David Thompson

The thing about multi-material printing is that it can be used in almost any capacity — from aeronautics and space travel to everyday household items.

So how can this be used in consumer electronics? Perhaps the most obvious application is reducing the cost of development and accelerating the path to market. With this type of AME, conductive electronic circuits and broader structure are printed together. The process is more cost-effective, directly benefiting the end user.

There's also sustainability. Now, components are sourced from all over the world, making electronics inherently unsustainable. Manufacturing entire products via a single printer dramatically reduces the miles these components need to travel.

Finally, product innovation. Multi-material methods make testing and development easier, with support structures made from HIPS or PVA that enable swift development for complex components. With multi-material printing, consumer electronics are about to undergo a revolution.