Future Bright For Dash Lights

TOWANDA, Pa.--Osram Sylvania is dashing ahead with increased production capacity for an automotive interior lighting system that is being called “the latest and greatest technology.”

The company, which has been developing encapsulated electroluminescent (EL) phosphor technology since the 1950s, is increasing its current capacity to produce the Sylvania Anetm nitride-based encapsulated EL phosphor. The production update project is expected to be completed and online by June.

“We are running our current manufacturing lines 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we are currently shipping more than we did with previous phosphor types” noted Stacy Garrity, phosphor product marketing manager for the company’s chemical and metallurgical division. The system is aimed at cellular phones, personal display assistants, automobiles and signs.

“It’s the latest wave,” said Garrity, who predicted that the concept will soon be quite common for dashboard lighting and other interior applications such as glove compartments. “They’re not LEDs,” she explained. “They’re very thin and flexible--plus they’re low on energy (demand).”

The line is especially well-suited for passenger compartment use because the fixtures “don’t take up as much room” as other lighting systems, according to Garrity, who was eager to cite a number of benefits:

• EL Lamps do not produce heat.

• EL Lamps produce light over a wide area without diffusers.

• EL Lamps are thin and flexible. You can print the light where you want it on the dashboard which means you could conceivably use one EL lamp to illuminate the entire dashboard.

• EL Lamps are more energy efficient than incandescent lights.

• EL Lamps are available in a variety of colors that are well-suited for dashboard displays.

• Applications other than dashboard include interior lighting. For example, glove boxes, scuff plates, vanity lights, trunk lighting, floor lighting, etc.

For additional information, contact www.sylvania.com.