germany

 

Robert earned his engineering degree in Technical Physics from the Munich University of Applied Sciences in 1985.

 

When he joined MAN Roland in 1990, he was already able to draw from 5 years of experience with digital imaging systems.

 

At MAN Roland, he worked on an innovative electrostatic printing project and later headed the basic R&D department for digital printing technologies.

 

Robert then joined the management team that designed the business unit Digital Printing Systems and oversaw all world-wide laser printing business.

 

Today, Robert is co-ordinating MAN Roland's R&D efforts and is responsible for the development of new businesses based on innovative technologies.

MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG is the world's second largest printing press manufacturer and the world's market leader in web fed printing: Every third newspaper produced in the world is printed on a MAN Roland press. The company, with its main locations in Offenbach, Augsburg, and Plauen, Germany, employs a staff of around 9,000 and has annual sales of approximately EUR 1,5 billion, with an export share of 80% and new orders totaling EUR 1,6 billion.

 

Web and sheetfed offset presses as well as digital printing systems are the major product lines for publishing, general commercial, and packaging printing. The field of business ranges from brochures to newspaper production systems for printing million-copy runs. The worldwide network of more than 100 sales and service centers for almost 200 countries markets MAN Roland products a comprehensive range of accessories and consumables that accompany the printing process. MAN Roland's trade and services capabilities makes it a leading application provider able to satisfy industry requirements for equipment as well as project engineering and construction services. The range of capabilities covers everything from the commissioning of printing companies, to prepress, printing automation systems, all the way to postpress finishing operations. MAN Roland is supplier of integrated services and software products for all printing needs.

 

Digital printing systems as well as web offset presses for printing newspapers and quality commercial products such as brochures, catalogs, magazines, books, and inserts, are manufactured in Augsburg. The presses are designed to meet the ever increasing demands for improved print quality and performance made by printing companies and publishing houses throughout the world. MAN Roland in Plauen is synonymous with quality newspaper printing in small to medium-size runs with a relatively low number of pages. The series of sheet offset presses from Offenbach, Mainhausen and Geisenheim comprises system families in small, medium, and large format for advertising products, business stationery, book printing and packaging products.

 

MAN Roland is a subsidiary company of MAN Aktiengesellschaft, Munich. The MAN group is one of Europe's leading suppliers of capital goods, and manufacture commercial vehicles and industrial systems. 60,000 employees produce annual sales of EUR 16 billion.