D6.4 WP6

Compiled by: Jukka Hast (VTT) Name (organisation): VTT e-mail: jukka.hast@vtt.fi

Responsible partner

COLAE: Commercialization Clusters of OLAE

Summary of key future research and topics and key recommendations

© COLAE 2014

Project name: Commercialization Clusters of OLAE

Acronym: COLAE

Project type: Coordination and support action

Starting date: 1 September 2011

Duration: 36 months

Call: FP7-ICT-2011-7

Grant agreement number: 288881

Website: www.colae.eu

PUBLIC

Executive Summary COLAE project is a pan-European initiative to promote the commercial exploitation of organic and large area

electronics (OLAE). Project’s aim is to enhance the awareness of organic electronics and to highlight the

opportunities it offers key industries. The COLAE project also strive to harness the vast resources and know-how of

the project partners to benefit OLAE developers and to keep Europe's technology base at the leading edge.

Work package 6 (WP6) – New Wave Research - of COLAE is collecting and analysing information from workshops

with stakeholders in the OLAE field in order to generate key recommendations for each of the themes and finally to

disseminate the results. This deliverable (6.4) presents the report for 5th

COLAE workshop which was held in Oulu

26th

February 2014. Topic of the workshop was focused on identifying challenges and solutions related to OLAE

applications and products. Key findings from market, technical, value-chain, commercialization and business know-

how including funding perspectives are summarized.

Key recommendations for future research topics are discussed. Key findings from previous workshops are shortly

summarized. In addition, identified OLAE challenges and potential solutions from other work packages (WP1 –

Networking, WP3 – Feasibility Network, WP4 – Towards Virtual Foundry and WP5 – Open Innovation Model) are

presented. Summarized key recommendations for future research topics are:

SME companies should supported more. Focused shorter term industrial driven demonstrator projects and

pilot actions parallel with longer term research projects are needed. Technology transfer from lab to fab

should be faster. Existing and new pilot production facilities could be utilized more to accelerate

technology ramp-up.

Longer term research projects are still needed to develop new materials and increase performance and

lifetime of OLAE components. Actions to strengthen development of modelling and design tools are

needed.

Hybrid integration (combining OLAE technologies with microelectronics) is an important opportunity to

utilize OLAE technologies in electronics manufacturing chain and bring commercial application to

markets. In order to achieve success, modelling and design tools should be developed further so that

materials and processes for integration with existing electronics design flow. This also requires stronger

standardization activities. Internet-of-things offers huge market potential for OLAE technologies together

with concentional electronics.

Novel business models to commercialize OLAE technologies need to be developed. Service type of

business is future. In addition more business developers who understand the OLAE field are needed.

Awareness of OLAE field should be still increased. Dissemination activities of research projects should be

aimed more towards end users.

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Content

1. Report of 5th

workshop on Challenges in OLAE systems and applications ............................................................. 5

1.1Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 5

1.2 Organization and attendees ........................................................................................................................... 5

1.3 Group work ..................................................................................................................................................... 6

1.4 Key findings .................................................................................................................................................... 6

1.4.1 Market aspects ......................................................................................................................................... 6

1.4.2 Technical aspects ...................................................................................................................................... 7

1.4.3 Value chain aspects ................................................................................................................................... 7

1.4.4 Business and commercialization know-how .............................................................................................. 7

1.4.5 Funding aspects ....................................................................................................................................... 8

2. Key recommendations for future ......................................................................................................................... 9

2.1 Current status in Europe ................................................................................................................................. 9

2.2 Forecasts and emerging opportunities for OLAE ........................................................................................... 10

2.3 Key findings from previous workshops ........................................................................................................... 12

2.4 Recognized challenges and solutions from other COLAE work packages ....................................................... 15

2.4.1 WP1 – Networking .................................................................................................................................. 15

2.4.2 WP3 – Feasibility Network ......................................................................................................................16

2.4.3 WP4 – Towards Virtual Foundry .............................................................................................................. 17

2.3.4 WP5 – Open Innovation Model ............................................................................................................... 20

2.4 Recommendations for future research ......................................................................................................... 20

2.4.1 Collaboration actions – projects ............................................................................................................. 20

2.4.2 Technology developments..................................................................................................................... 20

2.4.3 Business development ............................................................................................................................ 21

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2.4.4 Awareness and dissemination ................................................................................................................. 21

Appendix 1. ............................................................................................................................................................ 22

Appendix 2............................................................................................................................................................. 25

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1. Report of 5th workshop on Challenges in OLAE systems and applications

1.1Introduction

The 5th

COLAE workshop was part of COLAE task 6.6 committed to organize a workshop on challenges in OLAE

systems and applications. The responsible partner to arrange this workshop was VTT with supporting partners

UCAM, il, AUTH, CETEMMSA, ACREO, CEA and FhG.

1.2 Organization and attendees

The workshop was organized at afternoon 26th of February and co-located with the Prinse2014 Seminar at VTT

Oulu, Finland. An internet page was dedicated to the workshop which was linked to the Prinse2014 www-page at

http://www.printocent.net/prinse14.html. To promote the event a relevant mailing list was established with the help

of COLAE partners and networks consolidating contacts from PrintoCent partners and previous COLAE workshops.

99 people participated to the workshop of which 76 came from the industry including consultants, market analytics

and regional development people as well as EC representative. Number of academic partners was 23. From COLAE

partners Acreo, InnovationLab, UCAM, CeNTI and VTT were present. The participant list is presented in appendix 1.

The agenda of the workshop (appendix 2) was structured in three main parts:

1) Introduction of the workshop and COLAE project by Ilkka Kaisto and Jukka Hast

2) Talks from the Industry and European Commission as well as free talks from the audience:

Jani-Mikael Kuusisto, Ynvisible

Pekka Makkonen, Flexibright Oy

Valtteri Halla, Leia Media Oy

Philippe Reynaert, EC

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Peter Visser, Brabant regional development agency

Markku Heino, Spinverse Oy

3) Group work along the OLAE value chain, presentation of results and summary discussion.

1.3 Group work

The group work was focusing to identification of challenges and solution along the COLAE value chain shown in the

Figure 1. The group work leaders were:

Materials – Dr. Tapio Fabritius, University of Oulu

Equipment/process – Dr. Kimmo Solehmainen, VTT

Components – Dr. Ralf Mauer, Innovation Lab

Systems/Integrators/Vendors – Dr. Kari Rönkä, VTT

Application development – Jani-Mikael Kuusisto, Ynvisible

For each value chain part identification of challenges in market -, technical -, value chain-, commercialization and

business know-how – and funding aspects, both public and private, were carried out. Respectively each group

evaluated potential solutions for each aspect.

Figure 1.COLAE value chain.

1.4 Key findings

1.4.1 Market aspects

As stated in previous COLAE workshops and other events, OLAE field is still strongly in technology push phase.

“Chicken & egg” problem exists and there are no “real” markets, except display industry using today OLED small

molecule materials, and there are not enough end users to pull OLAE Technologies. In addition material costs are

high which correlates with the low demand of OLAE products. More competition and players on the field would

reduce those. OLAE markets, which are existing today, are on niche applications which require flexibility in

production. This way ecosystem of other components depends on other manufacturers. In addition limited

acceptance of products was seen to be reason from lack of standardization and certification. Big European

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companies do not invest at this moment due to market risks. SME companies should be supported more in their

product development and piloting activities. In addition more awareness and local working conferences with

different players were proposed. Wikipedia of printed electronics should be established to increase dissemination

level of the OLAE field.

1.4.2 Technical aspects

Functionality of OLAE components is rather low and price high due to high material costs. This sets in-balance

between price and functionality. Many times materials have to be formulated (when using solution processing) to

desired deposition/printing technique and additives, solvents etc. which affects the material’s functionality and

compatibility between each deposited layer. Stronger link should be found between material synthesis and

deposition processes development simultaneously. Lifetime of the components is a big issues and new solutions for

barrier materials and encapsulation techniques must be developed. This requires still strong and intensive research

work and resources. Large area applications like OPV, electrochromic displays etc. should take more advantage of

innovative design aspects enabled by these technologies. For example OPV has good potential to differ from other

thin film PV technologies by offering different colors, shapes and form factor. Benefits of digital manufacturing were

emphasized. Component and system design was also seen as a big issue. Understanding of maturity, cost and

scalability should be increased. Some kind of design handbook should be available for designers and product

developers who are interested using OLAE technologies.

1.4.3 Value chain aspects

Along the value chain there is a lack of standards was identified and efforts in TC119 should be activated more. It

was also seen that no solid value chains exist due to lack of applications. System integrators are missing. A “winning”

case could activate the OLAE field. Single supply and/or SME as a supplier for big brand owners is challenging.

1.4.4 Business and commercialization know-how

Development of novel materials take long time and resources. There is lot of material innovations but not that

many actions to commercialize (lack of end apps.). Open access facilities could provide faster way for production, in

case of SMEs as well as for big enterprises who are not interested to invest pilot lines. Novel business models needs

to be developed and especially people who understand the OLAE field are needed in business development.

Scenarios of Internet-of-things (IoT) provide a great opportunity for OLAE technologies. However, IoT is strongly

service business and this is why new tools to commercialize OLAE products are needed. In commercialization also

sales persons should speak same “language” as end users do. Failures should not be feared but used as learning

opportunities.

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1.4.5 Funding aspects

Material development requires long term support. High risk funding (like Darpa) should be available more. Funding

should be allocated also for prototyping and making larger close-to-market demonstrations. Open access facilities

could fasten the product development but they need also continuous support for maintenance and technical

development and other required improvements. Other EC programs got also positive feedback and generally in

Europe level national programs are positive (except Finland). SME tool in H2020 got very positive feedback.

Competition on that is tight and SME’s should be supported more. Private early stage financing for

commercialization is an issue. Awareness of crowd funding tools as vehicles to fund start-ups should be increased.

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2. Key recommendations for future

2.1 Current status in Europe

During summer 2013 EC, Organic Electronics Association (OE-A), Photonics21 working group 4 and COLAE project

prepared together a vision paper for “A European strategy for Organic and Large Area Electronics” 1. This vision

paper was serving as input to the Horizon2020 priority settings in first calls. According to this Europe’s strength relies

on

1. Europe has strong research in OLAE with world leading research organizations, many companies and

national and regional innovation clusters. The European stakeholders are organized around the

Photonics21 European Technology Platform and the OE-A.

2. The market for OLAE based products is fragmented; it is mainly driven by technology advances rather

than by applications and needs more products providing solutions to end-users. Europe has market leaders

in materials and equipment. With very few exceptions, there is a need for a stronger engagement from the

large European materials companies and stronger links with applications, end-user industries and system

integrators.

3. The technology is mature enough for OTFT based backplanes and in general for OLED displays. The

success of OLED displays will stimulate the introduction of OLED lighting. Moreover, some sensors are

already manufactured at large volume by printing companies. The efficiency of OPV technology has

improved a lot in the last year and hero cells in the research labs are now above 10% conversion efficiency.

Several (more than 3) years of research are needed for raising the performance of organic transistors and

the complexity of circuits based on these transistors and their interconnections with sensors to a suitable

level for applications. Thin-film oxide transistors, also solution processable, are providing interesting

application perspectives.

4. Production pilots: OSRAM (Regensburg), Philips (Aachen), Plastic Logic and Heliatek (Dresden) have

recently made significant investments (in the order of tens to hundreds of million Euros) for manufacturing

plants of OLEDs, electronic paper displays and OPV solar cells. Others are already manufacturing Flexible

Printed Circuits and membrane switches, meanwhile integrating new printed functionalities. Several

1 OLAE vision report:

http://www.photonics21.org/download/Brochures/AEuropeanStrategyonOrganicandLargeAreaElectronicsOLAE_2013-06-2622.pdf

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leading research centers in the OLAE domain have a pilot production line and are attracting customers to

build further excellence in certain applications.

This one year old situation is pretty much still valid.

2.2 Forecasts and emerging opportunities for OLAE

Several market analytics (IdTechEx, Nanomarkets, Frost & Sullivan etc.) are evaluating printed electronics and

OLAE markets. Huge market potential is still projected for this technology field as presented in the Figure 2 by

IdTechEx. Clear winner is OLED display which is estimated to grow the most. In other components growth is

expected to be slower which clearly is due to lack of systems and applications which use these components. New

application areas or processes and technologies how to integrate these components together with traditional

electronics are needed.

Figure 2. IdTechEx’s market forecast 2013-2023 in US $ billion for printed and potentially printed electronics including

organic, inorganic and composites.2

Society is digitizing rapidly. Today people are connected to the internet via smart phones, tablet computers and

other personal digital assistants (PDA). With some 2.5 billion users world-wide, today’s Internet is an established part

2 IdTechEx ”Printed, Organic & Flexible Elecgtronics Forecasts, Player, Opportunities 2013 – 2023.

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of our lives3. New cyber physical systems are entering to markets and now for example wearable monitoring devices

are becoming more and more popular. Electronics packaging into design and good looking products with

connectivity and web based services grows rapidly. Big companies like General Electric, Cisco Systems, are

emphasizing the importance of these cyber physical systems (Internet-of-Things, Internet-of-Everywhere…). In

future objects around us will have digital identity and connectivity to the internet.

In future service business via these systems will dominate markets. Figure 3 presents IBM’s view how value earning

from agriculture to goods production and further towards services production has changed.4 Today traditional

separation between manufacturing and service industry is progressively fading away and this trend most likely goes

forward in future. In area of OLAE s good example of service based business is UK based Eight19 company who

established Azuro solar charger concept to African markets. Not selling devices but selling energy and this way

reduce device related risks for the consumer.

Figure 3. Estimation of changes in value earning according to IBM.

Figure 4 presents Business Insider’s forecast for internet connected devices. IoT based devices are seen very

remarkable area among wearable devices, smart TV’s, tablets, smart phones and PCs. IoT devices and new other

cyber physical systems will play big role in future and interest to make living environment more connected is great.

Example of this is Google’s acquisition of Nest Labs (2,34 bln $) who manufactures indoor thermostats which are

rapidly thinking relatively far away from Googles core business.

3 Digital Agenda for Europe, http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/

4 IBM … source TBD

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IoT field is great opportunity for OLAE. There will be need for novel type of sensors and actuators, user interfaces,

energy harvesting and storage components and subsystems. Flexibility and transparency are important features as

well as thin and high form factors to enable integration in different objects. Large area solutions will be needed to

cover increased demand for production. IoT field means also stronger integration with connectivity techniques and

services.

Figure 4. Business Insider’s forecast for IoT5

2.3 Key findings from previous workshops

The first work shop was arranged 15th

March 2012 in Oulu and its topics were focusing to OLAE systems and

applications. Key findings from this workshop were:

1. Integration. Commercialization of OLAE needs more activities on integration the components to the functional

products, less activities on device/component level basic research. The poor availability of materials – price,

volume, specification – is not helping the testing of larger volumes.

5 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-internet-of-everything-2014-slide-deck-sai-2014-2?op=1

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2. Design competence to companies. The design competence of OLAE products has to be developed into

companies, which at the moment look after design rules, standardization, design tools and risk taking end

customers to fund the application development

3. Hunting of end customers broadly. The potential end customers were listed resulting to a very broad area of

businesses. The recommendation for COLAE is to go bravely to new areas, not to limit to those which we

regarded the topical areas in the application phase of COLAE project.

4. Hybrid manufacturing pilot lines. The hybrid products with printed and traditional electronics will be the first at

the market, so the availability of industrial hybrid manufacturing scale is in crucial role in creating the first

success stories.

5. Potential fast European products. The products fitting to European research results and to companies have

been analyzed, recommendation is the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid). Focus in commercialization

activities to get experience on large scale manufacturing (100000 pcs) and short ramp-up phases with no

research.

6. Services. The services of research institutes with both machinery and personnel have to be available for SMEs

and LSEs in this still early industrialization phase. Otherwise the potential business cases will not have the help

and backing for the fund rising, which is anyway challenging.

The second work shop was arranged 9th

October 2012 in Dresden and its topics were focusing on different OLAE

devices. Key findings from this workshop were:

1. Diversification Organic and Large Area Electronics enable a broad application range by diversification in the

»More than Moore« area. It should be differed between large-area devices that really need a large substrate

size, like ePaper, TV displays or solar panels, and small area devices whose large-area needs originate from

the large volumes that are to be manufactured (disposable devices, test stripes, RFID).

2. Miniaturisation is the driving force in electronics integration (»More Moore«). Although device shrinkage is

not necessarily needed in functional integration, in most cases the main trend evolves towards

miniaturisation in the »More than Moore« area. Evaluation of business cases result in most cases in favour for

miniaturized systems.

3. Devices and Systems Devices should not be discussed independent from systems. Integration issues may

largely impact cost and marketability. Backbone of most systems is a core electronics to which peripheral

devices (display, energy harvesting, energy storage, sensor, memory,…) are added.

4. Silicon vs. Organic Electronics Silicon chips and ultrathin flexible silicon chips are in many cases the

preferable alternative to realize the core electronics in flexible electronics. Major advantages are better

performance, maturity and integration density, disadvantage is the assembly process, which makes it

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difficult to interconnect and hampers very large volume manufacturing. However silicon should be an

integral part in heterogeneous integration.

5. Costs Silicon circuits are very cheap, organic integrated circuits offer no cost advantage with the exception of

being an assembly-free integration method. Costs are not the major driver for organic electronics. Therefore

most benefit from organic electronics can be gained if there are other physical constraints in favour for

organics.

6. Manufacturing Low cost per area and less sensitivity to air exposure are key requirements for manufacturing

of a successful OLAE device. Printing is strongly recommendable as process for organic materials that are in

most cases very precious materials and should not be wasted. On the other hand use of solvents should be

minimized, since solvent handling is a challenge for safety and environmental issues.

7. Standardisation is strongly needed for organic devices.

8. OLAE device properties and opportunities for design A relation to innovative designers can help to inspire

end-users for OLAE technologies

9. Device areas that are promising for the future and not yet adequately taken into account:

a. Large area sensors (ISORGs photo detector system as good example) and sensor arrays. These

applications benefit from the ability in OLAE to distribute and integrate functional devices large

areas

b. Biochemical transducers should be added to the OE roadmap. In recent investigations organic

materials turned out to be much better suited in electrically interfacing biological systems.

c. Low-cost reflective elements as cheap displays for signage. This should close the gap between

high resolution pixel display and very simple and cheap color indicators

d. Devices for energy harvesting and energy storage. Energy supply is in many applications one of

the major barriers for integration. Often the challenge is a trade-off between life time and cost.

The third work shop was arranged 11th

June 2013 in Munich and it’s topics were focusing on different OLAE

processing and manufacturing. Key findings from this workshop were:

1. From a technical standpoint, processing and manufacturing of OLAE devices are facing several challenges

with variable criticality at different steps of the process flow. Individually, each single challenge may be

differently addressed and specific solutions should be found from existing approaches or arising from novel

concepts. However, which makes the situation particularly difficult for OLAE commercialization is the sum of

a relatively large set of scattered issues with sometimes interdependencies. For instance, ink jet process

improvements require not only better ink materials and better performing inkjet heads but also the co-

development of these two in conjunction with the substrate, which substrate depends on each given device

and application. However, gathering a material supplier with a component/equipment developer together

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with the device/product manufacturer is unlikely unless a very strong market opportunity arises. In this way,

an important role the OLAE community is gathering companies from differente areas and getting them to

work together.

2. It appears that a general approach starting from materials, components and/or equipment knowledge to

propose a flexible toolkit for producing any kind of OLAE products is simply not realistic (or too early) as the

OLAE industry is not mature yet. This technology-push approach would not guarantee product performance,

reliability and cost requirements regardless of the case of application but would rather deliver variable and

hardly predictable performance, reliability and cost.

3. Intrinsically, organic based products are also bound to experience fast ageing which jeopardizes any

commercialization unless appropriate maturity and ageing resistance is provided and demonstrated. So

practically, market-pull seems to be the only viable approach which will set cases of commercially worthy

applications from which partnership will naturally emerge and consolidate to develop and deliver robust

solutions for processing and manufacturing.

4. Creating early market opportunities is a critical issue for the OLAE industry. Along these opportunities,

creating and unifying strong EU industrial clusters with focused OLAE products as a target benefiting from

the support of relevant public-private partnership & infrastructure will be the driving force to success.

2.4 Recognized challenges and solutions from other COLAE work packages

During the COLAE project evaluation of OLAE challenges and potential solution were evaluated also in other work

packages including WP1 – Networking (company interviews), WP3 – Feasibility network, WP4 – Towards Virtual

Foundry and WP5 – Open Innovation Model. Here recognized challenges and potential solutions to these are

described.

2.4.1 WP1 – Networking

Identified challenges:

In WP1 when doing company interviews it was often expressed that if OLAE-based products and their technologies

are to progress at a sufficiently rapid pace through their learning curve to overtake the incumbent technologies,

which also experience learning and ensuing cost reduction. So, we are witnessing the battle between the learning

curves of different technological options. Fast progress in performance improvements and cost reductions will

determine choices of decision makers.

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Generally, companies are still taking a waiting position for adopting OLAE technologies until different components

have reached a minimum level of maturity (in terms of costs and performance) to be applied in their products. Most

of the companies are not willing to invest heavily in developing applications of OLAE.

Compliancy with variety of standards will be key in the market introduction of OLAE based products.

Solutions to overcome the challenges:

In general, the perspective of the end-user industry (end-user industry companies defined here as downstream

actors in the value chain of OLAE) in relation to the status of industrialization of OLAE was that it is still in early

phases as there are only a few design and manufacturing services available. Exactly due to this reason most of the

interviewed companies emphasised the importance of the role that pilot infrastructures in research institutes could

play in further advancing of the field and the companies appreciated the availability of related services that were

offered during the interviews. Many interviewees need to work and learn with demonstrators/prototypes (of

integrated systems) to be able to promote the unique features of OLAE technologies in a realistic and tangible

manner to product designers and higher management internally in the companies and to the customers in various

sectors to make them more attentive to possibilities of this field. Companies are eager to identify partners with

whom they can innovate their existing or new product portfolios.

2.4.2 WP3 – Feasibility Network

Identified challenges:

In the feasibility studies we tend to start from industrializable processes. That means we try to advise processes and

solutions that are out of the research phase. The biggest challenge in getting OLAE technology in the market is the

availability of integrators. The reply to the question of many of the companies: “who is going to provide me with the

components and who is going to integrate these for me” often is replied with “we don’t know”!

Companies that can print circuits in simple electronic components are out there (membrane switch manufacturers

for example), however the typical feature sizes that they feel confident with are still not what is needed for hybrid

and completely printed solutions. Integration companies are also there but lack experience with printed circuits on

polyester substrates. Especially reliability is the major issue to be solved. One stop shops (printing and integration =

integrators) are simply not there (except for a few).

Solutions to overcome the challenges:

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The demand is too low for manufacturing and integration companies to develop new processes: therefore develop

the demand and provide (financial) help to companies that want to engage in OLAE technology.

Another major issue is reliability (those companies that do try, experience this). So to overcome the challenges a

market needs to be created on which the technology can be brought to a higher TRL level.

Research focusses on the development of new technologies, important, but to get the first products on the market,

the dull task of development (no glory) of reliable processes beyond the state of the art and ramp up should be

engaged. If not OLAE technology stays where it is (many of the major initiatives in OLAE have sooner or later

stranded on this issue)

2.4.3 WP4 – Towards Virtual Foundry

On 13th

May 2014 WP4 organized a workshop to identify the progress made in the area of design rules for printed

logic and printed circuits. Here are some conclusions from this workshops with regards to future research topics.

Identified challenges:

1. Material challenges for design rules:

a. Batch to batch variations in material production: Material properties can change from batch to

batch without notice from the material manufacturer. This is critical for design of logic and

circuits, because design rules can only be fulfilled with high reproducibility, if all material

parameters are fixed.

b. General performance: For the design, especially of functional logic circuits, general material

performance parameters must be improved: Most notable are the charge carrier mobility, life-

time, multilayer processability and permeation properties of barrier materials.

c. Environmental issues: Disposability, recyclability, biodegradability and the connected legislative

barriers have not been sufficiently investigated for (single-use) printed electronics products.

2. Equipment/ process challenges for design rules:

a. File formats: Currently, design software tools cannot produce files that are compatible with file

formats that are used for tooling in the printing industry (e.g. for manufacturing printing

cylinders). As a first step, format converting tools need to be developed that also take specific

process requirements into account (e.g. distortion compensation). In the long run design tools

should be able to export suitable file formats (some converters, e.g. for inkjet printing, already

exist as open source software).

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b. Large volume printing: Due to high material prices only limited experience exists in Europe for

very large volume print runs. This knowledge is however very important for understanding the

process stability and the yield in real production scenarios.

3. Component challenges for design rules:

a. Libraries: Vast component libraries for all combinations of component type and manufacturing

process have to be developed and integrated into design software tools. In many cases this

requires an agreement on the underlying physical model for the theoretical description of a

component.

b. Reliability, stability, yield and cost of components needs to be improved for a faster market

uptake.

c. The access to components currently available is fractured and an overview of the state of industry

is difficult to obtain and keep updated.

4. System integration challenges for design rules:

Standardisation: System integration of printed logic and circuits requires interoperability of post-press

machinery (e.g. laminating, folding, cutting etc.). Therefore, standardisation is a relatively critical

topic for system integration: For a wide range of topics from functional inks over connectors (e.g. foil

to foil or OLAE to conventional electronics) to rolls of substrate materials (e.g. size, transport

procedures or registration marks) standardization is required

Solutions to overcome the challenge:

1. Material challenges:

a. Batch to batch variations:

i. Involve material manufacturers stronger in product development if possible (today 3 – 4

years long EC projects take too much resources from them)

ii. Buy from manufacturers who already serve large markets (e.g. buy silver pastes from

companies who sell to automotive industry). Such companies should have optimized

their production for stability and reproducibility.

iii. Join “buying consortia” with centralized procurement. Such consortia can negotiate

larger buying quantities and have therefore more power to demand specific solutions

from material manufacturers.

iv. Standardisation of material data sheets quoting suitable parameters determined by

specific measurement techniques could at least help to easily identify such variations and

maybe to demand compensation if actual material properties deviate from datasheets.

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b. Performance: The only possible solution is more research in material science.

c. Research into materials science with specific focus on environmental issues.

2. Equipment/process

a. File formats: Financial support for development of open source tools for file conversion, maybe in

cooperation of electronics design software vendors.

b. Large volume printing: Financial support for running large scale test print runs with obligation to

publish results.

3. Components:

a. Libraries: Financial support for developing open access libraries

b. Reliability: Financial support for increase of TRL level of manufacturing techniques. Potentially to

be combined with large volume printing (see 2b).

c. Start an online marketplace for components. This seems to have been a successful model in the

electronics industry.

4. System integration: Standardization is the solution.

In the OLAE community the use of design tools is not very commonplace (mostly because such tools did not exist

so far). Introduction of such tools will require thorough training for people involved in OLAE circuit design. As a

combined result of the challenges and solutions observed during our workshop we recommend setting up a large

scale demonstration project aiming at increasing the TRL of the technology.

List of consolidated results:

Key work topics / Design rules

o Libraries of frozen processes

o Market place

o Standardization (support especially for SMEs)

o Gate array

Actors

o Suppliers of frozen process/materials

o Europractice (alliance?)

Outcomes

o Learning curve about the control of repeatability

o important for TRL improvement

Type

o Demonstration project (large scale)

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2.3.4 WP5 – Open Innovation Model

The lifetime of the OLAE products seems to be too short for the companies to be integrated in their products.

Silicon has a much longer lifetime whether we’re talking about shelf lifetime of operational lifetime. The lifetime of

OLAE products should be improved to facilitate the user acceptance.

The OLAE batteries don’t last long enough compared to the lifetimes of the products in which the OLAE system

will be integrated. We should then try to make better batteries but also less energy consuming OLAE systems.

For the moment, pilot lines for OLAE printing are available and accessible for average companies. The problem is

the integration process and the integration cost (for example switching from ordinary labeling to in-mold labeling).

An option is to make integration shared platforms or to find solutions for easier integration.

Many companies don’t know the potential of the OLAE technology. Some work should be done on the

dissemination.

2.4 Recommendations for future research

2.4.1 Collaboration actions – projects

Generally different types of research projects which EC offers are seen successful. Especially SME instrument was

highlighted even though there is high competition. More funding could be allocated this this. Big companies were

criticized long research projects (FP7 streps/ IP) since those tie resources for long time. Importance of focused

technology demonstrator and pilot action were emphasized as well. New industrial driven project types could be

developed which are shorter in time and more focused to certain technology and piloting.

2.4.2 Technology developments

In all workshops major technical limitations of organic and large area components were discussed. These are

limited performance of organic (and inorganic solution processed) semiconductors, short lifetimes and lack of

efficient gas barriers on plastic substrates. In Europe material research and development is on very high level in

universities and research institutes as well as in European material companies who are active in this field. Material

developments need still more time to develop and long term research actions are needed. Material development

projects should emphasize more value chain aspects so that closer collaboration between material synthesis and

deposition process/equipment developers work more closely.

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OLAE technologies are still strongly in technology push phase. It is hard to make business with low performance

materials and components as well as missing systems. Hybrid integration (combining OLAE technologies with

microelectronics) was seen in many workshops as an important opportunity to utilize OLAE technologies in

electronics manufacturing chain and bring commercial application to markets. During COLAE project’s feasibility

studies (WP3) hybrid integration could bring a solution almost to all analyzed user cases. IoT applications are

emerging on markets and via hybrid integration TOLAE technologies could bring remarkable and unique features,

eg. 3D rigid electronic components as well as flexible-, (semi)transparent-, lightweight, eco-friendly, cost savings

etc., to these devices. In order to achieve success modelling and desing tools should be developed further so that

materials and processes fir to existing electronics design flow. This also requires stronger standardization activities in

testing rules and methods, production and products as well as in compatibility and environmental issues.

2.4.3 Business development

Today service business is biggest value earning principle and in OLAE field we should think how this can be realized

(example Eight19’s Azuro case).To be successful here novel business models are needed to be developed. There is

lack of business development people who understand the OLAE field’s technologies and can same time speak similar

“language” as potential end users do. This is important when discussing with big brand owners.

2.4.4 Awareness and dissemination

In the workshops and interviews of WP1 awareness of TOLAE technologies among the end user companies is on

low level. There are many new letters (OE-A, Printed Electronics Now, etc…) delivering TOLAE information as well as

all research projects have public web pages but still it looks like that the followers are mainly OLAE technology

developers. Not the end users. The dissemination activities should be aimed more towards potential end users and

their view points. This is probably difficult since most likely communication and media professionals should be used.

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Appendix 1.

COLAE Workshop 26.2.2014 PARTICIPANTS Fname Lname Organization

Martin Albers BioNavis OY

Mark Allen Nokia Corporation

Antti Backman Delektre Oy

Wouter Brok Roth & Rau B.V.

David Brown Canatu

Jordi Carrabina Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona

Raghu Das IDTechEx

Paolo Debandi Saati

André Dion Printability and Graphic Communication Institute

Thomas Ducellier National Research Council

Matthias Eberhardt omtsys (M-U-T GmbH)

Tapio Fabritius University of Oulu

Norihide Fujimoto Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Admir Hadzic Optitune Oy

Valtteri Halla Leia

Jukka Hast VTT

Nancy Hecker-Denschlag omtsys (M-U-T GmbH)

Markku Heino Spinverse Ltd.

Cc Hsiao Polyera Corporation

Olli-Heikki Huttunen VTT

Juha Häkkinen University of Oulu

Panu Jalas

Pavel Janko Avery Dennison

Andreas Kaiser Lenzing Technik Mechatronics

Ilkka Kaisto VTT

Christos Kapnopoulos Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Timo Kemppainen Mepromation

Antti Kemppainen VTT

Christos Koidis ORGANIC ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGIES P.C.

Thomas Kolbusch Coatema Coating Machinery GmbH

Dmitry Krakhin Flexbright Oy

Johana Kuncova-Kallio BioNavis Ltd

Jani-Mikael Kuusisto Ynvisible

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Markku Känsäkoski MK Fluidics Oy

Mika Laitinen Magnasense Technologies Oy

Kimmo Leppänen University of Oulu

Carmine Lucignano SAATI

Tatu Luuk Lasimestarin Ikkuna Oy

Himadri Majumdar VTT

Pekka Makkonen Flexbright Oy

Surama Malik Nokia

Asko Marttila VTT - marttilaConsulting

Ralf Mauer InnovationLab GmbH

Nico Meyer Coatema Coating Machinery GmbH

Tero Mustonen BASF

Manu Myry Clothing+

Mikko Mäkinen MoniDrops

Teemu Mäkiniemi Goodwiller

Markku Mäntylä Metso Automation Oy

Harri Määttä Oulu University of Applied Sciences

Kaori Nakamura TOYO INK SC HOLDINGS CO.,LTD. Technology innovation HQ

Karri Niemelä FocalSpec

Luigi Occhipinti STMicroelectronics

Juho Paavola Elcoflex Oy

Franz Padinger Botest Printed Sensors GmbH

Johnny Pehkonen Optitune

Turo Piila Neficon Finland Oy

Carlos Pinheiro Ynvisible

Juha Rantala Inkron Oy

Philippe Reynaert European Commission DG Connect

Miguel Ribeiro CeNTI

Naoki Rikita MMC RYOTEC CORPORATION

Riku Rikkola VTT

Tommi Rintala Delektre Oy

Jarkko Ruottinen

Kari Rönkä VTT

Sergey Schedrov Flexbright Oy

Horst Scheiber Durst DIT GmbH

Marc Schnieper CSEM Muttenz

Peter Schobesberger kb-endlos

Simo Siitonen Stora Enso Oyj

Samuli Siitonen Nanocomp Oy Ltd

Kimmo Solehmainen VTT

Henna Sundqvist VTT

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Magnus Svensson Acreo Swedish ICT AB

Antti Takaluoma Offcode

Toshihisa Takeda Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Anja Talo Enfucell Oy

Tsuneharu Tanaka Asahi KASEI

Timo Tarvainen Elcoflex Oy

Antti Tauriainen Screentec Oy

Markku Tauriainen Taurisol Oy

Yiping Ting Polyera Corporation

Marc Torrent Poch Cetemmsa

Timo Vainio OAMK

Daniel Valencia Onyx Solar

Peter Walshe Toyo Ink Europe

Ville Vatanen JOT Automation

Piotr Wierzchowiec Merck Chemicals

Richard Wilson Cambridge Display Technology

Timo Wirkkala

Peter Visser BOM (Brabant regional development agency)

David Wolin CSEM Brasil

Daniel Nilsen Wright SINTEF ICT

Thomas Q Wu Kinordia Med AB

Koji Yoshida Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Ronald Österbacka Åbo Akademi

Andrea Bernardi ENI spa

Riccardo Po ENI spa

Jacopo Tonziello ENI spa

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Appendix 2.

Grant agreement No. 288881

FP7-ICT-2011-7

D6.4

WP6

info@colae.eu

www.colae.eu