Electronic components of plastic: the future of the sector at the K 2010
September 15, 2010
"Plastic electronic components offer new opportunities for technological progress, with intelligent processes and materials", explains Klaus Hecker, director-general of the base in Frankfurt of the Organic Electronics Association (OE-A), international working group belonging to the German Association of machinery manufacturers (VDMA).
Printed and organic electronics in tune with the plastic sector
Organic electronics and printed account backed by the plastics industry. "This combination of plastic and electronic, unimaginable a century ago, it has brought a new impetus and is opening up new markets", explains Thorsten Kühmann, general director of the VDMA. Without a doubt, polymer electronics can help the EU to achieve its ambitious climate objectives.
The market of polymer electronics
Polymer-based electronics transforms the plastic material of high-tech, in which many industries have placed their hopes. According to the findings of the market research conducted by both organizations, is expected to increase in the volume of business from the current 1,500 million euros to about 250 billion over the next 20 years, driven by organic photovoltaics, displays OLED (light emitting organic diodes), light and printed transistors and memories of data.
The investment, which amounted to € 2.2 billion last year, will double by the year 2015. Emerging new factories, and it is estimated that there are more than 2,000 companies around the world related to the various branches of organic and printed electronics with Germany and Europe as key players.
Material with a future
Polymers will become the material of the future in electronics. Chargers for batteries, umbrellas and bags of transport will transform light into energy and will reduce the current dependence on existing power grids. The need to have at hand a charger for mobile or search desperately for a socket in a train compartment will be things of the past.
"We are faced with a completely new process for the mass production of electronics," says Hecker. "The new components for electronic devices are flexible, thin and light, but at the same time, are strong and cheap", underlines the expert in organic and printed electronics.
Future products
Applications range from light containers and revolutionary forms of lighting up a universal power supply, which counterfeiters can not duplicate and codes that will ensure that the products are genuine and original; tags that will make sound an alarm when the product has passed its expiration date; electronic components that are autosuministrarán their own energy...
For five years, this network highly dynamic international companies and research institutes provides "international visibility", a fact of "invaluable" technology and the companies that produce.