Polymer Optics Ltd Presentation Polymer Innovation Network Event 300415

www.polymer-optics.co.uk© Copyright Polymer Optics Automotive Limited 2015. commercial-in-confidence

Polymer Innovation Network @WMG"Polymers on the Move"

“Making Light Work With Plastics”

30th April 2015


A leading manufacturer and supplier of injection mould tools, moulded parts and assemblies. 85,000 sq.ft facility Over 100 employees Launched in 1965 Average sales revenue of 6 million Global supplier to all industries including major OEM’s and 1st Tier Automotive Customers.

120 HIGHGATE STREET, BIRMINGHAM, B12 OXR

Tel: +44 (0)121 440 1303 - www.barkley.co.uk

ISO 9001 ISO 14001 TS 16949


6 Kiln Ride, Wokingham, Berks, RG40 3JL

Tel : +44 (0)1189 893341 - www.polymer-optics.co.uk

Polymer Optics Limited (POL) was founded in 1998. Over 25 years experience in optical design and plastics optical manufacturing. Optical Design AND Manufacturing Consultancy specialising in plastic optics and optical systems Advanced experience in wide range of manufacturing processes, process development and secondary processes. Aerospace Automotive Industrial White goods Mobile Phones Medical Scientific


Material Refractive Index Heat Capability Clarity Hardness Chemical Resistance

Polystyrene 1.59 80OC Good Fair, brittle V. Poor

Acrylic (PMMA) 1.49 90OC V. good V. good, brittle Fair

Polycarbonate 1.59 120OC Good Poor, good resilience Fair

Cyclic Olefinic Co-polymers (COC) 1.56 100OC V. good Good, some resilience Fair

Clear Polyamides 1.60 120OC Poor, yellow Fair, good resilience Good

Clear Polyesters 1.58 200OC Poor, yellow Fair, good resilience Good

Polysulfones 1.60 180OC Poor, yellow Good, brittle Good

Clear materials development is improving all the time and the previous clear polyamides, polyesters and polysulfone type materials are becoming more colourless and much better in clarity.

Clear silicone elastomers for optical applications – high clarity, resilience, chemical resistance, no UV degradation.

Optical Materials

Also, injection mouldable PET and PETB materials are starting to offer some useful product opportunities, such as:high heat deflection temperatures of >220OCexcellent resistance to fluids such as gasoline, motor oil, transmission fluid, hydrocarbons and organic solventsvery good clarity in thick sections.


Nissan Juke LCD IlluminationOriginal customer design used two injection moulded white reflectors to try to contain the light in the system

Lightguide

Bottom-reflector

Rear-reflector

Light bleed at top of display and poor contrast

Lightguide

Die-cut Reflector-label

POL re-design uses a die-cut reflective polyester film to give a more efficient, low cost construction

Light bleed removed and contrast enhanced

For this application, POL used a high clarity, easy-flow polycarbonate to ensure optimum light transmission and enable the injection moulding filling of the fine clip and LCD location features.


POL has developed the interior illumination system for the 2014 Nissan Qashqai which draws on POL’s wide polymer optical product development experience to introduce some novel product features

500mm long lightguide illuminated from one end only, saving cost in the electronics and wiring harness.

Laser etched tool surfaces provide precise light extraction and intensity in areas where required.

Lightguide is hard coated for abrasion and chemical resistance against various reagents.

Design for Assembly (DFA) and Poka Yoke techniques used to reduce cost and ensure reliability.

Nissan Qashqai Illumination


Requirements for lightguide polymer:

High clarity – the lightguide is 500mm long High melt flow index – only 3mm cross-section and

gated from one end Good resilience – to resist shock, vibration, assembly Low cost – to meet automotive target prices

High Flow PMMA resin selected

Requirements for electronic housing polymer:

Good resilience – to resist shock, vibration, assembly and accommodate live-hinge design

High melt flow index – to allow thin sections to support and seal assembly Flame retardant – for protection against electronics failure Low cost – to meet automotive target prices

Filled Nylon 66 polymer selected

Nissan Qashqai Illumination


Sun Visor Illumination DesignOriginal customer design using simple row of LED sources emitting through a diffuser, which gives the typical hot spots from each LED

POL design uses a clear PMMA lightguide, a high reflectivity (>94%) polymer light-box and a diffuser to get the required illumination evenness


Automotive Illumination Concept Prototypes

SLA (Stereolithography), SLS (Selective Laser Sintering), FDM (Fusion Deposition Modelling - mechanical parts, housings, etc.Polyester, epoxy, ABS, Nylon, etc.

SLA to Vacuum Casting - SLA model sealed and polished then used as master for silicone rubber toolingParts cast in high clarity polyester resins give 70-80% of production tooled parts performance.

Clear SLA – Clear colourless resins for windows, lightguides and simple lens componentsHigh clarity polyester resins.

Laser Machining - POL also uses high quality polymer raw materials in sheet, block, rod and film forms to rapid prototype lightguide concepts. These are typically PMMA, ABS, PTFE, Polyester, etc. to make lightguide, housing and reflector parts.

Using laser cutting and patterning techniques, functional illumination assemblies are made to demonstrate the light control possible and help agree specifications with the customer prior to the final product design.


For automotive interior lighting applications, signalling and many aesthetic illumination design projects, POL has to ensure the materials are high clarity and colourless.

Many polymer grades have slight colourising tints blended into them to off-set the effects of material degradation or act as a material grade indicator.

In many applications these very slight tints do not significantly affect light transmission, but in long lightguide sections they can give significant colour bias to the illumination and make the customer’s colour specification impossible to achieve.


Thank you

Technology

Polymer Optics Ltd Presentation Polymer Innovation Network Event 300415