In the past decade the automotive lighting industry has gone through a dramatic shift. Gone are the days of big shining headlights and simple aluminum metallization on injection molded plastic. In fact, in the past, aluminum metallization was used extensively in vehicle lighting, as headlights and taillights needed high reflectance.
Now, the market is demanding darker headlights for aesthetic purposes (i.e., black chrome), as well as colored decorative coatings inside the headlamps. The almost exclusive use of LED lighting is reducing the need for reflectors, which means that the demand of technology is switching from thermal evaporation to sputtering and/or reactive sputtering. This latest technology is the only one able to provide different materials and color options, thereby meeting the new demand.
As automotive brands strive to create modern and stylish lighting solutions, laser light is emerging as a breakthrough in the industry. Laser light offers improved security and visibility, along with a elegant, modern look. Arzuffi has already satisfied this specific request with the design and manufacture of Line-Met V2, which achieves more than 90% of reflectivity by deposition of multiple thin films.
Several global megatrends are emerging in the automotive lighting industry: intelligent lighting, adaptive driving, advanced driver assistance systems, … These trends are driving the need for technologically advanced lighting that can provide safety, security, and advanced functionality.
New opportunities for vacuum coating equipment manufacturers like Arzuffi to offer their own sputtering systems and, eventually, upgrade existing thermal evaporation systems (i.e. Arzuffi AM/KW series). The configuration and customized designed of the sputtering systems will be key for the success of the project and for the return of investment.
Arzuffi has been working for a long time with leading global Tier 1 companies of automotive lighting, which is now used to light up all areas of a car, including the front, rear, sides, and even the tops. High throughput machines, experience in the sector, revolutionary made-to-measure solution and prompt careful technical service is what make Arzuffi company the preferred partner.
