Siemens VDO Adopts Durel 3 Electroluminescent Lighting for Mercedes E-Class and CLK
Asset Caption: Siemens VDO Automotive has selected Durel 3 Electroluminescent Lighting (EL) to complement the Mercedes E-Class and CLK instrument clusters.
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CHANDLER, Ariz.--Oct. 30, 2002--Siemens VDO Automotive has selected Durel 3 Electroluminescent Lighting (EL) to complement the Mercedes E-Class and CLK instrument clusters.
Mercedes new E-Class and CLK models were introduced at the Brussels Auto Show earlier this year and will be available in North America this fall.
"Mercedes and Siemens VDO wanted a unique cluster design with a large LCD in the middle of the speedometer. Because of these requirements, EL lighting technology was selected to achieve the desired look," says John Dowdell, president of Durel.
Durel worked with Siemens VDO and Serigraph Inc. to develop two cluster styles -- a white silhouette and a traditional black style. Both clusters use Durel EL. For the E-Class, white graphics appear in the Avantgarde Model. The black cluster is available in the Classic and Elegance models. CLK model/trim lines include Elegance and Avantgarde with black clusters in Elegance.
"Durel's unique white EL was an important selling feature, providing Mercedes with the look it wanted for its high-line E-Class model," Dowdell added.
Durel lamps consist of a very thin layer of phosphor particles that glow when excited by alternating electric current. Durel says it is one of the most flexible automotive interior lighting systems. Durel has been used as an OEM source of EL lighting to the automotive industry since 1991, when it introduced the patented micro-encapsulation technology that is the heart of its EL lighting.
According to Dowdell, more and more automotive OEMs are considering the use of EL for interior backlighting due to the following benefits:
| -- | Uniform lighting that eliminates the need for light guides. |
| -- | Thinness and flexibility that simplify design and allow for intricate shapes and multi-level (3D) designs. |
| -- | Design simplification to adjust more easily to changing market needs. |
| -- | Low power and low heat for increased reliability and efficiency. |
| -- | Lower tooling costs resulting from the elimination of the light guide mold. |
Durel, a joint venture of 3M and the Rogers Corporation, is certified to QS-9000 and ISO-9001 standards. Current OEMs using Durel EL include Daimler/Chrysler, Ford and Lancia. The company's product lines include coated phosphors, inks, custom electroluminescent lamps, EL drivers, design engineering applications, and consulting services.
For more information about Durel 3 EL lighting, contact customerservice@durel.com , (480) 917-6000 or log on to www.durel.com.
About 3M
3M is a $16 billion diversified technology company with leading positions in health care, safety, electronics, telecommunications, industrial, consumer and office, and other markets. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., the company has operations in more than 60 countries and serves customers in nearly 200 countries. 3M businesses share technologies, manufacturing operations, brands, marketing channels and other important resources. 3M, which marks its 100th anniversary this year, is one of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average and also is a component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. For more information about 3M go to www.3M.com or www.3M.com/profile/pressbox/index.jhtml.
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