Photo Credit Messe München
The LOPEC 2024 conference, which was held in Munich from March 5-7, was a successful event that focused on sustainable advancements in printed electronics. The conference attracted a record number of exhibitors, with a special emphasis on sustainability, highlighting the latest innovations in light, flexible, and thin electronic components
Photo Credit Messe München
Apart from the growing focus on climate and environmental concerns, the LOPEC 2024 conference also highlighted the importance of design aspects in advanced printed electronics. There was a significant emphasis on designing for circularity, recycling, and reuse, along with increasing attention to the aesthetics, usability, and user-friendliness of these technologies. Developers, partners, and customers are all recognizing the importance of incorporating sustainable and user-centric design principles in their products. This trend is expected to continue in the future, as the industry strives to make a positive impact on society and the environment.
Photo Credit Messe München
The event aimed to make everyday life more sustainable by showcasing advancements in smart living, mobility, and wearable technology. The conference program featured 170 presentations, including keynotes on sustainability from industry and academic leaders.
Photo Credit Messe München
The event attracted 176 exhibitors from 28 countries and regions, with around 60 percent of them from abroad. The top five exhibiting countries, besides Germany, were the USA, France, Sweden, and Spain. Over 2,400 visitors from 48 countries and regions attended the conference, with around 55 percent of them being international visitors. The top five visitor countries, besides Germany, were Austria, France, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and Finland.
The next LOPEC conference will take place in Munich from February 25-27, 2025, with the exhibition taking place on February 26 and 27. For more information on the event, please visit the OPE Journal.
Here is a selection of what took place at this very vibrant scene:
Joining forces for a greener and brighter future
The collaborative booth in the form of a “Swedish Pavillion” at LOPEC 2024, which was facilitated by Norrköping Science Park, represented a collective force in the field of printed electronics.
This consortium included innovative entities such as Cellfion, Epishine, DP Patterning, Ligna Energy, n-Ink, and ParsNord, and served as a testament to the success of cooperative efforts.
The joint booth not only showcased individual technological breakthroughs but also embodied the broader sustainable electronics movement.
Photo Credit Messe München
This dynamic collaboration reflects a shared vision of harnessing the power of unity and inter-company synergies to ignite transformative advancements in sustainable tech solutions;
Cellfion specializes in cellulose-based materials for electronics, offering sustainable solutions. Website
Epishine focuses on organic solar cells for low-energy devices, emphasizing flexibility. Website
DP Patterning offers a photolithography alternative for conductive patterns, aiming at efficient production. Website
Ligna Energy innovates with forest-based materials for sustainable energy storage. Website
n-Ink develops conductive inks for printed electronics, striving for sustainability. Website
ParsNord is developing flexible thermoelectric modules for power generation and temperature control. Website
Showcasing the Future of Electronics: LOPEC 2024 Hosts CircEl-Paper and Partners for Sustainable Innovation
Circelpaper.eu is an initiative that aims to promote the implementation of circular economy principles in the paper industry by utilizing innovative recycling technologies. The primary objective of this initiative is to increase the longevity and reuse of paper fibres, resulting in a substantial reduction in waste and a significant reduction in environmental impact.
The involvement of our partner RISE in the project is crucial, as they are driving research and technological advancements towards achieving this goal. The project has various applications including sustainable packaging solutions and eco-friendly printing methods, which emphasize RISE's commitment to environmental sustainability. Here is a list of the different projects:
UNICORN – Unveiling Innovation Potential of Circular Approaches in Automotive Electronics and Beyond
ECOTRON – How to minimize the ecological footprint for functional electronics?
HyPELignum – Exploring wooden materials in hybrid printed electronics: a holistic approach towards functional electronics with net zero carbon emissions
SusFE – Innovative Processes & Methodologies for Next Generation Sustainable Functional Electronic Components and Systems
SUINK – SUstainable self-charging power systems developed by INKjet printing
Sustain-a-Print – Sustainable materials and process for green printed electronics
REFORM – Printed Electronics for the Circular Economy
Sustronics – Sustainable and green electronics for circular economy
Eecone – European ECOsystem for greeN Electronic
Explore more about their impactful work at Circelpaper.eu
The OE-A 2024 Competition winner SYMPHONY with key contributions from Linköping University and RISE
The SYMPHONY project triumphed at the OE-A competition, showcasing its innovative bike tyre pressure sensor. This accolade underscores the significance of their technology in advancing sustainable and intelligent solutions in the realm of printed electronics.
The SYMPHONY project is innovating in energy harvesting technologies, developing systems that utilize dislocated and disordered energy sources. It focuses on creating sustainable electronic systems for remote locations. Key participants include our ecosystem pillars Linköping University (LiU) and RISE, contributing their expertise to this collaborative effort.
Applications range from self-powered sensors in bicycle tyres for real-time pressure monitoring to smart building solutions. This project is a prime example of how collaboration within an ecosystem can drive forward sustainable innovations.
For more detailed information, please visit SYMPHONY's website.
LOPEC Conference Bridges Science and Industry, Spotlighting Future of Printed Electronics
Photo Credit Messe München
The LOPEC Conference showcased diverse topics across various tracks, including sustainable production, advancements in materials science, and the integration of technology in the automotive and healthcare sectors. With a strong emphasis on the future of flexible electronics, the conference facilitated an invaluable exchange of ideas and innovations, fostering collaboration between industry giants and academic researchers.
Our Swedish ecosystem in printed electronics was represented by these speakers and corresponding topics:
Dr. Hjalmbar Granberg, RISE, Research Institute of Sweden: Bio-based Materials for Greener Electronics from a Business Perspective
Dr. Roman Armgarth: Flex-PCB resistance matching via depth-of-cut in Dry Phase Patterning
Amro Abu Zarour, Beneli: Printed electronics in Healthcare
Dr. Christian Larsen CTO, LunaLEC: Printing a multitude of easily designed light patterns at low-cost
Dr. Peter Ringstad CEO of Ligna Energy : The power of green self-powering of IoT electronics – for competitive impact.
For an in-depth exploration of the conference themes and insights shared by global experts, further details can be found on the LOPEC website.
Innovating Safety and Efficiency: Henkel's Self-Regulating PTC Heaters at LOPEC 2024
At LOPEC 2024, Henkel introduced advanced smart surface heating technologies suitable for automotive, medical, industrial, and consumer connectivity sectors.
Their portfolio features self-regulating foil heaters, leveraging Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) technology for safety and efficiency. Utilizing highly conductive silver ink and carbon PTC inks, these heaters maintain a controlled temperature range, preventing overheating risks. Henkel's ecosystem includes partners for custom heater design and production, highlighting their comprehensive approach to innovative heating solutions. For more, visit WebWire.
E-Ink Revolutionizes BMW i5 Flow with Creative Design Tech
E-Ink has collaborated with BMW to create the BMW i5 Flow featuring E-Ink's innovative technology, showcasing a blend of innovation, creativity, and design.
This partnership showcases how digital aesthetics can revolutionize automotive design by providing customizable visual experiences for car exteriors. This can be utilized to create dynamic messaging for information and advertising purposes.
E Ink the global commercial leader in ePaper technology, today announced the use of E Ink Prism 3 in the official unveiling of the BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA, a tribute to the 1991 Esther Mahlangu Art Car. It was featured in the innovation lab at LOPEC 2024. For more details, visit OPE Journal.
Empowering Education: The OPE Kit Blends Chemistry and Physics for Hands-On Electronics Learning
The OPE Kit targets educational institutions, especially schools and universities, allowing students to build and examine their own OLED and OPV cells. It includes low-cost materials similar to those used in industry and research-grade polymers.
Designed for interdisciplinary use, it bridges chemistry and physics, ideal for projects and lessons on polymers, dyes, or electrochemistry. The kit supports up to 240 cell constructions and is resource-efficient, with a refill option available. It also comes with a 100-page guidebook including background information, worksheets, and customizable templates for lessons. For more, visit Boxperiment.
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