TactoTek and ams OSRAM cooperate to optimise RGB LED for IMSE to drive innovations in car illumination

 

Finnish IMSE pioneer TactoTek and ams OSRAM, a global leader in optical solutions, are co-operating to help revolutionise the car interior market by delivering thin, seamlessly integrated, three-dimensional illuminated structures. The companies have developed a demonstrator with the new RGB side-looker LED OSIRE E5515 from ams OSRAM, which thanks to TactoTek's in-mould structural electronics (IMSE) technology can be integrated into automotive interior in a space-saving design.

Moulded into a thin plastic trim part with TactoTek's IMSE technology, the ams OSRAM RGB side-looker LED OSIRE E5515 allows lightweight and thin applications designed for car interiors. This combination enables designers to build rich, seamless designs by merging surface decoration, illumination, and functionality into one smart surface, thus eliminating the boundaries that have held designers back when designing with conventional and current technologies. Driven with modern controllers, illuminating the surface from within, the LED from ams OSRAM sets the mood, informs, guides, and adapts to the designer or user's needs. The broadest colour gamut on the market means design freedom without compromising colour quality and performance.

The OSIRE E5515 is a three-colour, RGB side emitter enabling light coupling into thin materials, such as lightguides. “The package design of ams OSRAM’s OSIRE E5515 enables ultra-compact designs and is optimised for the low height required for in-mould applications,” says Gerald Broneske, VP global product marketing automotive at ams OSRAM. "This offers customers flexible design options for automotive ambient lighting applications while benefiting from the outstanding brightness performance of the automotive RGB sidelooker.” The LED impresses with a performance of 1100mcd for red, 2600mcd for green and 500mcd for the blue colour at 20mA. Also, deep blue colours are available. The RGB LED from ams OSRAM offers the maximum flexibility in terms of driver selection and interconnection. The package provides 6 pins, so each colour’s chip can be contacted to both its individual anode and cathode. This allows customers to be flexible with the electronics architecture for the driver and choose between high-side and low-side drivers for the board design.

Paavo Niskala, SVP IMSE Technology at TactoTek, comments: "Light is a key factor in creating compelling, brand-differentiating user experiences, especially in automotive interiors and exteriors. We trust that user interface functions and light will become an integral part of natural and plastic automotive surfaces without sacrificing sustainability. Incorporating OSIRE E5515 from ams OSRAM into our IMSE technology enables designing very low height applications with reduced weight, specifically of interest to the automotive industry. Our strong collaboration with ams OSRAM enables us to drive innovation into making light a critical element in the automotive living space."

The new product KRTB AELPS2.32 of the OSIRE E5515 family from ams OSRAM is specifically designed for in-mould processes. The LED has been validated by TactoTek for its IMSE technology and qualified for use in automotive applications (AEC-Q102) by ams OSRAM opening new illumination opportunities.

Caption: TactoTek and ams OSRAM jointly boost possibilities for future automotive interior illumination by integrating side-looking automotive RGB LEDs in thin, smart structures using an innovative in-mould process (photo: TactoTek)