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Formnext 2026 – Setting the stage for AM progress once again

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INFORMATION CALL FOR SPEAKERS

Beyond Printed Electronics: WEAM (Wire Encapsulating Additive Manufacturing) for Functional Integration, Lightweight Design, and Sustainable Manufacturing

19 Nov 2025

Additive manufacturing is evolving from structural prototyping to functional integration—and Wire Encapsulating Additive Manufacturing (WEAM) is at the forefront of this transformation. Traditional printed electronics based on inks or pastes often fail under mechanical stress, limit design freedom, and complicate integration of sensors, actuators, and power lines. WEAM overcomes these challenges by embedding standard wires and strands directly during fused-filament deposition, ensuring electrical insulation, mechanical stability, and recyclability.

This presentation will showcase WEAM’s versatility across applications:

  • Radome heating for automotive and aerospace—demonstrated on the Polestar 3 front panel, delivering precise wire positioning and energy-efficient de-icing.
  • thin, stretchable TPU circuit boards—enabling complex 3D geometries, modular electronics, and heat-lamination onto textiles, metals, and polymers for wearables and interiors.
  • Integration of sensors, actuators, and EMC shielding—all within a single automated process for lightweight, sustainable components.

Join us to explore how WEAM combines design freedom, functional density, and cost-efficiency for next-generation manufacturing in automotive, aerospace, defense, and consumer electronics.

Speakers:
Lukas Boxberger, Head of Department Functionalization Technologies, Fraunhofer IWU
Fabian Ziervogel, Research Associate, Fraunhofer IWU

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