What added value does printed electronics bring to this product? Which product shows the highest degree of innovation? And how attractive is it for the target group? These were tough questions to answer for the jury of the OE-A Competition 2021. The jury, consisting of representatives from international companies and institutes, rated 22 submissions in three categories. Companies and institutes from 13 countries around the globe submitted their latest products and demonstrators in the area of organic and printed electronics to the OE-A Competition 2021. Annually organised by OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association), a working group within VDMA, this competition challenges the printed electronics industry.
From 23 to 25 March, LOPEC was held as an online event. In 180 contributions, the speakers of the digital Conference and more than 70 companies at the online exhibition presented groundbreaking developments in printed electronics. Numerous user industries, such as the automotive, textile and entertainment sectors, are drawing on the potential of this technology. In the medical and pharmaceuticals sectors, in particular, a tremendous surge in development became evident.
At the Freiburg, Germany, location, technology company Continental is pooling its expertise in functional printing in a Technology Center with state-of-the-art machinery. At the heart of this is a printing machine specially developed for functional printing. It enables the use of numerous printing processes and can process a wide range of materials – from artificial leather to metal, from paper to rubber. So far the company has invested around €2.5M in its location in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.
