Abstract Printed electronics offer great potential for new applications such as Internet of Things devices and wearables. However, to date, only a limited number of electronic functions and integration densities can be realised by printing processes. Hence, hybrid printed electronic circuits are actually created by mounting silicon electronic components. Since both printed materials and processes are continuously evolving, an accompanying structured development methodology is required. This paper highlights a digital workflow from design to automated fabrication using the example of a demonstrator circuit. A multi-layer vector ink-jet printing process to print electronic devices onto foil substrates with three functional inks is presented. This printing process is improved using a newly set-up printing system: Integrating a piezo print head into the path planning of the printing system and its control as a virtual stepper axis enable highly precise vector printing. This leads to printed resistors with low tolerances. Adaptations of surface mount technology for assembling silicon electronic components onto printed foil substrates are discussed. Finally, image processing methods to cope with deformations of the flexible foil substrates in the fabrication process are introduced.

中文翻译：

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混合印刷电子电路的自动化制造

摘要 印刷电子产品为物联网设备和可穿戴设备等新应用提供了巨大的潜力。然而，迄今为止，只能通过印刷工艺实现有限数量的电子功能和集成密度。因此，混合印刷电子电路实际上是通过安装硅电子元件来创建的。由于印刷材料和工艺都在不断发展，因此需要配套的结构化开发方法。本文以演示电路为例，重点介绍了从设计到自动化制造的数字化工作流程。提出了一种多层矢量喷墨印刷工艺，可使用三种功能油墨将电子设备印刷到箔基板上。使用新设置的打印系统改进了此打印过程：将压电打印头集成到打印系统的路径规划中，并将其作为虚拟步进轴进行控制，从而实现高精度矢量打印。这导致印刷电阻器具有低容差。讨论了将硅电子元件组装到印刷箔基板上的表面贴装技术的适应性。最后，介绍了处理柔性箔基板在制造过程中变形的图像处理方法。