Vacuum-Formed 3D Printed Electronics: Fabrication of Thin, Rigid and Free-Form Interactive Surfaces

Abstract Vacuum-forming is a common manufacturing technique for constructing thin plastic shell products by pressing heated sheets onto mold using atmospheric pressure. ubiquitous in packaging and casing the industry, spanning fast moving consumer goods to connected devices. Integrating advanced functionality, which may include sensing, computation communication, within structures desirable various next-generation interactive Hybrid additive techniques like thermoforming are becoming popular prototyping freeform surfaces owing their design flexibility, speed cost-effectiveness. This paper presents new hybrid method thin, rigid free-form interconnected via fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printing vacuum-forming that builds on recent advances circuits. sheet material allows embedding of conductive traces layers substrate, can be vacuum-formed but remain insulated. an unexplored fabrication context designing things. In addition explaining method, this characterizes behavior printed sheets, analyses electrical performance after vacuum-forming, showcases range sample artefacts constructed technique. addition, describes interface conformal interconnects designers draw patterns export pre-distorted models ready printed.