RFID
Antenna Manufacture using Printed Electronics
Printed electronics offers a more sustainable method of manufacturing over the standard etch processes. A printed electronics approach can be used for simple devices such as RFID and NFC for retail/logistics, smart cards, automotive antenna systems through to more complex systems needed for 5G that underpin low cost IoT devices.
Additional benefits for a printed electronics approach include:
- Printing on non-standard substrates eg textiles
- Incorporation into IoT devices that have other capabilities eg biosensor, Antenna functionality can therefore be introduced at reduced cost
- Low cost when produced by mass production techniques such as R2R
- Readily customised antenna systems
- Flexible and lightweight
- Printing antennas on 3D components eg helmets,
Dycotec supply both silver pastes and electronically conductive adhesives to manufacture and assemble antenna systems. To enable rapid design changes for flexible antenna production, silver digital inkjet techniques can be used. Our conductive ink and pastes systems are ideal for antenna applications.
Examples of Antenna
RFID
RFID test structures printed on rubber or other non-standard substrates.
Antennas were printed with Dycotec silver conductive paste, DM-SIP-3074 and customised formulations for use on rubber substrates.
RFID systems manufactured were tested with the Voyantic system and had a read range of 10m.
Prototype Development
We are able to prototype antenna designs:
- Industrial screen printers and a range of IR and convection ovens and UV conveyors for manufacturing RFID in low volume