Roll-to-roll printing is a technique that is widely used to print newspapers, magazines and many other conventional printed products that are required in large quantities. The ANFF equipment is based on this principle but allows for the user to print functionalised inks onto novel materials – it’s already enabling the creation of printable solar panels that can be created at incredibly high speeds.A roll of substrate (traditionally paper, but now polymers substrates for flexible electronics) is fed through a series of printing steps, until it is collated on a new roll at the other end.

Inkjet printing is similar to the process conducted in most offices across the world, but instead of using conventional inks, researchers are beginning to use conductive liquids, or even photovoltaic ones, to give a printed product far greater functionality.