Fraunhofer Lighthouse Project Go Beyond 4.0
Fraunhofer Lighthouse Project Go Beyond 4.0

Smart Luminaire

© Fraunhofer IOF

Trend:

Intelligent lighting fixtures through customized light distributions for lighting applications of the 21st century 

Challenge:

High material transparency, precision, and shape of printed optics

Aim:

Differentiation and increased efficiency of production by using printing and laser techniques to manufacture refractive and diffractive optical elements using the example of a car headlamp

Results Smart Luminaire

In the Smart Luminaire demonstrator, the Fraunhofer Institutes are presenting macroscopic 3D optics produced with inkjet printing, whereby the polymers used (ORMOCER®) have optical properties similar to those of glass. The digital manufacturing technologies also enable the integration of additional functionalities, such as conductor paths, LEDs and photodetectors, directly into the optics.

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Inkjet Printed, Optically Transparent Objects

 

Technology development for the production of transparent objects by inkjet printing

  • Material: ORMOCER® OC-D7 (printable by inkjet, low solvent content)
  • Achieved dimensional accuracy:
    • side angle 85° ± 1° (1s, min. 81°, max. 88°)
    • length variation ≈ +190 ± 140 μm
    • width variation ≈ +10 ± 100 μm
    • P-V ≈ 20 µm (top surface area)
    • roughness ≈ 54 nm (top surface area)

 


Transmission is over 93 %

 

Improved transmission by plasma etching of inkjet-printed polymer-based optical components

    ■ Transmission > 93 ... 95 % (improvement by 2 ... 3 % due to reduced reflection)

    ■ Additional broadband antireflection property

 


Integration of Reflection and Scattering Elements by Laser

 

Integration of functionality (reflection and scattering of LED light) through printing technologies in Inkjet printed polymer-based optical components

    ■ Inkjet printing and plasma sintering of Ag nanoparticle-based inks

    ■ Thickness of the printed Ag layer: 0.5 – 1 µm, typical reflectivity > 90 % (93 % at 532 nm); [reflectivity of bulk-silver = 95 %]

 


Integration of Luminescent Sources in Printed Transparent Objects

 

Integration of electronic components (LEDs) by hybrid assembly in inkjet-printed polymer-based optical components

  • Hybrid assembly: Aerosol-Jet technology (jetting of Ag nanoparticle-based inks, sinter temperature 125 ° C, ORMOCER® compatible) and pick and place technology
  • Integrated LEDs: 15 ... 80 mcd @ 10 mA, approx. 2 V, PV < 50 mW


 


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