Henkel Adhesive Technologies Technology Trial

Showcasing printed electronics and early water leak detection in world-leading Henkel Adhesive Technologies Inspiration Center

Henkel Adhesive Technologies’ Lab of Printing Technologies in Düsseldorf includes a display and live deployment of LAIIER’s smart technologies.

About Henkel Adhesive Technologies

With its brands, innovations, and technologies, Henkel holds leading market positions worldwide in the industrial and consumer businesses. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings market.

Amongst the broad material portfolio, Adhesive Technologies has developed a large material portfolio of conductive inks and coatings suitable for printed electronics technology. Today, a global Printed Electronics Team manages the development of printed electronics applications with a cross-industry focus on market trends by building on more than four decades of market and material formulation expertise with strong partners that enable scalable solutions.

The company’s LOCTITE® functional ink and coatings portfolio is ideal for producing the next generation of flexible sensor solutions by accelerating the go-to-market of smart, seamlessly connected and data-generating product innovations. LOCTITE® inks and functional coatings for printed electronics allow customers – including LAIIER – to create thin, flexible, lightweight, and high-quality electronic solutions printable at high speeds.

The opportunity: Helping organizations to explore the value of printed electronics

Henkel Adhesive Technologies’ Inspiration Center in Düsseldorf, Germany is a state-of-the-art R&D facility designed to spearhead Henkel's adhesive technologies' future and drive global customer-centric innovation. Customers and partners visit to explore cutting-edge technologies and be inspired by opportunities to innovate.

The Lab of Printing Technologies showcases innovation in Printed Electronics, 3D Printing, and Electrically Conductive Adhesives. In the lab, new design ideas become manufacturing innovations that solve the problems both of today and tomorrow.

The key to the lab's success is the ability for visitors to move beyond the theoretical and experience real-life, working examples of the technologies that have been developed. Providing an engaging visitor experience is critical to helping visitors develop a deeper understanding of the technologies and ideas about their practical applications.

Henkel has made significant investment in ensuring the safety and security of the Lab of Printing Technologies, as it would with any of its R&D facilities. A water leak could create significant damage to the valuable technologies in the facility, and put individual devices and even the whole lab out of operation for a longer period of time.

“We believe that sensors for remote monitoring, such as the LAIIER leak detection sensor, represent an important preventative measure towards potential unforeseen damage, and can help to improve work safety by early detection of wet floors," highlights Martin Renkel, Head of Innovation Excellence Europe, Henkel.

"We are looking forward to further validation of the printed sensor technology in our Lab of Printing Technologies,” adds Stijn Gillissen, Global Head Printed Electronics, Henkel.

The solution: Installation of LAIIER technologies in the Lab of Printing Technologies

Henkel Adhesive Technologies’ INKxperience Kit is designed to empower IoT engineers, innovators, and creators to explore the possibilities of printed electronics technology, and enable out-of-the box prototyping and proof of concept ideations. As contributors to this kit, LAIIER’s Severn resistive sensor and Trent capacitive sensor are displayed in the Lab of Printing Technologies.

In addition to this, Henkel invited LAIIER to install Severn WLD™ early water leak detection devices in the lab. The goal of the installation was to trial the fully functional water leak detection devices in a live environment as well as provide a possibility for visitors to the Inspiration Center Düsseldorf to experience printed electronics sensor solutions interactively.

Devices were installed on the top and side of a lab bench, showcasing the flexibility of installation options offered by the sensor’s adhesive tape. Visitors can interact with these fully functional water leak detectors in the lab.

Additional devices were installed in areas typically at high risk for water leaks: under a lab sink, and a fridge-freezer. Should a leak occur in these areas, the devices will immediately alert the Henkel team, preventing significant damage.

“Overall, installing the sensors is very easy. As they come in the form of a sticky tape, they can be mounted almost anywhere, even in hard-to-reach places, and are resistant to spills and perfect for high-traffic areas,” comments Melissa Mendoza, Market & Customer Activation Manager.

Martin Renkel

"We believe that sensors for remote monitoring, such as the LAIIER leak detection sensor, represent an important preventative measure towards potential unforeseen damage, and can help to improve work safety by early detection of wet floors.”

Martin Renkel
Head of Innovation Excellence, Henkel

Severn WLD installed in the lab

 

The result: A working showcase that demonstrates real-life solutions using printed electronics

Henkel Adhesive Technologies’ Lab of Printing Technologies is a valuable, interactive showcase of the breadth of opportunities 2D and 3D printing technologies offer. Visitors are engaged by the experience, gaining new insights into potential solutions, including early water leak detection as provided by LAIIER’s Severn WLD.

“There is no substitute for demonstrating a product,” says Melanie Wendrikat, Market Strategy Manager - Printed Electronics.

“Henkel’s Inspiration Center Düsseldorf is a testament to putting the product in the customer’s hands. With LAIIER’s sensors installed in a prominent lab immediately adjacent to the main entrance hall, every visitor gets the chance to experience Henkel’s printed electronic materials' performance in action within a successful commercial solution.”