Preliminary Study on Hybrid Manufacturing of the Electronic-Mechanical Integrated Systems (EMIS) via the LCD Stereolithography Technology

Compared to limited complexity capacity in traditional fabrication and assembly techniques, Additive Manufacturing (AM)-based hybrid fabrication is emerging in electronics industry for fabricating complex structures and simplifying the assembly steps. In this study, the fabrication process of the Electronic-Mechanical Integrated Systems (EMIS) is investigated, in which mechanical parts (gas/liquid chambers) were 3D printed directly on PCB substrate (the carrier of electronic devices). A mixture of resin with silica was used as printing feedstock, to reduce mismatch of thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) between the part and PCB. The silica loading of 60 vol% was appropriate to achieve a compromise between viscosity of the suspension and CTE. Adhesion forces between printed parts and PCBs were measured, showing a significant correlation with the PCB surface roughness. Thermal cycling test indicated that the tailored materials owned excellent CTE compatibility with PCB. Consequently, AM-based hybrid manufacturing is capable of fabricating protective/functional bodies for electronics.Mechanical Engineerin