Optomec and Ceradrop Expand Their Additive Manufacturing Distribution Partnership

Supplier of 3D additive manufacturing systems Optomec is expanding its distribution partnership with Ceradrop, a designer and marketer of Materials Deposition Inkjet Printers for exclusive use in the printed electronics industry.

This agreement will see Ceradrop integrate core Aerosol Jet Sprint technology from Optomec into their line of inkjet printers. The company will also continue as reseller of Optomec standard Aerosol Jet systems throughout France.

Both companies say Aerosol Jet, combined with inkjet technology, will bring new and complementary capabilities to manufacturers which permit printing of finer features and processing of a wide variety of materials through a digital material deposition platform.

Ceradrop is a subsidiary of MGI Group which can call on more than 60 engineers specialized in inkjet engine, mechanics, automation, software, chemistry, and ink management to supply materials deposition inkjet printing solutions for R&D or manufacturing applications.

The Optomec Aerosol Jet printing technology makes use of an innovative, aerodynamic focusing technology capable of producing electronic and physical structures with feature sizes from 10 microns up to millimeters. This Aerosol Jet technology can process commercially available materials used for printing electronics such as nanoparticle conductive inks, diluted thick film pastes, thermosetting polymers like UV-curable epoxies, and polymers like polyurethane and polyimide. Aerosol Jet is used to produce electronic devices like conformal antennas, sensors, and thin film transistors. The technology is used to build components for applications in consumer electronics, automotive, aerospace, and the Internet of Things.

Ceradrop inkjet technology, a digital, multi-material deposition process, is undertaken through the company’s modular-based, scalable CeraPrinter Series for the printed electronics market. The process combines several materials deposition technologies and the latest generation of curing modules to build membrane switch, antennas, sensors, passive components, interconnection, flexible solar cells (OPV), and OLED Displays.

The privately held Optomec provides systems for printed electronics and LENS 3D Printers for metal components used by industry to reduce production cost and improve performance. The company’s printing solutions work a broad spectrum of functional materials from electronic inks to structural metals and even biological matter.

What do you think of this deal between Optomec and Ceradrop? Have you ever worked with either of these companies? Let us know in the Optomec and Ceradrop forum thread on 3DPB.com.