Research Frontiers To Present At The Plastics In Automotive Glazings Conference
Woodbury, NY - Joseph M. Harary, President of Research Frontiers Incorporated is an invited presenter at the Plastics in Automotive Glazings conference to be held in Frankfurt, Germany on June 27-28, 2007.
This international event focuses on the use of plastics in automotive glazing products such as windows, sunroofs and panoramic roof systems. The advantages of using polycarbonate – weight savings, impact resistance, unprecedented design opportunities and others – have resulted in rapidly growing interest in the automotive industry.
Mr. Harary's presentation will provide an overview of the use of SPD technology in polycarbonate glazings, discuss how the technology can help overcome issues of solar heat gain and harmful ultraviolet transmission, and address many other glazing-related challenges facing the automotive industry today.
Using SPD technology, drivers and passengers can automatically or manually control light, heat and glare coming into the vehicle. SPD-Smart automotive windows and sunroofs uniformly change from optically transparent to blocking over 99% of visible light and can be tuned to any level of tint in between. All of this is done instantly to increase comfort and conserve energy. SPD-Smart glazings also block over 99% of harmful ultraviolet light, reduce noise, increase security and use extremely low amounts of power. In addition to his presentation, Mr. Harary will demonstrate an SPD-Smart plastic window that uses high-performing "second generation" SPD film patented by Research Frontiers.
SPD technology is film-based and is the only variable light transmission technology that can be used with large plastic windows. Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (formerly Raytheon Aircraft Company), a leading aerospace industry original equipment manufacturer, now offers SPD-Smart plastic windows, and a number of automotive OEMs have active SPD-Smart product development programs in place.
There is a widespread trend toward growing amounts of glazing used per vehicle. The amount of glass used in several high volume models offered by global OEMs, for example, has increased approximately twenty percent over the past 20 years. Similarly, world sunroof sales are projected to grow at an annual rate of 10.7% through 2010, and due to larger panel sizes, worldwide sunroof glazing area is expected to grow at an annual growth rate of 14.6% over that time. Many of the world's premier suppliers to the automotive industry are now investing substantial resources toward the development of products to address this trend and fill the growing need for versatile polycarbonate glazings.
The movement toward larger windows, sunroofs and panoramic roof systems creates new challenges for the industry. For example, traditional sunroof shading systems cannot be used in automobiles designed with large roof glazings, and high levels of solar heat gain contribute to lower fuel efficiency. SPD technology addresses both of these challenges. When integrated with plastic, SPD-Smart glazings reduce vehicular weight and thus further increase fuel efficiency. By enabling passengers to instantly and precisely control the amount of light, glare and heat transmitted through the sunroof or side lites, the need for traditional shading systems is eliminated and demands on the vehicle's heating and cooling system are lowered.
Representatives of many of the world's leading OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and other automotive suppliers are expected to attend the conference which is being held in Frankfurt, Germany at the Arabella Sheraton Grand Hotel on June 27-28, 2007. Mr. Harary's presentation leads off the conference at 10:00AM on June 27 and is entitled "Innovation – The Use of SPD-Smart Light-Control Film Technology in Automotive Smart Windows and Roof Systems."
SOUCE: SPD technology