Pint of Robotics: Andrea Yanez Trujillo, Conor Farrell-John, Dr. James Chandler (PhD)

Speaker 1: Andrea Yanez Trujillo (School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds)

Bio: Andrea studied her undergraduate degree in her home country: Ecuador. She is a Mechanical Engineer who finished an MSc in Mechatronics and Robotics at the University of Leeds last year. Now, she has started her PhD in magnetic and sensorised soft vine robotics with the aim to functionalize these robots for minimally invasive neurosurgeries. She will share basic concepts of these soft growing robots in her talk, alongside one of her passions: hiking.

Speaker 2: Conor Farrell-John (Future Manufacturing Processes, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds)

Bio: Conor received a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2021 from Lancaster University. His extended project involved the design and construction of a single seat electric vehicle for the IMechE’s FSUK event. He is currently in his 2nd year of a PhD, under Professor Robert Kay in the Future Manufacturing Processes group, researching the hybrid additive manufacture of low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) electronics, and the performance and applications of these printed parts. Conor’s research interests are harsh environment electronics, material formulation of substrates and conductive pastes, and the functional applications of ceramic materials.  

 Title: Optimising Material Formulation and Additive Manufacturing Processes for Low-Temperature Co-fired Ceramic Circuits 

Abstract: Low-Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCCs) are used in harsh environment electronic circuits, combining ceramic substrates and conductive pastes for enhanced thermal stability and electrical performance. Used in aerospace, telecommunications, and medical fields, LTCCs enable miniaturisation and integration of complex electronic systems.  Traditional LTCC production involves separate steps such as screen-printing, layering, and co-firing. This method, while effective, faces challenges such as material waste, alignment errors, and limited design flexibility. Optimising ceramic substrate and silver paste formulas ensures cofiring compatibility, reduced thermal instability and enhanced circuit performance. A hybrid ceramic AM approach integrating paste deposition and co-firing into a single system was introduced. This allows for circuits to be printed on customisable substrates with increased design flexibility. Initial tests show successful circuit prints that post sintering has a resistivity of 2.8×10-8Ωm, which is only 1.76 times greater than pure silver resistivity of 1.59×10-8Ωm. This process allows for efficient production of advanced LTCC with more complex geometries. The new geometries possible means that LTCCs can be used in applications that were previously unviable. This process also has capability for multilayer LTCC production. Therefore, complex circuits that aren’t currently made can be created and used to develop the fields LTCCs are currently used in and beyond. 

Speaker 3: Dr. James Chandler (PhD), (School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds)

TBA