Varroc Lighting Systems, a maker of automotive lighting based in Plymouth, Michigan, has launched Surface-LED. The firm created the Surface-LED for exterior vehicle lighting systems. Surface-LED combines the appearance of OLEDs with the benefits of LEDs. The company contends that this economical and reliable lighting product for automotive exteriors will give OEMs more freedom to create unique and functional designs.
Varroc Lighting debuted its Surface-LED at the 2017 edition of the International Symposium on Automotive Lighting (ISAL) in Darmstadt, Germany. The OLED-like Surface-LED from Varroc Lighting Systems provides a broader range of design capability with a modern aesthetic. The firm’s patented Surface-LED technology employs conventional LED light sources with thin layers of micro-optic filters to produce the homogeneous appearance of OLEDs.
Varroc Lighting Systems Surface-LED Measures Just 3.5mm Thick
Each homogenously lit element measures just 3.5mm thick and features an intensity that Varroc says can be scaled from 2,000–13,000 cd/m2. Unlike OLEDs currently qualified for use in automotive lighting, the company contends that its Surface-LED elements can be produced with multiple colors as well as in curved and 3-D shapes.
“There is a strong desire to implement the appearance of OLED into exterior vehicle lighting, but the cost and technical complications have thus far limited its application to only a few premium vehicles,” says Todd Morgan, senior vice president of product development at Varroc Lighting Systems. “Surface-LED eliminates these hurdles, and even adds a few features that are not yet possible with OLEDs. Customer feedback on Surface-LED has been extremely positive, and we can see many new applications already.”
Also commenting on this latest innovation, Stephane Vedie, CEO of Varroc Lighting Systems, said, “Development of new technologies is a key pillar in our overall strategy at Varroc Lighting Systems, and we take pride in our ability to provide our customers with leading-edge technology at a competitive cost. We are celebrating the fifth anniversary of joining the Varroc Group, and Surface-LED is a perfect example of how becoming part of the Varroc family has enabled us to become a more efficient and forward-looking organization, while continuing our traditions of innovation and quality excellence, rooted in an almost 140-year history.”
