TERASEL · Thermoplastically deformable circuits for embedded randomly shaped electronics

The overall aim of the TERASEL project is the development, the industrial implementation and the application in a wide range of domains of large area, cost-effective, randomly shaped electronics and sensor circuit technologies. More specifically the TERASEL objectives are the following :<br/>• To develop a basic technology platform for rigid large-area randomly shaped electronic circuits. Key common features of the technologies in this platform are :<br/>1. Electronic circuit fabrication and component assembly on flat substrates, compatible with existing equipment.2. Application and embedding of the flat circuits in thermoplastically deformable polymers.3. Development of high pressure, low temperature thermoforming technologies to deform the polymer embedded flat circuit into its random final functional shape.<br/>• To set up a complete multi-competence industrial production chain for such circuits. Indeed, the goal is to achieve mature, near-to-production industrial processes for manufacturing randomly shaped circuits.<br/>• To apply the developed technologies in a number of functional demonstrators close to products: a TV set with ambient illumination, a free-form man-machine interface, an intelligent car interior component, a 2.5D lighting device, a household appliance.<br/>This novel technology can be developed successfully only thanks to the synergy and intensive co-operation between partners of the 2 industry sectors involved in TERASEL: the electronics circuit fabrication and assembly industry on one hand, and the polymer processing industry on the other. 6 SME's and 5 large industrial partners are complemented with 4 research institutes, thus forming a well-balanced consortium, fully capable of achieving the ambitious TERASEL goals. The merging of polymer and electronics industry competences will lead to a whole new range of products for a wide range of application domains.