1. Mature the hybrid TOLAE manufacturing processes and functionalities from TRL 4-5 to TRL 6.
A pilot line service is set up involving existing and newly acquired equipment. The pilot line exists of printing, assembly and post-processing equipment and is distributed through Europe by the RTOs involved in the project (TNO, VTT, CEA, IMEC, CPI). The equipment is upgraded to enable high volume manufacturing at high quality and is characterised according to industrial standards as set up in the showcases including design rules and logistics. Manufacturing yield and faults are determined and optimised on module level using dedicated test vehicles and to ensure an overall yield of >90%.
Next to that, new functionalities are advanced or created to meet the requests of the industrial showcases. The functionalities are produced on the pilot line equipment and tested according to the industrial standards (again using test vehicles). In total the manufacturing processes and equipment of the pilot line is capable to produce e.g. 1,500km of printed and hybridised foils and 100,000 pieces.
2. Demonstrate product prototypes based on hybrid TOLAE technologies in their operational environment (TRL 7) through four showcases.
The improved equipment has been used to create the showcases. All showcases are produced in 3 generations evolving in complexity and quantity (bigger size or number of products). The showcases involve a Smart lighting wall in professional lighting applications with coloured, warm white and white LEDs placed at a pitch of 4 cm according to the HUE standards (for Signify) at a size of 2.4m x 3m. Thereto, over 300 m of printed foils was produced and ~16,000 LEDs were assembled.
An in-mould electronics dashboard (for Bosch) was created including decorative foil integration, integrated capacitive switches, haptic feedback, and integrated drivers. The whole product is produced through In-mould/ thermoforming electronics combinations to allow low cost and maintain reliability compatible with automotive specifications.
A large area, low resolution display is created for Smart Elevators (for KONE). In this showcase, a complete elevator car was build including control panel, LED wall, proximity sensors and addressable signage. The last showcase involves smart packaging for medicines (for GSK). This showcase involved a NFC communicating temperature sensor label with bare die produced in high quantities (200 labels)
3. Set up an open access pilot line infrastructure for hybrid TOLAE devices.
Producing the showcases allowed to align the RTOs existing and improved infrastructure. Therefore we have the opportunity to set up a (pan-European) pilot line with an open access for end-users (e.g. SMEs). Development cases were set up to tailor towards high volume production. In total 15 development cases have been produced in InSCOPE. These DCs varied in applicaties for medical (Sleep company, Unitron), sports (La Manufacture) to production related (Quad, FlexBright, Screentec, PEL), Logistics (ELEP, Small data Garden), Lighting (Cohda, NanoComp) and interfaces/ in mould electronics (Symbiose, Skiply, IPV, conductive transfers). The pilot line infrastructure will remain active after the finishing of the project.
