Research Symposium

BIO

My name is Isabella Rodriguez, and I am a senior Honors Industrial Engineering student at Florida State University from the Republic of Panama. I am passionate about innovation, sustainable technologies, and advanced manufacturing. My research focuses on embedded printed electronics and advanced manufacturing, where I use Direct Ink Writing, thermoforming, and in-situ micro-CT imaging to study the reliability of conductive materials. Through research experiences with NASA’s Zero-Emission Aviation Mission and the High-Performance Materials Institute, I have developed hands-on expertise in experimental design, materials characterization, and data analysis.

Dynamic Studies of Thermoformed Embedded Printed Electronics Using Micro-CT

Abstract

This research proposes a novel experimental framework to quantify strain-induced microdeformation in printed electronic features during thermoforming and molding. The study will develop an in-situ dynamic micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging methodology capable of observing internal structural changes in conductive inks deposited on thermoformable polymer substrates such as PET, PTFE, and PC. Hybrid manufacturing combining Direct Ink Writing (DIW) and thermoforming will be used to fabricate three-dimensional samples with embedded electronics across varied mold geometries. Pre- and post-processing micro-CT analysis will evaluate microstructural deformation, interfacial adhesion, and electrical reliability under thermoforming strain rates ranging from 0.01 to 10 s⁻¹.
Expected outcomes include quantitative metrics describing deformation behavior and failure modes of conductive inks, with elongation predictions informed by the Mooney–Rivlin model. By establishing a strain-aware characterization paradigm for IME fabrication, this work aims to provide design principles that improve the reliability of embedded electronics and expand the applicability of hybrid manufacturing systems in advanced engineering environments.

Keywords: In-Mold Electronics (IME), printed conductive inks, industrial engineering