The influence of consumer electronics in car infotainment applications is on the rise.Today almost every car is equipped with infotainment tools, such as a CD player. But the development of these tools is going on and on.
Products such as MP3 player, DVD player or car-navigation will gain influence in the near future. Because more and more customers are interested in excellent information services. Concerning this trend, the technical focus would be for example on multimedia systems. This means, construction technologies must keep up with this trend. An adequate and innovative technology for various applications in the car-infotainment are adhesive tape systems.
Innovative adhesive tape systems, often used as die-cuts, are qualified for car infotainment devices. They show their variable performance in many ways. On the one hand they connect different components reliable and permanently. On the other hand they have, according to the requirements, special features like electrical conductivity, EMI (electromagnetic interference) shielding or protection against environmental influences, eg dust.
Both, customer and producer want an undisturbed use of electrical devices but impacts like, eg dust or dirt might cause trouble. In order to avoid such impacts, Lohmann developed a customised adhesive solution for CD slots which is supplied with a special dust protective non-woven.
Here, a polyethylene film is coated with a special pure acrylic adhesive. This tape is assimilated in a high tech die-cutting process and laminated with a special non-woven. Concerning the application, the so prepared moulding is ready for use in the body of the CD player. Therewith the CD player will be protected against soiling. The particular challenge for the adhesive die-cut concerns the narrow tolerances in the range from {+/-}50 to 100microns. Such tolerances are ensured by the automatic in-process-measurement and evaluation in Lohmann's die-cutting centre at Metafol. So faults can be recorded and minimised in time. Furthermore, this precision is possible because of the innovative die-cutting tools which are based on own developments and which are adjusted exactly to the die-cutting process.
A special application in car-infotainment concerns the use of electrical conductive adhesive tapes. Due to smaller structures, electrical units become more sensitive compared to electrostatic charge. To discharge these electrostatics, Lohmann developed an electrical conductive tape range called DuploCOLL EC (electrical conductive). This tape range consists, for example, of a conductive non-woven, copper- or aluminium foil as carrier, which is coated with a conductive acrylic adhesive.
These adhesive tapes have a double function. They have a high electrical conductivity as well as a EMI- shielding function. An important requirement to develop this special tape range is a broad knowledge of electrical data, such as the volume or surface resistance.
The result is an adhesive tape range with many features which can be used in car infotainment devices in different ways. Concerning gaskets and bodies of devices DuploCOLL EC can be used for electromagnetic shielding also. In this function the tapes minimise negative effects of electromagnetic radiation as to electrical devices, installations and electrical systems. Electrical conductive adhesive tapes are suitable for applications like eg navigation systems, displays, CD/MP3 player, mobile phones, disk drives, TV sets or hi-fi systems. They avoid interferences and protect data lines against technical faults. The DuploCOLL AS (antistatic) protective film range has been especially designed as a protection cover.
These films are covered with a special antistatic coating which is insensitive to moisture and have a steady surface resistance. They not only protect against ESD (electrostatic discharge) but secure also glass or plexiglass coverings from damages like scratching.
As mentioned above, electronic components become smaller and more effective. So the requirements of the connecting elements are increasing also. High-tech adhesive tapes - as described above - are an appropriate alternative. They offer a lot of advantages not only for car infotainment: eg immediate and steady adhesion, accurate die-cuts due to narrow tolerances, electrical conductivity, EMI shielding or protection against electrostatic discharge.
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Christina Barg-Becker is with Lohmann GmbH & Co KG, Neuwied, Germany. www.lohmann-tapes.com
