Lighting & Trim Feature Adds at 2010 Interiors Show in Michigan
Some good presentations at the 2019 Interiors Technology Expo in Michigan on 24th Oct. There were limited innovations that demonstrated technology application. Emphasis was on stand alone trim or fabrics but what was lacking was application solutions.
As you can see from above pictures there were some interesting wood and trim finishes. There were also exhibits demonstrating capacitive touch input with minor tactile feedback. However, the challenge as always is for in vehicle application with high reliability with low system cost add. There were really no solutions that demonstrated system level application solutions.
May / June, 2019 Interiors Technology Report Out
Attended the 2019 Automotive Interiors Expo in Stuttgart and another Tech Review in Poland recently and was impressed with innovations and features exhibited. Few innovations and applications are listed below:
- Smart / dynamic trim surfaces for substantially increased feature add.
- Seamless design driven low profile switch assemblies.
- Smart fabrics with dynamic lighting.
- Molded in Hinges.
- Flexible heating fabrics for seats and trim.
- Smart fabrics with flexible circuits.
- Printed upholstery.
- Dynamic Class A decorative surfaces w/lighting.
- Class A surface feature enhancements.
- Flexible Electronics molded in decorative Class A.
- Flexible Lighting.
- High quality Decorative Logos
- Translucent defrosting / heating circuits.
- Soft touch surfaces – capacitive and others.
- Imbedded low profile 3D Piano Black Class A w/dead font dynamic lit graphics.
- Active dash / door trim.
- Green technology innovations for interiors.
Leonhard Kurz Interactive Backlit Interior Components displayed several concepts, including a backlit door trim featuring an innovative ‘day-night’ design. Inspired by nature and called Cloudy Feathers, the trim boasts touch functionality realized by capacitive POLY TC touch sensors, manufactured by Kurz subsidiary PolyIC.
In the day design, the door trim’s monochrome surface, which features organically curved, matt and glossy elements, is reminiscent of the plumage of a bird. When the backlighting is activated by touch, the design takes on a technical appearance. The feathers turn into colored luminous diamonds with a graduated transparency effect, with the diamond pattern following the part’s contours. With a swipe of the finger over the surface, the color of the ambient light shining through changes. The diamonds receive a completely different color, and the entire design takes on a surprising new look.
One issue with touch pad always is Interface if Class A surface is Metallic. Below is example of touch interface through metallic Class A using acoustic touch interface.
Spherical Joint for Position Control.
The patented Spherical Joint delivers premium feel and performance in a multi-axis position control device. It can adjust up/down, left/right and a full 360 degrees of rotation. This 
versatility allows you to replace multiple positioning components with a single device, conserving space and lowering cost. Its black glass-filled nylon housing is durable and stylish, making it suitable for applications where it will be visible in the final product.
Ideal automotive applications are rear seat tablet stand positioning, camera stands, automotive mirrors, and Autonomous Vehicle Interior features where precision position control is critical.
Sky Illuminator Panorama Roof:
Features infrared absorption and integrated ambient lighting is already installed on the BMW 7 series. Graphics become visible when light shines through, without compromising transparency. Further features include dynamic lighting effects and flexible light guides that are up to 4m long. These can be installed within the frame of the roof system and enable a variety of light signatures and intensities.
Flexible Electronics Trim Display:
Number of exciting, eye-catching, interactive backlit interior component concepts, including a backlit door trim featuring an innovative ‘day-night’ design. the trim boasts touch functionality realized by capacitive POLY TC touch sensors, door trim’s monochrome surface, which features organically curved, matt and glossy elements, is reminiscent of the plumage of a bird. When the backlighting is activated by touch, the design takes on a technical appearance. The feathers turn into colored luminous diamonds with a graduated transparency effect, with the diamond pattern following the part’s contours. With a swipe of the finger over the surface, the color of the ambient light shining through changes. The diamonds receive a completely different color, and the entire design takes on a surprising new look.
Smart Arm Rest:
This is something automotive interiors may want to consider over the standard arm rests currently in production.
Paperclip Armrest is a patented dual-user Armrest allows adjacent passengers to both use the armrest thanks to its two-level design. It also makes more efficient use of space by creating a few extra inches for passengers, as well as eliminating the “battle for the armrest” that is a major source of irritation and discomfort.
Zero Masking Electronic Components:
This is an innovative nano coating solution for use on sensitive electronic components. It offers advanced component-level protection on Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) with no masking of inbound and outbound electrical contacts.
P2i Zero Electrical Masking ensures that components are fully protected against water submersion whilst external connectors remain fully functional. This means that the performance of the device is not compromised.
The greatest need for protection is where critical connectors have a high electrical current passing through them and when in contact with water or liquids are at the greatest risk of corrosion.
Flexible Heating Fabrics
Ideal for Seats, Headrest, Armrest and Door Trim. Fast heating in under 2 minutes makes it ideal for People Movers also. These have following advantages:
- Can be cut to almost any shape.
- Electrode matrix of over the whole surface guarantees evenly heats the whole surface area.
- Excellent temperature homogeneity.
- The electric power supply bars are placed side-by-side, e.g. along one fabric edge.
- Compatible with injection/back-injection mold processes.
- Compatible with thermoforming processes.
- Quick heat-up due to its light weight.
- No hotspots.
- Energy efficient: high temperatures are attained with low electrical power.
- Up to 1000 W/m² heat transfer when exposed to air.
- Up to 10-25 kW/m² heat transfer possible when exposed to liquids and composites.
- Light weight.
- High air permeability.
- Shapeable
- Safety: no overheating, even when partially destructed
Smart Fabrics
‘Electronic fabrics’ combine the advantages of two worlds – the flexible shape of fabrics and the functional flexibility of electronics. Electronic fabrics combine the advantages of two worlds – the flexible shape of standard fabrics and the functional flexibility of electronics. Smart Fabrics often consist of a polymer fabric as a basis with woven-in electrically conductive filaments. The filaments may be pure copper wires, steel wires, twisted yarn, conductively plated yarn and many more.
Lighting is one more application other than heated fabrics shown earlier. Panel lights shall become larger and more flexible. Highly conductive, trans- parent electrode; foil-like substrate containing fine metallic wires, which can be processed by common wet or vacuum methods.
Torque Inserts for Interior Hinges
Novel positioning product that are designed to be press fit or over-molded in customer applications. They use patented clip technology to provide a smooth feel of quality and consistent torque over long life without the visible appearance of a hinge. Some are designed to be plastic over-molded with torques from 1.5-8.0 N-m (2.2-70.8 lb.-in). Ensures consistent smooth long-life position control without adjustment.
Flexible OLED Lighting
15-meter roll-to-roll device is world’s longest OLED produced using a unique roll-to-roll (R2R) process that combines the performance of an evaporated OLED stack with solution processing of auxiliary layers. Printed paper label combined with ultrathin and flexible OLED has opportunity for people movers and commercial vehicles. Transparent multi-color segmented flexible OLED head-up automotive display.
Lighting and Plastic Modules/Systems
Designed for vehicle interiors and exteriors. Typical uses for lighting systems in cars include:
- High level brake lights
- Ambient lighting
- Additional indicator lights in exterior mirrors or wings
- Interior lighting
- Warning lights
Non-Capacitive Yet Touch Input 3D Styled Switch Assemblies
Ideal applications are steering wheel and door switch assemblies. These are designed for depth of under 5mm against more than 30mm in current assemblies. Low tooling cost allows switch features to be designed to meet vehicle intent; and not vehicle styling to me modified to meet switch design.
Printable Stretchable Electronics
Advanced core stretchable sensor solution system that can be integrated into products or equipment to provide valuable information or to be used as a Touch interface. Printable stretchable electronics could be ideally suited for next generation smart seats.
Printed Highly Translucent Defroster / Heating Circuits on Glass / PC
New Sustainable Materials for Interior HMI Applications
Understand that Automotive Companies are looking to increase their range of sustainable materials. From what I saw it was identified as a major WANT for both the EU and China market. Investigate is not only to validate in application of materials already tested but new materials that can provide a defined advantage to the OE.
Below is brief listing of some green raw materials. This section is for your information only as both the raw material and potential application is beyond Design HMi core competence.
Ecotech “engineered leather”, and it is the combination of properties derived from the leather and textile components. that gives it significant advantages.
- Ecotech is uniform in nature and consistent in thickness
- Wastage from the cutting process is significantly reduced
- The product is significantly lighter than the equivalent leather
- Has high tensile strength and stitch tear resistance.
- Can be multilayer cut leading to labor savings
- Additional processes can be performed in line
- Environmental damage is reduced due to lower volume of tannery waste.
Bcomp (http://bcomp.ch/en) Natural Flax Fibers is a lightweight, high performance natural fiber composite-reinforcement grid targeted to replace Automotive Carbon Fiber. Volvo is currently reviewing applications.
International Automotive Components (IAC) has launched its FiberFrame™ environmentally sustainable and lightweight, natural fiber sunroof frame. It is made of 70 percent renewable raw material content and provides up to 50 percent in weight saving compared to conventional metal-reinforced steel sunroof frames.
Piñatex® is a versatile natural textile, suitable for use as a leather alternative from fashion to furnishing. This is a unusual fiber so recommend you CLICK https://www.ananas-anam.com/products/ for further review.
Richlite works like a dense hardwood and can be easily milled, sanded, routed, and joined. Richlite is water-resistant, sanitary, has low moisture absorption, heat and fire resistant, extraordinarily dense and durable, and has a natural appeal due to its paper construction.
Impact resistance, deflective and flexural strength and structural capabilities. Made from 100% recycled products to waste-to-energy (WE™) technology. Can provide for a unique tactile experience.
Naturally antimicrobial (JIS 2801) and easy to clean.
Bolon (https://www.bolon.com/en/products) for potential flooring in Automotive People Movers may be worthwhile investigating even though their applications have not reached Automotive till date.
Eucalyptus could be another wood product that is naturally resistant to moisture, needs far less surface finishing and even more important could have Wellness Benefits for people movers and other vehicles.
Also, textile produced from eucalyptus fibers uses far less water than normal materials and can be dyed to meet any color requirement.
For more information contact designhmi@gmail.com
November 13th, 2018 Additional Info from 2018 Interior Show
Some more updates bas’ed on follow up with technology innovators who presented at the 2018 Interior Show.
NAKAN PVC, TPE and TPO compounds include rigid and flexible grades for extrusion, injection, pressing and roto-molding. For more information CLICK https://www.nakan.com/about-us/ultimate-know-how-in-polymers-blending/.
Niebling Process“offers options in design and functionality with foil Insert Molding (FIM), In-Mold Labeling (IML), In-Mold Electronics (IME), printed circuitry with electronic, optic and sensory parts are integrated onto the plastic films in 2D ready for operation and will be 3D formed in the next step.
For more information contact Niebling GmbH, Oskar-von-Miller-Strasse 3-5, 82377 Penzberg, Germany.
The 2018 Interiors Expo in Michigan in Oct 2018 showcased some exceptional smart trim and smart surfaces.
Decorative Surfaces were showcased that would greatly enhance any feature content from headrest, door trim, IP trim and Visor to name a few.
The technology innovation for higher quality smart surfaces was truly fascinating at the show. Sadly from past experience realize that in vehicle integration among NA OE’s may be another 5+ years away – unless it is already in process.
Key elements to the technology are:
- Smart surfaces.
- Printed circuits.
- Printed light guides.
- Glues and soldered SMD components.
- Quick connect technology.
- Sputter coated chrome surface.
Proterra recently partnered with Carbon to enable the company to scale more rapidly and improve speed-to-market through the use of 3D manufactured parts. Working with Carbon, manufacturing costs for these end-use parts were reduced by 90–95% and parts were successfully deployed into vehicles in less than two weeks, vs. a three-month lead time for injection-molded parts.
This case study describes how Proterra is manufacturing some of its low-volume automotive parts utilizing Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis™ technology. Contact www.carbon3d.com/contact or https://www.proterra.com/ for more information. https://www.proterra.com/
Vacuum forming of automotive interior parts can easily add value to decorative Class A surfaces at low investment brining value to low volume luxury vehicles. Refer http://www.fvf.co.jp/english/pro001_005TOM02.html.
On show were high-tech, high-quality decorative plastic chrome plated parts for the automotive interior trim industry that go beyond the norm with technologies that open the design palette to infinite hues, 3-D custom textures, and multiple surface finishes.
Refer https://lacksenterprises.com/finish-technologies/ for more information.
CONTACT designhmi@gmail.com for more information.
