As more flexible and printed electronics (PE) systems head toward pilot production and commercialization, companies are studying the potential that PE can bring to their products. Printed Electronics USA 2014, organized by IDTechEx and running Nov. 19-20 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA, will offer the latest news and technology, with more than 2,500 attendees, 200 presentations and 200 exhibitors expected to be on hand.

IDTechEx CEO Raghu Das said that this event will clearly be the largest event in the world by far.

“Our event drives business and adoption of printed electronics by being user focused,” Das said. “We expect 2,500 attendees and approximately 200 exhibitors – significantly up on last year and significantly more than any other event in the world.

“The attendance jump this year will be the largest growth in percentage terms we have seen so far from one year to the next,” Das added. “Particularly, this comes from end users attending, which shows the huge interest that is gearing up. However, we believe that creative product design is still an important and missing part in this industry, which is why IDTechEx has spent time with leading design companies in the U.S. to educate them about the technology. Many will be attending the event.”

Das noted that IDTechEx focused on end user attendance and creative design company attendance.

“I think exhibitors will be extremely pleased to meet many more of such companies,” he noted. “This is also highlighted in our agenda with presentations from companies such as Google (giving two presentations), Bayer Healthcare etc. Additionally, the new end user topics covered will add a new perspective on where the technology is going. Attendees can expect an improved and much large exhibition. For example, the Canadian pavilion will have some special features.”

There are also a host of interesting technologies that are intertwined with PE, and Printed Electronics USA 2014 will co-locate many of these hot topics.

The co-located programs include Graphene LIVE! USA 2014; Internet of Things Applications USA 2014; 3D Printing LIVE! USA 2014; Wearable Technology LIVE! USA 2014; Supercapacitors USA 2014; and Energy Harvesting & Storage USA 2014.

“The co-located events such as Graphene, OLEDs LIVE! and Energy Harvesting & Storage provide specific focus on those topics, bringing more attendees interested in these aspects,” Das said. “Co-locating the events enables greater value to attendees for them to meet entire value chains of related technologies in one location, saving time and money and adding to attendance productivity.”

Das noted that the list of presenters features a wide range of industry leaders.

“We have some great end users presenting, many for the first time,” Das said. “Major companies include Jaguar, Adidas, Crown, Jones Packaging, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Bayer Healthcare, Qualcomm and many others.”

“I’m particularly excited about the evolution of the show from focusing on an enabling technology (printed electronics) to including complete end user sectors,” Das added. “For example, at the wearable electronics session we have speakers such as Google, Samsung, 4iii, Misfit, Proteus etc. At the Internet of Things session we have Dolby, OSRAM, Cisco, Intel etc. Additionally, other enabling technologies are covered such as energy harvesting, energy storage, 3D printing and graphene. As a result, this event covers the complete ecosystem of the hottest emerging technologies and their applications, with huge leverage for companies to supply material, equipment and devices.”

Das will lead off the conference, followed by Ashutosh Tomar, principal engineer (Research) for Jaguar Land Rover Research, who will cover “Automotive Applications for Printed Electronics.” Dr. Qaizar Hassonjee, vice president of innovation at adidas Wearable Sports Electronics, will discuss “Wearable Technologies Enabling Athletes to Unleash Their Best.”

Wes Lindquist, design engineering manager, Hallmark Cards, will focus on “Pulp Fiction: The Use of Printed Electronics in Consumer Paper Products.”

Das will follow the break with a talk on “Printed Electronics 2014-2024: Progress, Money and Opportunities.” Dr Adam Scotch, chief technology officer/R&D manager at Osram Sylvania Inc, will discuss “Challenges and Opportunities for Printed Electronics in the Lighting Industry.”

James Lee, director, technology and innovation Canada at Jones Packaging will analyze “Why Smart Packaging?” Anwar Mohammed, Flextronics’ senior director, will close the Keynote Session with “Stretching the Capabilities of Electronics: A Case for Stretchable Electronics.”

After the keynote talks, Day 1 offers eight concurrent sessions, with three focused on Printed Electronics. Track1 covers Sensors and Roll to Roll Manufacturing. Track 2 analyzes Smart Labels, Smart Packaging and New Products Enabled by Printed Electronics and Displays and Lighting, with Thin Film Electronics and T+ink among the speakers. Track 3 covers Energy Harvesting: Photovoltaics.

Track 4 features the Graphene Live! and Supercapacitor USA 2014 sessions. Track 5 is Internet of Things Applications USA 2014. Track 6 discusses Wearable Technology LIVE! USA 2014; Track 7 focuses on Energy Harvesting & Storage USA 2014, and Track 8 looks at 3D Printing LIVE! USA 2014.

Day 2 offers nine concurrent sessions, with three again focused on Printed Electronics. Track 1 focuses on manufacturing processes, with sessions dedicated to PE Manufacturing Hybrid Electronics, R2R Manufacturing Breakthroughs, Screen Printing, Inkjet Printing, Gravure Printing and Post Print Processing.

Track 2 looks at materials, with sessions focused on Transparent Conductive Films, Conductive Inks, and Barrier Films and Encapsulation.

Track 3 discusses PE systems, with sessions covering Actuators and Speakers, Transistor fabrication, an End User Forum, Prototyping, Bio-Electronics, Structural Electronics, Progress with Carbon Nanotubes and New Material Development. Each of the co-located programs has its own dedicated session.

“Sessions we are particularly excited about are sensors, which are now receiving due attention, wearable electronics (textile/stretchable/fabric etc.) electronics, hybrid electronics manufacturing, smart labels plus full coverage of all the main technologies such as TCFs, materials, barrier films, processing etc.,” Das said.

As in the past, there will also be Manufacturing Street and Demonstration Street, offering end users an idea of what and how PE can work for them.

“More products based on printed electronics will be at this show than ever before at Demonstration Street,” Das said. “What’s more – expect to see fabric electronics, energy harvesting products and a whole range of wearable electronics and smart labels. We want this event to be more than PowerPoint – attendees can expect to be very hands on with samples, prototypes and even live manufacturing at Manufacturing Street.”
Das is seeing increased interest from end users, which bodes well for the industry.

“The bottom line is that the event brings the entire supply chain together, from the hottest emerging technologies to end user applications,” Das said. “And we do this without the hype – IDTechEx focuses on programs and a structure that allows attendees to see how they can monetize these technologies by giving the reality of the markets, applications and technology development.”