MICRO-PRECISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC. — Department of Energy SBIR Phase II: C54-04b

Description

There is no manufacturing solution available today that can achieve quick-turn production of spaceborne printed circuit boards while adhering to the rigidity requirements of industry standards and surviving the rigors of space launch and flight. To fulfill the production needs of the defense and aerospace industries, this program will develop an additive manufacturing process combining the ruggedness and durability of thick film ceramic technology with the fast turnaround and flexibility of 3-D printing technology. The overall program objective is to develop the additive manufacturing process to begin the commercial production of additively manufactured printed circuit boards. In Phase I, the 3-D printing materials and processes were optimized to print resistors, capacitors, inductors, and circuits made from these components directly on ceramic substrate. The individual components and circuits underwent rigorous testing to ensure compliance with industry and military standards for space-qualified printed circuit boards. In Phase II, complete circuit card assemblies consisting of sensors, processors, and memory will be made entirely with additive manufacturing. The circuit card assemblies will then be tested in a relevant environment to demonstrate compatibility with spaceborne operation. The additive manufacturing technology developed in this program will have widespread technical and societal benefits for the public. It will also have strong dual-use government and commercial opportunities due to the impact it will have on the defense and aerospace industries. The Office of Nuclear Detonation Detection will use this technology to more rapidly deploy space-based nuclear detonation detection systems for the worldwide detection, identification, and location of nuclear explosions. This capability is critical to ensure countries comply with the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which bans all nuclear explosions, for both military and civilian purposes, in all environments. The technology adoption is driven by several primary benefits. First, by integrating many components into the board itself, including passive components such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors, the bill of materials of a given design will be consolidated. This simplifies the part count and the layout complexity. Second, reducing the part count also simplifies the logistics management and reduces the supply chain costs. Third, the quick-turn capability of the technology will enable just-in-time distributed manufacturing and production. This reduces flow times in production systems and response times to customers, which increases productivity and reduces manufacturing costs.