XENON Corporation is demonstrating its new S-2300 Dual Stage Sintering System at Printed Electronics USA in Santa Clara, CA this Nov. 19- 20. The demonstration, in collaboration with Methode Electronics, will feature the printing and high-speed sintering of a fully functional RFID tag on a flexible substrate.

“The S2300 is our newest sintering tool. This demonstration of the S-2300 is another important step in the development of printed electronics, and will help open up many new applications in this emerging industry,” said Lou Panico, CEO of XENON. “It is designed to allow the energy to stay wthin the process window. It’s been a major breakthrough.”

In the demonstration, Methode Electronics will provide the conductive ink and printer, digitally dispensing the ink onto a flexible, low cost, paper substrate to produce an RFID tag inlay. The substrate with wet ink will then be conveyor-fed through XENON’s S-2300 Pulsed Light system, and within seconds the antenna will become conductive. The functional device will then be tested using the Impinj Revolution 2000 reader.

“Previously, additive processes like this have required lengthy oven curing of inks, which can be impractical for volume production,” explained Panico. “The S-2300 uses a patent-pending dual stage pulsed light, with each stage independently controlled, allowing great flexibility in delivering energy exposures to the target material and resulting in complete sintering in only seconds.”

According to Panico, the collaborative demonstration is an outgrowth of the PE Test Center Network, a global consortium of companies and universities working to develop and commercialize printed electronics applications. Methode Electronics is one of 27 organizations in the growing network, which was formed in 2012 by XENON Corporation.

“The PE industry needs collaboration among researchers, product developers and suppliers,” said Paul Lindquist, business development manager, Methode Electronics. “This demonstration is yet another example of the advances that companies can make by working together.”

Panico said the S-2300 will be available at locations in the PE Test Center network, including Japan and Germany.