Integrating 3D Printed Components into PCB Design: Opportunities and Best Practices

What Are 3D Printed Components in PCB Design?

Unlike traditional manufacturing methods, 3D-printed components are created through additive manufacturing.

To grasp what makes 3D printed components so innovative, it’s important to first understand how 3D printers function. 

3D printers are largely computer-guided. First, an operator uses CAD software to design a model of the desired component.

This software then slices the model into thin horizontal 2D layers, which the 3D printer interprets to build the object layer by layer.

While the underlying concept and operation are similar, industrial 3D printers differ significantly from home or desktop models. Industrial 3D printers are more robust and, consequently, more expensive.

Types of Industrial 3D Printers for PCB Components

The most common types of industrial 3D printers include: 

• Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) / Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF): This method involves melting a roll of thermoplastic filament and depositing it through nozzles to build components layer by layer. While FDM/FFF is the least accurate 3D printing method, making it less ideal for intricate electronic components, it is useful for printing packages and housing for detachable SMD components.
• Stereolithography (SLA): This method uses laser-based photopolymerization to form plastic 3D models from liquid resin material. Being highly accurate, SLA is ideal for highly complex and detailed designs. As such, it’s one of the best methods for additive manufacturing of PCB components. 
• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS): This method uses high-powered, high-precision lasers to fuse polymer powders, typically nylon, into a 3D object. SLS doesn’t require a support structure and is ideal for high-resolution designs.
• Material Jetting: This technology works like inkjet printing, where a printhead emits small droplets of photopolymer that are immediately cured by UV light. Material jetting is highly precise and can incorporate multiple materials and colors in a single print, making it ideal for creating realistic component prototypes. Just remember that the produced components tend to be brittle, as the materials used are thin.
• Metal 3D printing: This encompasses techniques like FDM, Selective, and Direct Laser 3D printing, but with metal-based materials. While metal 3D printers can produce robust and precise components, they are very expensive, with costs reaching up to $1 million.

Each type of printer has its specific applications, costs, and material requirements, making the choice of printer dependent on the particular needs of the PCB component production.

What Are the Benefits of Integrating 3D Printed Components into PCB Design?

Traditional PCB manufacturing involves sourcing or constructing separate components, followed by the PCB assembly process. If the manufacturer finds any major flaws or errors in the assembled PCB, they have little choice but to disassemble and/or discard the entire construction.

The Reusability of 3D Printed Circuit Board Components

Desoldering and deconstructing PCBs that use traditional electronic components can be expensive and time-consuming. This is true regardless of whether they use surface mount technology (SMT) or plated through-hole technology (PTH). Furthermore, the disassembly process may render many of the soldered components unsalvageable. 

3D-printing components help manufacturers address this issue because, in most cases, the process is solder-less. As a consequence, the components are highly reusable and ideal for PCB prototyping.

Simplifying The Component Fabrication Process 

To create relatively simple components like a resistor, you’ll need to source materials, prepare the core, apply and fine-tune resistive material, and encapsulate it. With 3D printing, many of these steps become obsolete.

This technology accelerates production, streamlines assembly, and empowers designers and manufacturers to iterate and prototype at unprecedented speed.

The Cost-Saving Potential and Environmental Benefits of 3D Components

Because of their reusability and the speed at which manufacturers can produce them, 3D-printed components can significantly reduce manufacturing costs.

While the initial investment may be high, especially for 3D metal printers, the long-term savings offset these expenses.

Manufacturers can easily detach 3D-printed components from PCBs without requiring specialized equipment to desolder or deconstruct them, providing another cost-saving advantage. 

Using and reusing 3D-printed components also reduces waste—in addition to being reusable, they require fewer materials to fabricate. This not only results in cost savings but also more environmentally friendly assembly and prototyping processes.

As technology rapidly evolves, the lifecycle of electronic devices continues to shorten, and the volume of electronic waste continues to rise.

To offset this environmental impact and demonstrate greener, more sustainable business practices, manufacturers increasingly offer upgradeable and modular designs—such as smartphones and laptops with replaceable screens or processors. 3D printing plays a vital role in normalizing this trend.

What Are the Challenges of Integrating 3D Printed Components into PCB Design?

What Are the Material Limitations of 3D Printed PCB Components?

While the upfront costs of industrial 3D printers are high, less expensive options like FDM printers have limitations and are not suited for printing PCB components.

For instance, FDM printers can only use a single thermoplastic material and struggle to achieve smooth, high-resolution finishes.

Traditional materials like thermoplastics and epoxy also have low conductivity. This can be overcome using advanced complex materials, such as graphene and organic polymers, but research in this area is still in its early stages.

Among the current technologies, material jetting is the most accessible for producing intricate multi-material designs.

However, as noted earlier, this method results in components with limited mechanical strength.

How Can 3D Printed Components Be Integrated Into Existing Manufacturing Processes? 

Additive manufacturing companies, such as Nano Dimensions, are developing advanced 3D printers based on enhanced material jetting techniques.

These new printers can use nano-particle silver and dialectic inks to create components. 

However, it’s important to recognize the current limitations of these techniques.

At present, producing complex components like integrated circuits (ICs) or transistors remains out of reach.

As technology evolves, the range of electronic components that can be printed through additive manufacturing will widen.

As such, it’s important to stay abreast of trends and developments in the industrial 3D-printing space. 

What Are the Best Practices for Integrating 3D Printed Components into PCB Design?

Given the current limitations of additive manufacturing, it’s wise to use the technology strategically, focusing on areas where it offers the most benefit. 

Design Considerations for 3D Components

At the time of writing, engineers primarily use 3D-printed components for PCB and product prototyping. However, even in these applications, several design considerations are crucial:

• Design components for reusability: Ensure components can be easily attached and detached from the PCB. This facilitates reconfiguring the layout and allows components to be reused in future designs.
• 3D-printed components must be realistic: 3D-printed components should accurately represent their traditional counterparts. For instance, a 3D-printed resistor should mirror the size, footprint, and resistance values of commercially available resistors.
• Choose component placement carefully: Position components to optimize thermal management, signal integrity, and space efficiency on the board.
• Thoroughly test your design: Validate and test the prototype after assembling the components on the PCB. This process should include visual inspections, electrical testing, and functional assessments to ensure the design’s quality and viability.

Creating Solderless PCBs With 3D Printed components

The most practical and cost-effective way to integrate additive printing into component manufacturing is through solderless PCBs. This involves using 3D printing to create component packages or housings—as opposed to entire components.

This approach is typically suited for surface mount devices (SMDs), adopting design principles from through-hole technology while employing a bolt-on system for attachment. Here, the outer 3D-printed frame secures the components, and screws or bolts are used to hold the assembly in place.

The 3D-printed packaging and frame make the components swappable and reusable, while the more cost-effective ​​FDM/FFF printing method can be used to create the housings.

The Importance of Collaborating With an Expert

When choosing an industrial 3D printer for your R&D team or factory, always consult an expert. This will ensure you’re selecting the best option for your needs—which is vital, given the high upfront costs.

As electronic components rarely comprise a single material, you’ll likely need multi-material 3D printers or pair multiple mono-material printers. If going the latter route, you’ll need to designate each machine to print a part of the component. 

For instance, you can use one printer for conductive components and another for dielectric materials, followed by manual assembly.

An expert can help you determine the best way to go about this, drawing on their experience and knowledge to craft an effective 3D printing strategy. 

What Are the Real-world Applications of 3D Printed Components in PCB Design?

Today, the most viable applications for 3D-printed components are in prototyping and education, though these areas still face production and usage limitations.

Western and European electronics manufacturers often outsource prototype production to Eastern countries.

While partnering with a flexible prototype manufacturer can deliver fast turnkey productions, there are potential drawbacks. Long lead times, minimum order requirements, and shipping delays can hinder the prototyping process.

Improving Prototyping Through 3D Printed Components

3D-printing PCB components empowers electronic manufacturers to perform prototyping in-house. This accelerates the Time-to-Market (TTM) for new products while also reducing the risk of intellectual property (IP) theft, as sensitive designs remain onsite.

Medical Devices, Automotive, and Consumer Electronics

3D printing is already transforming the design and manufacture of components like antennas. The technology allows for the creation of unconventional, lightweight chip and large antenna designs that surpass traditional manufacturing limitations.

Interconnects, which connect components such as ICs to PCBs, traditionally rely on wire bonding—a process that can be inefficient. 3D printing streamlines this by directly printing interconnects onto PCB and radio frequency (RF) components.

Similarly, capacitors can now be embedded directly into PCBs using specialized 3D printers capable of printing both conductive and dielectric elements.

These capacitors are smaller, allowing manufacturers to shorten the assembly process and minimize errors—especially in complex RF designs.

3D printing also allows us to embed non-complex RF packages and sensors, supporting the trend toward miniaturization across various industries.

For example, in healthcare, 3D-printed medical devices with RF capabilities, such as biomedical sensors, can enable remote patient monitoring and timely data collection. 

In the automotive industry, metal 3D printing is already used to manufacture components like brackets and frames.

By embedding 3D-printed electronic designs, automakers can develop more sophisticated and versatile systems, allowing for greater innovation and functionality within their vehicles.

What Does the Future Hold for 3D Printed Components in PCB Design?

As research into additive manufacturing advances, we can expect more accessible and flexible 3D printing for components.

While both the technology and industry are still in their early stages, they are evolving rapidly—particularly with the integration of AI.

In the future, automation will play a larger role in the fabrication of all PCB components, not just 3D-printed ones.

Today, lights-out digital manufacturing is already a reality, with 3D printers that require minimal human intervention.

These technologies pave the way for fully automated production lines.

In the near future, industrial 3D printers are set to become more flexible, reliable, and precise.

This means more electronics manufacturers will be able to integrate them into their research and development processes. 

Conclusion

The future of industrial 3D printing is bright. While its current applications in electronics production may be limited, the technology offers exciting possibilities.

As discussed in this guide, 3D printing can be effectively used for creating component packages and housings, enabling the development of highly reusable parts for prototyping and educational purposes.

At WellPCB, we are at the forefront of modern PCB fabrication and assembly. We’re continuously exploring how additive manufacturing can enhance our capabilities.

Now that you’re familiar with 3D-printed components, take the next step and visit our website to learn about our expert PCB manufacturing and assembly services.