The printed electronics (PE) industry is constantly evolving. Much of this is the result of the changing nature of the technology, with ground-breaking research being conducted by corporations large and small, universities and research institutes. Raw material and equipment suppliers are working on new products that will help researchers commercialize their products.

There remain two keys to the ultimate success of PE, though. First, designers have to think of ways to utilize printed electronics in their products, and once a viable idea is developed, the product has to be manufactured. eReaders have been the most successful field for printed electronics, through E Ink and others.Meanwhile, T-Ink, Nth Degree and others are showcasing new technologies that bode well for the future.

There have been a lot of concepts that have seemed to be great fits for the field of printed electronics, but have yet to reach the commercial success that has been predicted for them. One such area is organic photovoltaics, as the amount of sales is nowhere near what was hoped. Still, companies such as Heliatek, Konarka, Eight19 and others are moving forward with their eyes on niche markets.

In the CIGS side, the bankruptcies of Evergreen Solar and, more famously, Solyndra, drew much attention, but there was much investment in the field of thin-film flexible photovoltaics in 2011. SK Group, reported to be Korea’s third-largest industrial company, took a $50 million equity stake in HelioVolt, which utilizes a proprietary low temperature printing process. TFG Radiant Group, a major Chinese construction firm, signed an agreement with Ascent Solar, a roll-to-roll flexible CIGS manufacturer, in which TFG Radiant committed more than $440 million. DuPont made a significant move in the PV market with the acquisition of Innovalight, whose silicon inks are used to increase the efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells. Meanwhile, PV companies such as MiaSole and Nanosolar continue to report greater efficiencies.

The display field is promising, as companies such as Samsung developing flexible technologies. Samsung has been particularly active, acquiring Liquavista and entering into agreements with Novaled, Universal Display, Nanosys, Evident Technologies, Unidym and others. Novaled and Universal Display continue to make headlines for advancements in performance. Similar stories can be found in areas as diverse as sensors, lighting, flexible batteries, RFID and much more.

There has also been headway on producing PE products. Thin Film Electronics has been particularly notable in this field, with its collaboration with PARC on the world’s first printed non-volatile memory device, addressed with complementary organic circuits, the organic equivalent of CMOS circuitry. Meanwhile, printers are also moving ahead, with specialists such as GSI Technologies, Si-Cal and PolyIC successfully manufacturing printed electronics systems.

Overall, the PE field continues to evolve. There is turnover, as acquisitions and investments pump new capital into the field, while other companies leave the market. New technologies are emerging, and there are new developments ahead that may very well revolutionize the field. It is likely that as we head into 2012, we will see even more changes and potential opportunities come to fruition.