By: ICN Bureau
Last updated : September 05, 2025 4:32 pm
NEXIPAL Sense laminates consist of highly stretchable insulating and conductive silicone rubber films
WACKER is setting new benchmarks in the field of flexible printed electronics at K 2025. The company has begun serial production of its innovative sensor laminates under the brand name NEXIPAL Sense, presenting for the first time as a manufacturer of prefabricated components ready for mass production and integration.
Produced using a fully automated roll-to-roll process developed in-house, NEXIPAL Sense laminates consist of highly stretchable insulating and conductive silicone rubber films. These layered films function as flexible, stretchable capacitors, where pressure or movement changes the electrical capacitance and generates precise sensor signals. With this breakthrough, WACKER is positioning itself as a pioneer in a rapidly expanding market, opening new opportunities for robotics, automotive applications, medical technology, and sports.
The silicone laminates combine elasticity, dimensional stability, and toughness with skin-friendliness, biocompatibility, UV resistance, and high temperature endurance from –40 °C to +180 °C. Even after millions of load cycles, they retain their resilience and recovery, making them far superior to conventional materials. Advanced laser printing enables electrode structures with pixel sizes as small as 100 microns, allowing extremely fine geometries. The design flexibility is unmatched: in seconds, configurations such as size, shape, and number of layers can be adapted—from prototypes to large-scale production—while AI-driven image processing ensures consistent precision with an accuracy of ±5 microns.
“Our sensor laminates are not only high-performing and durable but also sustainably produced,” says Johannes Neuwirth, Senior Business Development Manager at WACKER. Production near the company’s Burghausen plant relies on renewable electricity from WACKER’s own photovoltaic systems and avoids the use of solvents, rare earths, or heavy metals. The low-temperature process further underlines WACKER’s commitment to sustainability.