Nano Dimension introduces first 3D printed IoT communication device
The 3D printed device could have applications in smart white goods, toys and more
Israel-based Nano Dimension has announced another breakthrough in the realm of 3D printed electronics: the company has successfully created the first fully functional 3D printed communication device at a faster rate than devices made using traditional processes. The 3D printed IoT device paves the way for companies and research groups to print and test their own smart products and prototypes faster than before.
The 3D printed device, a prototype IoT transceiver, was 3D printed oh Nano Dimension’s DragonFly Pro 3D printer and took only about 18 hours to produce. Traditionally, a similar type of device could take over two weeks to manufacture, making the 3D printing process about 90% faster.
The device itself is small, measuring 16 x 33 x 1.6 mm, and is currently being qualified by Nano Dimension. At this stage, the company is confident the 3D printed device could be developed into a two-way communication device such as a router.
“An ever-greater emphasis is being placed on smart cities, smart buildings, smart homes and smart products by industries and consumers alike,” said Amit Dror, CEO of Nano Dimension. “Our solution enables companies to speedily trial and finalize their prototypes in just one day without compromising on quality or performance. They no longer have to wait over a fortnight to understand whether their smart device works or not. This ultimately increases product and cost efficiencies and reduces time to market, which means that the consumer can enjoy the benefits of these products faster than ever before.”
Nano Dimension’s rapid IoT device production could enable electronics producers to develop enhanced communication devices for smart home routers in white goods such as washing machines, fridges, TVs, air conditioning and even toys. In practice, the two-way communication device could allow a smart TV to alert its owners when their favourite show is about to air or a fridge to let its owner know when milk is needed, for instance.
Beyond smart home applications, the 3D printed electronic device could be used in autonomous vehicles, which require hundreds of state-of-the-art sensors and electronics.
Nano Dimension’s PCB 3D printing technology is a versatile platform. Recently, the company announced the DragonFly Pro’s capacity to rapidly assemble BGAs and other SMT components. The Israeli company also recently 3D printed side-mounting tech onto PBCs for the first time.
Wow! this is great. This innovation is one of a kind and is timely and relevant since it creates the opportunity to minimize the size of PCBs used int he high speed communication space.