When most people think of packaging, it’s typically printed packaging with brightly colored fonts, logos and images used to sell products that comes to mind. However, like everything else today, the way we think of packaging continues to evolve. Now more than just providing visual appeal of a product, the packaging industry is beginning to look beyond design to the advancement of flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) to produce “smart packaging.” Defined as packaging that uses technology to do things that go beyond just housing a product, smart packages are embedded with technology that transforms them into digital platforms meant to create a stronger connection between consumers and brand. Without a doubt, FHE is poised to make smart packaging the next revolution in packaging production.
So how does it work? The term “printed electronics” (PE) refers to the ability to print a circuit board on material and then attach any required electrical components. An important innovation in PE is the ability to print very narrow, micron-sized conductive wires that can bend and flex with the packaging on which they are placed. Because printed electronics use innovations from two distinct industries — packaging and electronics — they represent a hybrid approach, which is why next-generation printed electronics are more accurately referred to as flexible hybrid electronics or FHE.