Revolutionizing the future of electronics manufacturing
by Nir Sade, General Manager AME at Nano Dimension
Additively Manufactured Electronics (AME) refers to electronic components created using 3D printing techniques. This innovative approach is rapidly gaining momentum as a transformative alternative to traditional electronics prototyping and production methods. According to the 3D Electronics/Additive Electronics 2024-2034 report from IDTechEx, projections estimate a global market opportunity of approximately US$4.3 billion by the end of the decade, highlighting AME’s growing significance in the electronics industry.
The evolution of AME has been marked by continuous advancements in 3D printing technology, which have expanded its capabilities beyond mechanical applications to advanced electronics manufacturing. Initially, 3D printing was predominantly associated with mechanical part prototyping, but as the technology matured, it enabled the simultaneous printing of conductive and dielectric materials. This progression paved the way for the development of complex electronic devices with integrated components, such as twisted coils, capacitors, and any angle connection of conductors, simplifying the assembly steps and improving signal integrity.
AME offers several advantages over conventional electronics manufacturing techniques, similar to the advantages conventional 3D printing offers over traditional methods. For example, greater design freedom enables the creation of smarter and smaller products with integrated non-planar electronics. The technology provides the ability to rapidly prototype parts in-house, protecting IP and speeding up product development. Traditional prototyping methods can be costly and time-consuming to produce small batches, making iterative design difficult.
AME also enables the reshoring of production and the use of digital inventories for on-demand, on-site creation of electronics spare parts. This is highly beneficial, particularly in cases where unexpected geopolitical or other disruptions affect traditional supply chains.
To take PCBs as an example, traditional PCB prototyping involves sending the design to PCB manufacturers, but producing them in-house with AME streamlines product development, shortening lead times, eliminating dependency on external vendors, and allowing the simultaneous printing of multiple designs. This results in faster functional prototyping than any other method, ultimately accelerating time to market.
However, the adoption of AME is still in its early stages, and challenges remain in terms of industry familiarity and the need for established design knowledge, standards, and workflows. To bridge this gap, we are actively collaborating with numerous universities and research institutes to explore real-world applications. We are also working with IPC, the global organisation for electronics manufacturing, to develop IPC Standard 2581—a dedicated standard for the qualification and production of 3D printed electronics to instill trust in the AME offering.
Looking ahead, the future of AME appears promising. We expect breakthrough developments in the way AME is used soon, as customers we’re working with have already qualified the first applications to be manufactured while taking full advantage of the benefits offered by AME. For example, a defence organization developed and qualified an antenna for air-borne devices, demonstrating the advantages of design freedom, simplified production, and the advancements in materials and production processes AME offers over traditional manufacturing.
For Nano Dimension and other manufacturers in the industry, developments in materials, software, and processes will continue to be critical. Although we’re still educating the market, much like the pioneers of mechanical 3D printing around 30 years ago, the trend is clear. We foresee increasing adoption of AME for high-value applications, starting with the defence and aerospace segments and then migrating to other industrial sectors.