On April 20, 2022, Antarctic Bear learned that an editor named Sarah Saunders visited the headquarters of Nano Dimension, the leader of 3D printed circuit boards (PCBs) in Ness Ziona, in Israel, and he had a lot of thoughts to share with everyone.
△Nano Dimension on the first floor. Image from 3DPrint
Nano Dimension has been growing since 2016. It released the industrial-grade DragonFly 2020 Pro circuit 3D printer in 2017; a year later, opened its first 3D printing electronics services factory; and launched the DragonFly IV 3D printer.
Julien Lederman, director of corporate development, met with reporters in the reception area and then started the tour from the area where additive manufacturing electronics (3D printing) is located. These 3D printers require the use of two materials, both proprietary conductive and non-conductive materials, both developed in the materials section on the first floor.
The second floor is where the Ultra-Precision Additive Manufacturing System (formerly Known as Nanofabrica) 3D printers are located; last year, it was renamed Microscale AM, which focuses on precision micro 3D printing in sizes as small as 1 micron. This is Nano Dimension's first acquisition in additive manufacturing, and as Lederman describes, they plan to acquire more additive manufacturing companies and "become the dominant ones."
△A corner of the second floor of the Nano Dimension. Image from 3DPrint
Technology advances by leaps and bounds in the same week that Nano Dimension acquired Nanofabrica, which also acquired DeepCube, a real-time, deep machine learning, artificial intelligence company. By integrating the DeepCube software platform into existing and acquired solutions, it is then possible to achieve a closed loop of "machine learning on the fly" intelligent industrial solutions.
"So in addition to acquiring these Western-leading companies, we're expanding our solutions for 3D printing technology," Lederman said.
I asked Lederman, how do micro 3D printing and other acquisitions fit inside Nano Dimension and integrate? They have added the technology of Swiss electronics assembly equipment manufacturer Essemtec to their growing product portfolio. As part of an additive manufacturing electronics (AME) solution that lays the foundation for microchip implantation.
Sarah Saunders' photo of a 3D printer taken inside nano Dimensio. Image from 3DPrint
Nano Dimension also acquired UK-based Global Inkjet Systems, which focuses on inkjet technology – "now a staple in our 3D printing solutions". GIS has hundreds of global customers in 3D printing and graphic arts, and sells ink delivery systems, controller electronics for inkjet printheads, and software that "brings all of this hardware together." The acquired company has a considerable track record and is an ideal target for acquisition. However, its complementary technologies are the real core drivers, as it maximizes its own inkjet process.
Hanan Gino, CPO and head of strategic mergers and acquisitions at Nano Dimension, then joined the conversation, where he and Lederman explained to reporters that the company's investments provide a good example for the business community. According to the executive, the next generation of systems will focus first on prototyping, followed by functional PCB manufacturing. The ultimate goal is to sell the solution to the manufacturer that produces the PCB. In terms of strategic acquisitions, they are still looking for technologies that can expand their 3D printing solutions, as well as equipment suppliers in the same field, "which means horizontal integration."
Global Inkjet Systems demonstrates inkjet system components in a laboratory environment. Image courtesy of Nano Dimesnion
The fast-growing Nano Dimesnion
Gino explained that with their "strategic acquisitions," they are growing rapidly.
When he joined the team a year ago, he had only 80 employees, but after four acquisitions, they were close to the size of 500 people.
"We built companies from the bottom up," he told reporters. "We have great technology and the ability to face challenges – we want to revolutionize the electronics industry.
For the field of 2D graphic art it can be observed and appreciated by the eye, but for 3D, it needs to add a functional dimension, and 3D printing should be functional. So, it's very, very complicated.
The company also invests heavily in different feedstocks for different applications because they believe that each application requires a unique material. Gino said it has worked with 20 materials companies to develop new raw materials, as well as two broad categories of conductive inks and electric inks.
△ 3D printed circuit board made of Nano Dimension technology. Image courtesy of Nano Dimesnion
Issues that need to be addressed in the future
The reporter asked how many PCBs their DragonFly3D printer can make in a single printing process. Gino says it depends on how much material is needed, as well as the complexity of the product and the number of layers required. But he gave an approximate number and said "it could take dozens of hours to make this product."
"We are developing the next generation of products and hopefully reducing production time," he said. "The goal is to make a large number of PCBs in a matter of hours."
Gino explains that for one of their key customers (who can't be named), Nano Dimension helped them replace the entire PCB production line (which used to consist of 70-100 processes) with a single solution, which has the benefit of helping to shorten the time to market. The company has several R&D centers, one of which is mainly in Israel, another in Boston and one in Munich.
Nano Dimension has a strong cash flow and has poached cutting-edge talent from other big-name companies, such as Amazon, 3D Systems and PCB manufacturing company TTM.
"We're equipped with the right people and the right technology," Gino says.
△ Its joint venture JAMES uses 3D printing to design circuit equipment
Advantages of electronic 3D printing technology
Gino said that when it comes to TTM, it is the leading PCB manufacturer in the West. It is also one of Nano Dimension's partners, which purchased three DragonFly devices. He also mentioned JAMES, a joint venture with Hensoldt AG, a market leader in civil and military sensor solutions, and defense and security electronics. The company's goal is to develop a crowdsourced platform to engage more people in 3D design. Nano Dimension also offers 3D printing education, offers different types of webinars, and also supports new electronic designs, among others.
Before the reporter left, Gino introduced some key details of the Nano Dimension technology, first pointing out the strength and weight ratio and the internal architecture.
He explains:
"3D printed microelectronics differs from traditional PCB manufacturing in several ways:
It is environmentally friendly, without any toxic materials, it simplifies and digitizes the manufacturing process, and it can make geometries and complex devices that were previously unprecedented.
It is actually a multi-material, multi-layer 3D, end-to-end solution that can generate the entire circuit in one step, including substrates, conductive traces, and passive components.
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He also said that compared to traditional printed circuit boards, it is "limited by right-angle connections in the Z dimension and the physical limitations of the PCB", but compared to 3D printed microelectronics, you don't have that concern.
"Traditional PCB fabrication is not really a 3D structure, but 2.5D," Gino explains.
"It's actually made of multiple 2D layers made separately and then connected to each other by electroplated holes (through holes)."
Gino told reporters that the biggest pain points in traditional PCB manufacturing are drilling, electroplating holes and registration between layers. 3D printing can overcome these problems because they do not require drilling.
"We only print the pattern itself, combined with additive manufacturing techniques to plate holes, and print all the layers on the same printer, so we don't run into registration problems." With 3D printing technology, our electronic designers are able to maximize the power of design. ”
△ DragonFly IV 3D printer. Image courtesy of Nano Dimesnion
Gino says that with Nano Dimension's solution, "pads on a PCB can be connected directly from any point to another," not just through through-holes, which are a last resort for connecting conductors on different layers.