OE‑A Publishes 10th Edition of the Roadmap for Flexible and Printed Electronics

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With the publication of the 10th edition of the “OE-A Roadmap for Flexible and Printed Electronics,” the OE-A, an international working group for printed electronics within the VDMA, once again presents the central guidance and reference document for the industry. The roadmap offers a comprehensive overview of the current state of the industry as well as the future prospects for flexible and printed electronics. More than 100 experts from industry and research contributed to the current edition.

In addition to taking stock of technological developments, they provide detailed short-, medium-, and long-term forecasts for technologies, applications, and markets.

“Flexible and printed electronics is established in numerous markets,” explains Dr. Klaus Hecker, Managing Director of the OE-A and member of the editorial team. “The new edition of the OE-A Roadmap clearly shows where the technology and applications stand today and which next steps are crucial for further scaling.”

 Roadmapping as an ongoing process

 Roadmapping is an ongoing process within the OE-A to realistically assess technological developments and estimate future market trends. The OE-A Roadmap is updated regularly; the current edition comprises 300 pages and reflects the increasing maturity, diversification, and industrialization of flexible and printed electronics. The roadmap is structured around key industry sectors and end-user markets: automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, printing & packaging, smart buildings, the Internet of Things, and, newly, defense and aerospace.

The white paper also features a comprehensive chapter addressing enabling technologies and underlying core technologies. It offers insights into flexible and OLED displays, energy generation and storage, and includes a new section on fuel cells, active and passive components, and integrated smart systems. Both technology sections describe past and projected developments.

New focus areas: Sustainability, Defense, and Aerospace

With its 10th edition, the OE-A Roadmap sets new content priorities. For the first time, it includes a standalone chapter titled “Sustainability & Green Electronics,” which addresses sustainability as a central criterion for material selection, design, processes, and applications. Printed electronics offers particular potential in this area, for example, through additive, material- and energy-efficient manufacturing processes, as well as better compatibility with circular economy concepts, whose importance continues to grow. In addition, the defense and aerospace markets are considered as a separate industry for the first time. In doing so, the Roadmap takes into account the growing importance of robust, safety-critical, and specialized applications of printed electronics.

Guidance for industry, research, and policy

The roadmap reflects a shared perspective based on expert contributions and is frequently used by industry, policymakers, and academia as a reference for the current state of the art. It supports strategic planning in these areas. “The OE-A Roadmap is a practical tool for strategic decision-making today and with a view to the coming years,” says Klaus Hecker.