Electronic and conductive inks are a critical element in the fast-growing field of flexible and printed electronics. Estimated at $2 billion in annual sales, electronic and conductive inks and materials are found in a wide range of applications, from photovoltaics and flexible displays to sensors, wearables and smart packaging. As the flexible and printed electronics market expands in areas such as the Internet of Things, so too will the need for electronic and conductive inks.
 
The latest conductive ink technologies as well as key end markets will be highlighted during the inaugural Electronic and Conductive Ink Conference, October 11-12 at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, IL, near Chicago.
 
The conference is sponsored by the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM), Ink World and Printed Electronics Now, and will be held in conjunction with NAPIM’s annual NPIRI Technical Conference, which begins Oct. 9.
 
Flexible and printed electronics are found in many items that we use daily, whether they are glucose strips for diabetes testing, the OLED screens on your cellphones, heaters for car seats or RFID for packaging. Unique products are also making headlines, such as Ralph Lauren’s US Olympic Winter Jacket featuring conductive inks and printed heaters, L’Oreal’s printed sensors that test UV exposure on skin and GE’s use of flexible sensors to monitor the strain on wind turbines.
 
The conference program has been designed to provide a look at the present and future of conductive inks and flexible and printed electronics. Attendees will hear the perspective of end users, from the Smart Packaging panel, moderated by Roy Bjorlin of Sun Chemical, featuring Preferred Displays, Inc.’s Angelica Zaledzieski as well as Michael Fein of Zebra Technologies, a leader in RFID.
 
On the conductive ink and materials side, Dr. Vahid Akhavan of NovaCentrix, Dr. Dene Taylor of SPF-Inc., Frank Wallace of Nanogap and Dr. Ajay Virkarm of C3Nano, who will provide their insights in trends and new technologies.
 
On the production side, Barry Cullens of Hockmeyer Equipment will discuss new technologies for processing materials. George Fuchs of NAPIM will focus on regulatory concerns for nanomaterials and conductive inks. From the university perspective, Liam O’Hara of Clemson University, Rachel Ma of Cal Poly and Dr. Binu Narakathu of Western Michigan University will discuss latest developments.
 
The list of products that flexible and printed electronics is being used for is growing fast, and so is the need for conductive inks. For more information, and to register, see the conference website at www.printedelectronicink.com or register at this link.