Xaar and Shifang Outline Digital Inkjet Coating for Electronics

30 September 2026: Xaar and Shifang Technology describe a digital inkjet coating system for printed circuit board assemblies in a statement supplied on 29 September 2026. Intended for electronics production lines, the process would apply protective material selectively without masking. The statement does not identify an installation site or give a commercial launch date.

The proposed application extends the companies’ work in functional coatings beyond batteries. However, a matching public announcement could not be verified during this review. The PCBA system details below therefore remain claims from the supplied statement, rather than independently confirmed production results.

How digital inkjet coating would work

According to the statement, Shifang’s system combines Xaar eX printheads with UV digital inkjet technology to deposit conformal coatings on selected areas of electronic assemblies. Digital instructions determine where material lands and how much the print engine applies, instead of relying on masking to keep designated areas clear.

The brief describes templates generated from Gerber files or image data, with adjustable coating thickness across different parts of a board. It also describes variable-width configurations and printhead combinations for different board sizes. These features target manufacturers handling multiple product variants and shorter production runs.

The distinction matters: this is a proposed use of inkjet for protective material deposition, not for printing the circuit itself. The supplied statement positions it as a way to reduce coating steps and manual handling.

Fluid compatibility remains part of the process

The statement identifies Xaar’s Ultra High Viscosity, TF and Sure Flow technologies as supporting stable material delivery and printhead operation. It also describes a compact ink supply and control electronics intended to fit into surface-mount electronics production lines.

Related coverage of Xaar’s fluid development process explains how the company approaches approved fluids, material compatibility testing and waveform development. That background helps explain the engineering involved, but does not establish that a particular PCBA coating has passed qualification.

Earlier battery work provides context

The collaboration has a documented predecessor. Screen Print India’s January 2025 report on Xaar and Shifang’s battery coatings described Shifang’s use of Xaar printheads to replace traditional battery insulation coating methods with UV inkjet printing.

Separate coverage of digital battery coating technology discussed Xaar’s eX printheads and functional-fluid handling ahead of The Battery Show Europe in June 2026. Those reports establish the wider coating context; neither verifies the performance of the PCBA system described in the new brief.

John Mills, Chief Executive Officer of Xaar, said: “PCBA conformal coating is a critical process for ensuring long-term reliability in electronic devices. This latest work with Shifang Technology builds on our wider collaboration in coating applications and demonstrates how industrial inkjet is once again delivering the precision, consistency and production stability required for advanced manufacturing in demanding environments.”

Zack Zhang, Founder and CEO of Shifang Technology, added: “This cooperation brings together complementary strengths. By combining our system integration capabilities with Xaar’s proven industrial printhead performance, we have developed a digital conformal coating solution that eliminates masking, improves material utilisation and supports reliable mass production. The close technical collaboration between our teams has accelerated the transition from development to real production lines.”

The collaboration marks a further step in the use of industrial inkjet technology and provides another example of Xaar’s partnership-led approach to innovation across a growing variety of advanced manufacturing and coating applications.

www.xaar.com