Additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing have already changed the way that we think about manufacturing. This technology that appeared to be over-hyped at first is now carving out its own developed sector in the manufacturing industry.

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Additive manufacturing is well suited for many applications where parts are needed that simply can’t be easily produced using other methods like machining or injection molding. When it comes to electronics, though, you probably think that additive manufacturing has no place. However, there are currently two production methods that utilize additive manufacturing to integrate electronics into parts.

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There are 2D inkjet styling printing machines that are already used to print circuit boards.

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This method utilizes a printhead that works on a level flat printing surface by laying down the user’s choice of conductive chemical or material. This functionality is very similar to the way additive manufacturing works, and it allows for a fast production of custom circuit boards. Given the current way that circuit boards are mass-manufactured, this additive technique makes possible one-off iterable designs with ease.

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Simply put, though, this two-dimensional printing technique just isn’t that exciting. That’s where 3D printed circuit board technology comes into play. These methods use an extruder head that can lay down beads of solder or conductive material on a printing surface in layers. Couple this “wire printing” method with a secondary material head and manufacturers are slowly gaining the ability to create 3D printed circuit boards with intricate internal wiring. .

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