Grant: Industrial Research Chairs for Colleges Grants

The Internet of Things (IOT) consists of a growing number of objects equipped with authentication, location and measurement functions to allow the communication of certain data to designated receivers along the supply chain, including their use by the consumer, and their reuse or recycling at end of life. These smart functions will be achieved by the integration of active or passive intelligent electronic components into packaging or labels.There are four customer value categories which will facilitate the deployment of these technologies on a large scale: 1. Low cost of production; 2. Availability of fully integrated, intelligent solutions; 3. Physical characteristics such as flexibility; 4. Life cycle, including an end of life which respects the environment.While there are numerous examples of printed prototypes or small scale manufacture, very large scale production by industrial printing processes is exceptional. Despite the numerous advantages of the industrial rotary printing process (low cost, flexibility and the additive incorporation of components), the scale up of print production requires, in addition to the empirical expertise of the graphic chain held by local industrial actors, a combination of pure science skills and print process engineering skills.The purpose of this Industrial Research Chair is to rationalize the available expertise in rotary printing with current knowledge in the prototyping of functional systems as required by the Internet of Things to: 1. Demonstrate printability and/or to create functional prototypes; and 2. Allow their industrialization for mass markets according to specifications at a production cost suitable to the market, while using sustainable manufacturing methods and environmentally sustainable materials.