Electroninks and IDS cut aerospace electronics build time 73%

Electroninks and Integrated Deposition Solutions say a joint printing program reduced production time per aerospace device by 73% while delivering near-100% yield across more than 100 multilayer heaters. The result points to a production-ready path for printed electronics in aerospace, where reliability and repeatability have slowed adoption.

Why it matters: - Electroninks and Integrated Deposition Solutions say the program shows aerosol-printed electronics can move from prototyping to scaled aerospace production. - The companies say the process could shorten manufacturing cycles for mission-critical components and expand printed electronics use in aerospace and industrial markets. - The joint workflow also aims to reduce variability, a major barrier to production adoption in printed electronics.

What happened: - Electroninks and IDS announced results from a joint manufacturing program that cut production time per device by 73%. - IDS produced more than 100 multilayer printed heaters over a three-week qualification run. - The devices were built to a target resistance of 30 ohms with a ±3 ohm tolerance. - Every device fell within tolerance, and the companies reported manufacturing yield approaching 100%. - The work used a new standard operating procedure jointly engineered by Electroninks and IDS. - The qualified devices have entered environmental testing to assess long-term reliability and aerospace readiness.

The details: - Electroninks’ particle-free conductive and dielectric materials were paired with IDS’s aerosol printing platforms. - Electroninks’ UV-curable polyimide insulation and encapsulation material and EI-615 silver conductive layer were cured and processed directly on the printing system. - The on-platform process removed external oven steps, cutting cycle time and reducing process variability. - EI-615’s low-temperature processing kept substrate temperatures at or below 120°C. - The temperature limit broadens the range of aerospace-grade substrates the process can support. - The SOP includes a standardized material pre-batching method designed to make technology transfer easier for production teams. - The NanoJet Gen2 system combines aerosol deposition with integrated process controls in a platform built for repeatable manufacturing workflows. - Continued optimization of print paths and production flow drove the 73% reduction in manufacturing time per device.

Between the lines: - The announcement focuses less on lab performance and more on manufacturability at production scale. - That shift matters because printed electronics have often struggled with yield, consistency and process transfer outside research settings. - The collaboration suggests materials development and process engineering together can unlock production-ready results faster than either discipline alone. - Mike Torre of Electroninks said the particle-free ink chemistry was designed to behave predictably at production scale. - Dov Phillips of IDS said success depended on building a complete workflow that delivered repeatable results day after day and operator after operator.

What's next: - Electroninks and IDS are working on integrating in-situ laser processing with Electroninks’ particle-free silver inks. - The companies say that could enable conductive features to be cured immediately after deposition. - They also say the approach could further compress cycle times and support printing on large or complex three-dimensional surfaces. - Additional product specifications and availability information are available at the company website.

The bottom line: - The joint program gives aerospace manufacturers a stronger case that printed electronics can be both fast and reliable enough for production use.