A lot of research-and-development work is under way into advanced technologies that use print techniques. These techniques, which have often relied on huge up-front investment, will, I’m sure, generate truly worthwhile developments. While I’m certainly not aware of all of them, I think I’m safe in saying that there are probably several more years of R&D to come before these developments affect the print industry.

However, there are other ways to approach printed electronics that are slightly less sophisticated and, judging by the recent articles, these are beginning to gain some traction within the industry.

Lack of information
The average printer or packaging manufacturer hasn’t yet been told that it is possible to print an electronic circuit through the standard printing processes and presses – by that, I do mean your standard screen, flexo, gravure and offset litho press.

Electronic devices are produced by using an existing printing press to apply conductive inks. Using a range of converting techniques to integrate electronic components on to these printed circuits can open up a world of opportunities. The current term for this manufacture method is ‘hybrid circuits’ – a blend of silicon and printed electronics. Using these techniques, any printed item can become interactive.

In many cases, this means putting electronics into print, packaging or point-of-sale (PoS) materials. It is possible to print products today that incorporate a mixture of sensors, displays, lights, speakers, printed batteries and communication devices.

None of this is new. The components have been around for years, as have printing presses and conductive inks. What is innovative here is bringing these disparate bits together to create something different.

That said, there are some limitations and there are quite a few hurdles and challenges to overcome. However, the basic outline I’ve described is realistic and most importantly is happening.

One of the biggest challenges is finding the common ground for a multi-disciplinary team to work across print, converting, electronics engineering and the creative side of things. From experience, these different industries speak different languages. But when this common ground is reached, then there is the scope for developing print that communicates with the consumer in a very different way.

For the brand owner or packaging buyer, this means that real two-way interactivity can be introduced to print. The casual shopper can interact with PoS displays to affect a buying decision; the potential customer can connect with a mail piece in ways that were previously unimaginable; and the printed item – whatever its format – can gain a new dimension. In such applications, printed electronics doesn’t undermine either the electronics or the print industries, but opens up new and uncharted market opportunities.

A quick search on the internet will offer a great deal of information on the subject of printed electronics, including some incredible and almost unimaginable predictions for the future from sources that are both credible and well-informed.
Wouldn’t it be pleasant if, by capturing the imagination of a packaging buyer or brand owner, printed electronics offered an opportunity to shift some of the broader marketing budget into the ‘packaging costs’ column?

It’s easy to be suspicious, cynical or dismissive of new technologies, yet it is naive to ignore them. From my perspective, introducing simple electronics into print and packaging offers a starting point for something big for the industry.

Chris Jones is sales director of Novalia Printed Electronics