The procedure is accomplished through pure silver metallisation. © Laird Performance Materials

Statex and Laird Performance Materials have announced a new joint capability, which allows selective plating and high electrical conductivity on both sides of knitted fabrics. The new approach creates an electrically conductive pattern and circuit directly onto both sides of a flexible fabric substrate.

The procedure, accomplished through pure silver metallisation, is expected to enable improved component product performance and higher reliability, combined with a lower total cost of ownership realised during manufacturing.

Robust and stretchable

Potential uses will range from components found in consumer/professional wearable products to medical devices to military/aerospace and automotive critical systems. Design engineers, who specify plating on stretchable fabrics or their eventual component designs, will benefit from technical features of this process, such as stretchability and washability, the companies explain.

The procedure is expected to enable improved component product performance. © Laird Performance Materials

These improvements could solve issues in low amperage flexible circuits and in LED/lighting and sensors used in medical and automotive devices and wearable electronics.

According to Laird Product Manager Christophe Loret, the approach “features a much more robust technology compared to traditional screen printable conductive ink processes, which often fail over time in stress-use cases.”

The procedure could solve issues in low amperage flexible circuits and in LED/lighting and sensors. © Laird Performance Materials

Plating on knitted fabric passes rigorous tests involving stretching and washing cycles without any noticeable negative effects on electrical performance, according to the partners.

Availability

Laird and Statex are making the capability available as pattern-plated on rolls or as ready-to-use finished items such as sensors. Value-added services include die cutting, multilayer lamination, wire connection, and LED population or battery implementation. The two companies will be supporting customers from feasibility and design stages through mass production.

Laird and Statex are making the capability available as pattern-plated on rolls or as ready-to-use finished items. © Laird Performance Materials

“We regularly co-design, along with our customers, their high-performance systems,” said Florian Heissmann, of Statex. “The results are solutions, which are both compliant and ones helping achieve an optimum manufacturing process.”

www.lairdtech.com

www.statex.de