AMS 2024

AFRL & American Semiconductor Innovate with New Award-Winning 3D Printed Chip

Electronics
Metal AM Markets
AMR Military

Share this Article

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and American Semiconductor have collaborated to create a new 3D printed silicon chip that will bring together both previous and newer techniques for assisting with today’s innovative networked realities.

Their scientific goal has been to further the area of embedded objects, popular in 3D printed projects centered around electronics, as they work to:

  • Establish more innovative connections
  • Communicate data
  • Transfer information

With silicon chips that are even smarter and capable of forging more improved connections, companies using such technology can look forward to exponentially more memory, power—and all in a much smaller, lighter device.

“Typical silicon-based, integrated circuits are brittle, rigid components that are packaged in a way that protects them. When we look at putting these type of devices into a flexible form factor, rigidness works against us,” said Dr. Dan Berrigan, a research scientist at the AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate. “Working with American Semiconductor, we took silicon integrated circuit chips and thinned them until they became flexible but were still able to maintain circuit functionality. This now allows us to place the microcontrollers—essentially minicomputers—in places we couldn’t before.”

These new pieces allow for maximum versatility, able to flex and bend. The scientists involved project that they will be helpful in new technology such as wearables, as well as soft robotics—perhaps even to monitor individual’s energy levels; for example, some senior citizens or soldiers need to have their fatigue levels watched.

“This helps bring things like wearable sensors into the ‘internet-of-things.’ Now you can monitor things like hydration levels, temperature, strain from an arm flexing, and more,” said Berrigan.

The chip is expected to further the microcontroller industry too. The 3D printed devices they have created offer ‘onboard memory’ which can not only power a system but also take in large amounts of data for scientific examination. These new circuits have 7,000 times more memory than any other devices available in the commercial market.

“It’s capable of turning a system on and off, and it can also collect data from a sensor and retain it in memory. We can wrap this type of chip around a fuel bladder sensor to detect leaks, use it to monitor munitions inventory and even augment cold-chain monitoring through temperature sensing. Enhancing logistics is just one of many ways this effort can help meet Air Force needs,” said Berrigan.

“Whereas the European industrial base is focused on printing all parts of these types of devices, we are helping the U.S. silicon manufacturing community to convert to flexible capabilities and integrating this with low cost, 3D printed electronic circuitry. This is a unique U.S. manufacturing capability.”

[Image: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio]

The chip also won the ‘Best New Material or Component Development Award’ for the Wearable Technology Category at the 2017 IDTechEx Show.

“Being recognized as one of the best in the world truly underlies the benefits of military and industry working together to meet Air Force needs,” said Berrigan.

What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts; join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughs below.

[Source: DVIDS]

 

Share this Article


Recent News

3D Printing Webinar and Event Roundup: December 10, 2023

3D Printing News Briefs, December 9, 2023: Equity Crowdfunding, Archaeology, & More



Categories

3D Design

3D Printed Art

3D Printed Food

3D Printed Guns


You May Also Like

Velo3D Is the First Metal 3D Printer OEM with the Highest-Level DoD Cybersecurity Compliance

Velo3D, the metal additive manufacturing (AM) original equipment manufacturer (OEM) based in Fremont, CA, has become the first metal AM OEM to achieve Green Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) Compliance...

3D Printing Bunkers, Lemon Peels and Lamps for McDonalds

Phoenix-based Diamond Age wants to 3D print bunkers for Ukraine and thinks it will take six to nine months to test and make the bunkers. It hopes to test them...

Featured

Interview: GE Additive Provides Series 3 Metal Binder Jet Update

For another year running, I survived the bustling insanity that is formnext. With a reported 859 exhibitors, 196 speakers, 32,851 visitors (50% international), and 54,000 m² of exhibition space, Europe’s...

Stratasys CBO Weighs in on Navigating the Future with F3300 in 3D Printing Landscape

At Formnext 2023, we had the opportunity to speak with the Chief Industrial Business Officer of Stratasys (Nasdaq: SSYS), Rich Garrity. Having previously served as President of Stratasys Americas and...