LOPEC: The meeting place for printed electronics

Whether in vehicle construction, medical technology or photovoltaics: printed electronics is driving innovations in various industries. This variety is reflected in the LOPEC Conference which will feature nearly 200 presentations. “With the extensive program, we’re inviting people to see the bigger picture,” said Wolfgang Mildner, General Chair of the LOPEC Conference and CEO of the consultancy and technology company MSWtech. “Everyone involved is looking forward to the face-to-face event and to direct feedback from the community.”

In their plenary speeches, Prof. Ronald Dekker, Senior Research Scientist at Philips, and Dr. Guido van Tartwijk, CEO of Heliatek will present impressive application examples. They will look at intelligent medical technology and organic solar films. In addition, Rainer Hundsdörfer, Chairman of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, and Dr. Michael Heckmeier, Executive Vice President of Merck, will speak in the plenum.

The LOPEC Business Conference will also focus on industry-relevant aspects. Dr. Wolfgang Clemens from PolyIC will outline the market opportunities offered by printed touch sensors which companies such as Volkswagen and the home appliance manufacturer BSH integrate in their products. The presentations during the Technical Conference will have a practical focus, too. There will be plenty of ideas for innovations, for example when Pete Valianatos from the US company E Ink explains how a technique found in e-book readers can allow car bodies to change color at the push of a button.

Ideas from research

The scientific highlights will include the plenary speeches from Prof. Luisa Torsi, professor of chemistry at the University of Bari, Italy, and Prof. Elizabeth von Hauff, head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology. Luisa Torsi, an expert in organic electronics and winner of the Wilhelm Exner Medal in 2021, will present ultra-sensitive biosensors which, among other things, can be used for early detection of cancer. Elizabeth von Hauff will focus on flexible electronics. Her presentation will give insights into processes for depositing functional layers on flexible substrates.

The LOPEC Scientific Conference will present further research highlights. The speakers who successfully bridge the gap between science and applications will include the Japanese physicist Prof. Tsuyoshi Sekitani from Osaka University. He has developed flexible nano-electronic systems which are already certified for use in medicine.

Focus on sustainability

As always, the LOPEC Conference will be geared to sector experts and newcomers. The Short Courses on the first day of the conference offer the ideal introduction. This year, they will be complemented by a seminar hosted by Kévin Le Blévennec from the Belgian research institute VITO. Titled “Design for Sustainability”, the seminar will guide visitors through the various steps when developing a sustainable product.

In his plenary speech, Dr. Henri Rajbenbach from the European Commission will stress that politicians have recognised the potential for sustainability offered by printed electronics. The “Circular economy and green electronics” session on March 24 will look at the topic in depth with presentations about environmental footprints, biodegradability and the recycling of printed electronics.

From application and research to recycling: the LOPEC Conference will cover all aspects of printed electronics. No other event within the industry offers more information and inspiration.