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RFID

The next Opportunity for Gravure

By: Walter Siegenthaler

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

World Headquarters in Bleienbach/Switzerland

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

US Headquarters in Huntersville, NC

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

Manufacturing Facilities and MDC Offices

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

MDC Product lines

CYLINDER PREPARATIONEQUIPMENT LASER TECHNOLOGY

DOCTOR BLADES

PLATING TECHNOLOGY

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• What is RFID?

– Radio Frequency Identification

– Identification of items with the use of Radio Frequency Wave Technology

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• RFID will one day replace UPC Bar Codes

– Bar codes need line of sight to be read

– RFID does not need line of sight

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

Reader

cereal

Productwith RFIDtag

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

Receipt

9.99

3.45

18.75

32.19

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Where are we today?

– Wal-Mart requires as of January 2005

• Top 100 suppliers meet 100% readability for pallets and cases shipped to specific Distribution Centers

• 100% readability of cases moving on conveyors at up to 540 feet per minute

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Others are following the lead of Wal-Mart

– Home Depot– Albertson’s– CVS– Target– Lowes

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• The Other Driving Force

– Department of Defense (DoD)

• Specified its own UID (Unique Identification)

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Today’s RFID Tags

– Printed Antenna (printed with conductive ink)

– Inserted Chip (integrated Circuit)

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Today’s RFID Tags limitations:

– Chip too expensive for item labeling

– Chip insertion accuracy

– Chip insertion speed

– Chip to Antenna connection critical

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Future RFID Tags

– Antenna and Electronics printed directly on Tag

RFID The next opportunity for GravureFlexible Substrate• Plastic• Paper

G

Conductors• PTF conductors• Conductive polymers• Organo-metallics• Nanoparticle inks• Metal foils

Dielectrics• PTF dielectrics• Polymer• Oxides

S D

Active

SubstrateDielectric

Conductor

Actives• Polymers• Oligomers• Inorganics

Courtesy of Motorola's Printed Electronics Technology Team

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

Gate

Source Drain

Dielectric

SemiconductorChannel

Courtesy of Motorola's Printed Electronics Technology Team

• Printed Transistor

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Printed Transistor wish list

– Very small features (600 features per square inch)

– Gap less than 10 microns

– No pin holes in layers

– Very low failure rate

– Consistent ink layer thickness

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Which printing processes are considered?

– Offset– Flexo– Screen Printing– Gravure

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

Gravure

Prin

ting

Thr

ough

put (

ft/hr

)

1 um 10 um 100 um

Printing Resolution

Offset

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103

102

104

105

106

107

Screen Printing

Microcontact and Micromolding

Flexograph

Inkjet

Micro dispensing

Courtesy of Motorola's Printed Electronics Technology Team

Identify printing technology to achieve optimal OET device performance

•Available materials•Printing resolution•System registration•Film thickness

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Challenges/Opportunities for Gravure

– Sharp edges

– Gap without “bridges”

– Homogenous layers

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Cylinder Engraving

– Electromechanical Engraving

– Direct Laser Engraving

– Indirect Laser Engraving

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Electromechanical Engraving• Conventional EM engraving does not create sharp edges

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• ElectromechanicalEngraving

New Technologies such as TranScribe or X-treme could possibly give the required results

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Direct Laser Engraving

– Laser Engraving directly into zinc

– Conventional mode is one shot = one cell

– Possibility to overlap shots to create smoother edges

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Direct Laser Engraving

Conventional Master Screen

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Indirect Laser Engraving Process steps

–Coating with black lacquer• Ring coating or Spray coating

– Imaging with Laser (Laser ablation)

– Spray Etching

– Remove lacquer

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Beam Size• 10 Microns for high Quality Gravure

10 µ

5 µ

135 µ 27 passes

Indirect Laser EngravingLaser imaging

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

Indirect Laser EngravingSuperior line detail

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

Distinguishing between Gap and Wall?

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Once we have engraved a cylinder, the next challenge isto print the features

– What challenges do we face?

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Inks

• Conductive inks are relatively new and are

continued to be developed

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• Inks

Very little known about

• Print characteristics

• What result on what substrate

• Drying characteristics

RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

• In order to possibly reach the goal, we need thecooperation of:

• Cylinder engraver

• Printer

• Ink manufacturer

• Substrate manufacturer

• Doctor Blade manufacturer

• Printing Press manufacturer

• Designer of Electronics

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RFID The next opportunity for Gravure

There are many challenges ahead… …but, challenges are opportunities!

There are opportunities out there

Go and grab them!

Thank you.