Aerosol Jet is a printing technology used to deposit a wide range of functional materials for a myriad of applications. Several key applications in semiconductor packaging and RF antenna have been selected by Optomec as primary thrust areas. In order to develop these production applications, the correct material combinations must be engineered and developed to meet the performance standards of each individual application need. For example, adhering high conductivity metalization to low-temperature plastics with environmental performance similar to bulk sheet metals glued onto parts for the purpose of propagating RF signals OR developing printed dielectrics and conductors for semiconductor packaging that have equivalent mechanical, reliability and electrical performance compared to wire bonding are not small tasks to be underestimated. Results from the development of these processes related to mechanical, electrical and reliability performance will be shared.

Bryan Germann is Optomec's Aerosol Jet Product manager. He has been with Optomec for over 2.5 years and is responsible for managing all Aerososl Jet products, including printing hardware, machine platforms, and digital products. He came to Optomec as a production customer using Aerosol Jet to create fully automated work cells for GE Power to apply ceramic strain monitoring sensors onto hot gas path components for land-based heavy-duty gas turbines used for power generation. He holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Carolina and has 17 patents to his name. Since working with Optomec, he has successfully led the new product development team to release new Aerosol Jet Print engine hardware as well as new machine platforms used to meet specific market segment demands in semiconductor packaging, specifically for printing interconnects, and in consumer electronic devices for a variety of purposes.

Optomec is evolving the world of additive manufacturing by enabling new dimensions in 3D printing. The LENS and Aerosol Jet families of printers support a range of materials for metals, 3D printed electronics and other applications, and are able to implement feature sizes never before possible.