(July 20, 2015) It might
not be long before consumers can just hit “print” to create an electronic
circuit or wireless sensor in the comfort of their homes.
UC Berkeley engineers, in collaboration with colleagues at
Taiwan’s National Chiao Tung University, are expanding the already impressive
portfolio of 3D printing technology to include electrical components, such as
resistors, inductors, capacitors and integrated wireless electrical sensing systems.
They have put the new technology to the test by printing a wireless “smart cap”
for a milk carton that detected signs of spoilage using embedded sensors.
The findings are published Monday, July 20, in a new
open-access journal in the Nature Publishing Group called Microsystems &
Nanoengineering.
Major advances over the past 10 years have enabled the
creation of a wide array of 3D-printed products, including prosthetics, medical
implants, toys, vehicle parts, building materials and even food. What had been
missing from the repertoire until now was the ability to produce sensitive
electronic components.
“Our paper describes the first demonstration of 3D printing
for working basic electrical components, as well as a working wireless sensor,”
said senior author Liwei Lin, a professor of mechanical engineering and
co-director of the Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center. “One day, people may
simply download 3D-printing files from the Internet with customized shapes and
colors and print out useful devices at home.”