Leonhard Kurz presents new methods of plastics decoration
and sensor integration at Fakuma
HMI solutions for the future
Fürth/Germany, 2 August 2018: Seamless automotive cockpits controllable by
touch or gestures, household appliances with a stylish dead front look and hidden
control panel, plain surface finishes that reveal mood-setting backlit designs
when approached – Leonhard Kurz will be presenting latest generation HMI
applications at Fakuma. Visitors to the Kurz booth A4-4122 will be able to see a
comprehensive range of surface decoration solutions, sensor technologies, and
industrial sensor integration applications that offer scope for innovative HMI
design and functionality.
World first: automated sensor integration using functional foil bonding
Kurz will be demonstrating, for the first time ever, the FFB (Functional Foil
Bonding) sensor integration process on a machine that was recently developed
by its subsidiary Baier. This method enables touch sensors to be integrated into
plastic components by fully mechanized means. The process can be connected
directly to the injection mold. The FFB machine can be integrated into component
production lines, and can operate in both inline or offline mode. The FFB
operation can be performed by machine operators or, to a large extent,
automated, thereby providing a never-before-seen ability to cost-effectively
integrate sensors in serial production. This integration solution also has
advantages over conventional methods in regard to durability, which will help
achieve the stringent requirements of industry.
Integrated surface protection and reliable readability
Kurz has developed top coats that are highly resistant to a wide variety of
influences, for example abrasion, scratches, chemicals and UV radiation. Visitors
to the Fakuma booth will be able to see coatings that have also been tailored to the specific requirements of HMI surfaces. These novel coatings ensure easy,
distortion-free readability of control panels and displays from various viewing
angles and under different lighting conditions. Top coats with customer-specific
features can also be produced: for high-gloss displays with exceptional color
brilliance and a contrast-rich image; for matte anti-glare or even completely antireflective
screens.
Design effects like day and night
New possibilities for touch-controlled surfaces and light designs using the sensor
technology from Kurz subsidiary PolyIC will be presented with the aid of a
number of demonstrators. On display will be expressive day/night effects with
creative design flips. Designs that are opaque under daylight conditions but
change their appearance in surprising ways on touch activation. They become
bathed in mood-setting ambient lighting, and the color and intensity of the light
can be changed by means of sliders or knobs. Sophisticated designs inspired by
nature and technology that are partially or fully backlit, or which exhibit varying
levels of transparency. Also on display will be silk-screen printed designs from
Kurz subsidiary Burg Design that develop a special depth effect when backlit.
Novel soft-touch surfaces
For in-mold decoration of plastic components, Kurz has developed unique softtouch
surfaces. Various haptic effects can be produced, from silky smooth, to
velvety, right through to strikingly grippy surfaces. The soft-touch haptics can be
combined with a wide range of visual designs, offer high surface resistance, and
have a sound-optimizing effect thanks to their acoustic damping properties.
Please visit also:
Seamless HMI instrument display with touch panel from Kurz