Study on Finite Element Analysis of Fine Solid Lines by Flexographic Printing in Printed Antennas for RFID Transponder

Printing is offering the feasibility of producing mass quantities of a wide variety of electronic components and devices quickly and at lower cost. Flexography is mainly used for packaging applications, but is also poses a potential method for the micro manufacture of electronic devices, smart packaging and RFID. The flexographic printing process poses as an attractive candidate for printing electronics for its high speed printing capabilities where such volume and large active areas need to be printed. Therefore an investigation for its potential usage in printing electronics are highly in demand hence a research for suitable conductive ink related to this process is vital. Multiple fine solid lines of high quality are essential to enable printing of ink tracks for electronic applications. A step by step approach by printing multiple solid lines, measurements of printing plates and printed images and finite element analysis (FEA) need to be carried out in advance to help comprehending this process that is influenced by many interacting parameters. Plate characteristics are among a number of process parameters that will influence print line quality, which will affect the electrical performance of printed tracks. Printing trials have also been carried out in comparison various ink to check the compatibility and the suitability of the ink developed for printing RFID antennas.