With a focus on key markets such as mobility and healthcare and also greater emphasis on sustainability, LOPEC 2023 is set to run from Feb. 28 to March 2 at Messe Munich.

Held in conjunction with the OE-A and Messe Munich, LOPEC 2023 features top-flight research and a busy show floor. Klaus Hecker, the OE-A’s managing director, said that he expects that this year’s LOPEC will set records for attendees and exhibitors.

“We expect a record trade fair attendance in 2023 with around 175 exhibitors, making it an increase of about 10 percent, and almost 15 percent more floor space,” Hecker said. “Forty exhibitors are participating in LOPEC for the first time, including companies such as Covestro, E Ink, Kent Displays or TracXon.

“With more than 180 presentations by top-class representatives from industry and research, this year’s LOPEC Conference once again underscores its status as the leading international communication platform, where the industry comes together once a year to discuss innovations and trends,” he concluded.

Hecker noted that key topics will be emphasized, including automotive and healthcare.

“The focus will be on Smart Living and Mobility, and the increasingly important topic of sustainability,” said Hecker. “The focus topic Mobility covers the latest PE trends in Automotive, Vehicle Technology and Avionics. The focus topic Smart Living deals with the development of PE in the fields of Medical & Pharmaceutical, Sporting Goods and Environment.”

Hecker also pointed to the Plenary talks during the morning sessions. These include the following talks:

• Edzer Huitema, E Ink Corporation –  “Electrophoretic displays: from eReaders to Smart and Green Surfaces everywhere”
• Dr. Corrado Rocca, Pirelli Tyre – “Smart Tyres: key enabler of modern mobility”
• Max Morwind, Microsoft Deutschland GmbH – “Industrial Metaverse – AI supports maintenance with the help of spot robots”
• Prof. Antonio Facchetti, Flexterra Inc. – “Unconventional materials and platforms for flexible/stretchable electronic devices”
• Dr. Yeo-Geon Yoon, Samsung Display Co. – “Inkjet-printing Technologies for Display”
• Dr. Katariina Penttilä, Avery Dennison Smartrac – “Innovation Drivers for Sustainable Digital Triggers”
• Dr. Ton van Mol, TNO/Holst Centre and PITC – “Flexible electronics for human-centric health care”
• Rainer Hald, VARTA AG – “Mass-demand for printed batteries urges innovators to push for mass-production”

“Also, do not miss the Sustainability Short course by Dr Chloé Bois, GM of the Printability and Graphic Communications Institute in Québec, Canada, and Vice Chair North America of the OE-A Board, on Tuesday, Feb. 28,” he added. “But of course, we have more great highlights in the Technical Conference as well as in the Business Conference and in the Scientific Conference.”

The Industry Shows Growth

Hecker noted that the industry is seeing strong growth.

“One of the main drivers are and will be in future OLED displays, but especially in the automotive sector strong growth is predicted for the printed electronics industry,” Hecker observed. “We see a new perception of the car interior with an understanding of it as an entertainment hub. This is a great chance for PE which has certainly a lot to offer, speaking of smart windows and transparent displays. But also in the field of Healthcare our industry proves its innovation power. The flexible and stretchable materials offer a new world of applications in the fields of medicine, sports and wellness.”

Sustainability and Printed Electronics

Sustainability is increasingly on the mind of brand owners and consumers, and industries across the board are placing more emphasis on the topic. Hecker reported that sustainability is an increasingly important topic for OE-A’s members.

“It’s a driver for future business because the printed and flexible electronics industry uses sustainable materials, e.g. biodegradable or recycled, and environmentally-friendly manufacturing processes, which are additive and use less resources,” he pointed out. “The OE-A Working Group Sustainability within OE-A aims to identify and understand the sustainability benefits of flexible, organic and printed electronics, emphazising its contribution to a sustainable future. It provides information, guidelines, and methodologies to understand sustainability of PE products and processes better.”

Hecker also noted that the 9th OE-A Roadmap is out and will be published at LOPEC 2023.

“The new OE-A Roadmap for Flexible, Organic and Printed Electronics’ takes a close look into the advanced maturity of the industry,” Hecker said. “More than 100 experts of the OE-A have compiled detailed short-, medium- and long-term forecasts for the above-mentioned industry sectors in addition to the latest developments. The executive summary will be available at the OE-A Booth in Hall B0 Booth #306 or online at www.oe-a.org. At the booth we will present contributions to the OE-A Competition, we will show new products and concepts from automotive, medical, and smart buildings at the OE-A Booth.”

LOPEC 2022 Schedule

Tuesday, Feb. 28 opens with the Plenary Session, led by chair Wolfgang Mildner, followed by Huitema’s talk. It then breaks into two sessions: Business Conference and Short Courses. The Business Conference features two sessions on End-User Requirements and Applications; two sessions on Markets and Business Environment; and Business and Product Developments.

The Short Courses include Inks for Printed Electronics Applications; Machine and Process Technology for Large Area OPE; Design and Simulation of Circuits and Systems Based on Organic Materials; and Halogenated Perovskite for Printed Photovoltaics: Materials, Processes and Applications; Making Sensors Stretchable – Approaches, Challenges, and Outlook; Printed and Organic Electronics: Short Course on Sustainability; and AR-powered Manufacturing Needs a Sense of Touch.

The March 1 Plenary Session will feature talks by Mldner, Dr. Rocca of Pirelli Tyre, Morwind of Microsoft Deutschland GmbH and Prof. Facchetti of Flexterra Inc.

Day 2 features two Technical Conference tracks and two Scientific Conference tracks. The Technical Conference tracks include sessions on Biomedical and Healthcare Applications; Flexible and Large-Area Displays; Smart Textiles; Energy; Circular Economy and Green Electronics; Lighting; and 3D Structural Electronics.

The Scientific Conference tracks features segments on Optical Devices for Organic Electronics; Strategic Devices: From Bioelectronics to Photovoltaics; Applications for Flexible Materials; Materials for Inks; Electronic Thermal Devices I and Electronic Thermal Devices II. The Technical and Scientific Conference Poster Sessions close out the March 1 session.

The March 2 Plenary session includes talks by Mildner, Dr. Yoon of Samsung Display Co., Dr. Penttilä of Avery Dennison Smartrac, Dr. van Mol of TNO/Holst Centre and PITC, and Hald of VARTA AG. After the Plenary session, there will again be two Technical Conference tracks and two Scientific Conference tracks. The Technical Conference tracks feature sessions on Functional Materials; Upscaling Production and Manufacturing Processes; User Interfaces, Wearable Electronics; Substrates and Encapsulation; and Smart and Hybrid Systems.

The Scientific Conference tracks features segments on Innovative Processes & Materials; Printed Smart Sensors I and II; Circuit Design, Simulations and Systems; and Printed Electronics I and II.

For more information on LOPEC 2023, visit www.lopec.com.