Development of copper wire laying techniques for 3D printing

• Main Author: Ng, Nigel Youee
• Other Authors: Yeong Wai Yee
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
• Subjects: Engineering::Mechanical engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/150848
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

General 3D printing technology has been around for decades, but adopting this to print electronic circuits has proven to be challenging. Research in this field is still in its infancy stages, as existing methods of 3D printing in electronic circuits have its respective shortcomings. This makes a single, practical method of 3D printing electronic circuits difficult to achieve, much less be commercialised and used on a wider scale. This project aims to develop an in-situ copper wire laying technique for a large format hybrid 3D printer. In the literature review section, existing methods of 3D printing electronic circuits will be explored. In order to achieve a successful copper wire laying technique, a hybrid print head with several capabilities of printing copper wires had to be first developed and integrated with an existing printer. The printer specifications, design modifications and detailed tests for printing parameters will be covered. Specifically, tests were conducted to determine the ideal temperature, best anchoring and embedding configuration, as well as tool height offset. Combining these optimal printing parameters to establish a feasible embedding technique, a proof of concept to test the functionality of the circuit will be presented. On top of developing a successful copper wire laying technique, this paper will conclude by discussing the potential applications of such findings on the Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM) industry and possible improvements for future research.