Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Engineering diversity
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Nano Dimension introduces low-volume, continuous additive manufacturing system for electronics production

By Leslie Langnau | July 24, 2019

Additively manufacturing functional circuits round-the-clock with little or no operator intervention is possible with the new DragonFly LDM precision additive manufacturing system from Nano Dimension.

3D printed circuit additively manufactured on the DragonFly LDM.

LDM stands for Lights-Out Digital Manufacturing. This 3D printer will build electronic components such as multilayer Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), antennas, sensors and so on, round-the-clock, enabling Nano Dimension to shift from developing prototyping printers to systems that handle one-off prototypes as well as low-volume manufacturing of printed electronics. The initial customer of the DragonFly LDM was sensor and defense electronics provider HENSOLDT.

4-layer PCB 3D printed for Hendsoldt.

The 3D printer is for Industry 4.0 and manufacturing for the Internet of Things and is an extension of the DragonFly Pro precision system. The DragonFly LDM is already available through Nano Dimension’s global sales channel. In Germany, the launch of the DragonFly LDM was initiated by Nano Dimension’s reseller Phytec New Dimension.

Nano Dimension accomplished this shift by augmenting the capabilities of the DragonFly Pro system with new, proprietary, state-of-the-art technology that enables 24/7 uninterrupted 3D printing. Improvements include the optimization of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and better workflow and production processes of 3D printed electronics.

The DragonFly LDM automatically self-cleans its print heads every few hours and is equipped with a real-time automatic material monitoring system that ensures maximal runtime while minimizing the frequency and duration of scheduled downtime to typically just one weekly maintenance operation.

DragonFly LDM technology features and benefits:
• Long, uninterrupted printing with minimal supervision for increased uptime and productivity
• New automatic printhead mechanism and cleaning system
• Simpler and faster operation, including new warm-up plane
• Far fewer maintenance and operator interactions
• Improved yield
• Offered as an upgrade option for existing DragonFly Pro users

In the field
Defense electronics provider HENSOLDT started working with the Dragonfly PRO system in 2016 to examine the possibilities of 3D printing electronics and is still active in innovative field of technology.

For HENSOLDT, the existing working experience in realizing 3D printed multilayer circuits with the multi-material Inkjet-Process, offered by Nano Dimension, shows that a high amount of personal care is needed to keep the printer system operational. The implementation of the new LDM System allows for a significant reduction of time and cost for realizing circuits, which are needed as fast as possible.

During the common LDM-campaign HENSOLDT contributed by generating reference circuits to outline the advantages of the new LDM System.

The comparison of the realized circuits showed that the LDM system achieves about 40% higher availability.

“The DragonFly LDM helps our customers prepare for Industry 4.0. and stay competitive in a world that demands electronic devices with increasingly sophisticated features. Like its predecessor, the DragonFly Pro, it’s carefully designed for both ease-of-use and agile, faster and affordable 3D printing of functional circuitry,” said Amit Dror, CEO and co-founder at Nano Dimension. “We’re confident that the LDM will provide best in class additive manufacturing of printed electronics on the market, making it possible for companies to be more innovative, improve productivity and reliability, lower costs and reduce time-to-market.”

The DragonFly Pro can be easily upgraded to be an DragonFly LDM system, enabling current owners of the Pro to move into low-volume production.

Nano Dimension Ltd.
www.nano-di.com

HENSOLDT
www.hensoldt.net

You Might Also Like


Filed Under: Aerospace + defense, 3D printing • additive • stereolithography
Tagged With: nanodimension
 

LEARNING CENTER

Design World Learning Center
“dw
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for Design Engineering Professionals.
Motor University

Design World Digital Edition

cover

Browse the most current issue of Design World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading design engineering magazine today.

EDABoard the Forum for Electronics

Top global problem solving EE forum covering Microcontrollers, DSP, Networking, Analog and Digital Design, RF, Power Electronics, PCB Routing and much more

EDABoard: Forum for electronics

Sponsored Content

  • Sustainability, Innovation and Safety, Central to Our Approach
  • Why off-highway is the sweet spot for AC electrification technology
  • Looking to 2025: Past Success Guides Future Achievements
  • North American Companies Seek Stronger Ties with Italian OEMs
  • Adapt and Evolve
  • Sustainable Practices for a Sustainable World
View More >>
Engineering Exchange

The Engineering Exchange is a global educational networking community for engineers.

Connect, share, and learn today »

Design World
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Manage your Design World Subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Design World Digital Network
  • Control Engineering
  • Consulting-Specifying Engineer
  • Plant Engineering
  • Engineering White Papers
  • Leap Awards

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Engineering diversity
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. We share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners who may combine it with other information you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use this website.OkNoRead more