18 Q U I C K P R I N T I N G / A p r i l 2 0 1 4
w w w. M y P R I N T R e s o u r c e . c o m
The Next Industrial Revolution:
Functional Printing
Representing the melding of several
industrial sectors, including printing,
materials, and electronics, functional
printing has spurred involvement by
some of the leading companies in the
world, including Eastman Kodak (see
photos), BASF SE, DuPont, Toyo Ink, Hai-
ku Tech, Avery Dennison, and Universal
Display Corp., among many others.
One of the biggest players, the Func-
tional Printing Division of Burr Ridge,
IL.-based GSI Technologies, is focused on
high-quality production and distribution
of a broad array of active components.
These include contactless card anten-
nas, electroluminescent lamps, diagnos-
tic and therapeutic medical electrodes,
printed conductors, and smart card inlay
assemblies. GSI reported its focus on cus-
tom solutions enables technical product
integrators and OEMs to lower produc-
tion costs, enhance performance of prod-
ucts, and increase profitability of their
businesses.
Some prognosticators see functional
printing as a market reaching $13.79 bil-
lion by 2020. Clearly, its future is excit-
This evolving technology sector carries great potential to enable "the next wave in
high-volume electronic production." By Jeffrey Steele
T
here is considerable talk these days about the promise of func-
tional printing, an evolving technology that carries the potential
to enable what one report calls "the next wave in high-volume
electronic production."
Photos
copyright
2013
Kodak.
Used
with
permission.
The Eastman Kodak InTouch
functional printing line in Rochester, NY,
looks like a scene from a "Star Wars" movie.
QP_18-19_0414 Functional.indd 18 3/18/14 3:49 PM