AFRL, Harvard researchers invent new hybrid 3-D printing method for flexible electronics
A technique called Hybrid 3-D printing, developed by Air Force Research Laboratory researchers in collaboration with the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, uses additive manufacturing to integrate soft, conductive inks with material substrates to create stretchable electronic devices. To create these, a 3-D printer prints conductive traces of flexible, silver-infused thermoplastic polyurethane. Then, a pick-and-place method using empty printer nozzles and a vacuum system sets microcontroller chips and LED lights into the flexible substrate. (Courtesy photo by Harvard Wyss Institute)