Heidelberg invests in production of printed and organic electronics

The company says it has also started production at its Wiesloch-Walldorf site, investing some EUR 5 million in a complete production line for printed sensors. Sensors developed at InnovationLab (iL) in Heidelberg for use in dental technology are set to be printed first. These printed sensors make it possible to digitally record the distribution of masticatory pressure during occlusion, that is to say when the upper and lower jaws come together. 3D visualisation on a tablet and data archiving enable malocclusions to be identified and subsequently corrected. Looking further ahead, Heidelberg plans to produce sensors for other digital applications – in particular in healthcare and logistics, but also in the retail and automotive sectors. “Embarking on the development and industrial production of printed and organic electronics represents a milestone for Heidelberg and for Germany as an industrial player. As we see it, our involvement in this production of high-tech sensors opens up the potential for growth in the two- to three-digit million euro range,” says Heidelberg CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer, in a press release. The future industrial printing of organic electronics and the associated software/hardware development represent a first for the German mechanical engineering company. In operational terms, its introduction offers Heidelberg a whole host of development opportunities, printing sensors mile after mile on an industrial scale in a cleanroom environment.