A prototyping and development facility has been set up by the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) at its Printable Electronics Technology Centre (PETEC) in Sedgefield.

Over the coming months the organisation will be investing in an array of machinery, including a press, finishing equipment and pick and place kit designed to place batteries on paper.

Tenders are currently out for the kit and it is anticipated that investments will be made by August.

Once it is operational, planned for the end of the year, printers, publishers, print buyers and any other interested parties will be able to visit the facility with ideas for printed electronics.

A spokesman for the project said: "Ideally we want designers, printers and buyers to come to us together with ideas. We can show them how easily it can be done. We want printers walking away saying 'we have most of that kit, we just need to buy a pick and place machine and we can do that'."

According to PETEC, the facility will contain simple equipment, designed to prove to printers that printed electronics can be easily created in a traditional print facility, dispelling the myth that it will involve huge investments.

The facility will include a range of traditional print processes and curing equipment, including UV and conventionally drying flexo, litho, digital and screen units.

The centre will employ skilled print-industry staff to run the equipment, while PETEC will work with UK technology partners.

The CPI is part of the government's technology innovation centre which is focusing on high value manufacturing.