Effect of Manufacturing Technology on Polymer Thick-film Resistors in 3D Printed Structures

The article discusses the possibility of integrating screen-printed Polymer Thick-Film (PTF) conductive (ED3000 paste) and resistor (ED7500 paste) layers into 3D printed modules based on ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate) thermoplastic polymer materials printed by standard Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) process. The possibilities of improving the quality of PTF layers by additional screen-printing of the PTF dielectric layer used to flatten out unevenness after 3D printing, as well as the possibilities of embedding PTF layers inside the 3D printed structure by a process using additional bonding with heat (for PETG and ABS) or acetone (ABS), are analyzed. The change in the electrical resistance of the resistors and the variance of their values across the process steps are monitored as a main parameter. The results are compared with PTF resistors applied in a multilayer PCB based on standard FR4 material.