TactoTek and ams OSRAM cooperate to optimize RGB LED for in-mold structural electronics to drive innovations in car illumination

Finnish IMSE pioneer TactoTek and ams OSRAM (SIX: AMS), a global leader in optical solutions, announced that they are co-operating to help revolutionize 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-mold structural electronics (IMSE) technology can be integrated into automotive interior in a space-saving design.

Decoration, illumination, and functionality within one structure

Molded 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 color gamut on the market means design freedom without compromising color quality and performance.

Features of OSIRE E5515

The OSIRE E5515 is a three-color, 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 optimized for the low height required for in-mold 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 1100 mcd for red, 2600 mcd for green and 500 mcd for the blue color at 20 mA. Also, deep blue colors 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 color’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.”

Verified for use in automotive

The new product KRTB AELPS2.32 of the OSIRE E5515 family from ams OSRAM is specifically designed for in-mold 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.

About TactoTek

TactoTek develops and licenses In-Mold Structural Electronics (IMSE®) for its customers over a broad range of industries. With especially strong interest from the automotive market, the IMSE vision of smart surfaces, smaller carbon footprint, and circular economy resonates beyond the surface, bringing technology innovators and brands together in ways not often seen previously. TactoTek helps brand owners and suppliers to flourish in the new era of smart surfaces.

TactoTek is funded by international leaders in finance and industry committed to advancing technology solutions that benefit consumers and the environment. TactoTek investors include Conor Venture Partners, 3M Ventures, Repsol Energy Ventures, Faurecia Ventures, Voima Ventures, Tesi, Nidoco AB, and Cornes Technologies Limited. For more information, please visit tactotek.com

About ams OSRAM

The ams OSRAM Group (SIX: AMS) is a global leader in optical solutions. By adding intelligence to light and passion to innovation, we enrich people’s lives. This is what we mean by Sensing is Life.

With over 110 years of combined history, our core is defined by imagination, deep engineering expertise and the ability to provide global industrial capacity in sensor and light technologies. We create exciting innovations that enable our customers in the consumer, automotive, healthcare and industrial sectors maintain their competitive edge and drive innovation that meaningfully improves the quality of life in terms of health, safety and convenience, while reducing impact on the environment.

Our around 24,000 employees worldwide focus on innovation across sensing, illumination and visualization to make journeys safer, medical diagnosis more accurate and daily moments in communication a richer experience. Our work creates technology for breakthrough applications, which is reflected in over 15,000 patents granted and applied. Headquartered in Premstaetten/Graz (Austria) with a co-headquarters in Munich (Germany), the group achieved over EUR 5 billion revenues in 2021 and is listed as ams-OSRAM AG on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ISIN: AT0000A18XM4).

Find out more about us on https://ams-osram.com