Design - Tech Blog
Lincoln links designers and engineers at new studio
Lincoln on Oct. 19 formally opened a new design studio in Dearborn, MI. It is the brand's first new, fully dedicated design center in four decades. Located on the campus of Ford Motor Co.'s Product Development Center, the studio is home to a skilled, co-located global team of designers, sculptors, math sculptors, and modelers representing a dozen nationalities. The siting of the studio in the nerve center of Lincoln vehicle development allows engineers and designers to be co-located. Approximately 150 design team members who work exclusively for Lincoln are also in the center. The first vehicle to emerge from the new studio, the 2013 MKZ, will go on sale late this year.
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The studio is Lincoln's first new, fully dedicated design center in four decades.
GM puts taillights aglow with new LED technology
Working with supplier 3M, General Motors engineers have developed what they claim is an industry-first LED taillight technology that delivers a soft, uniform red glow in a complex and unique shape. It is being deployed first on the MY2013 Buick Enclave, then will be cascaded to other Buick models, the company says. The uniform glow is made possible by 3M's Uniform Lighting Lens technology, which uses a precision engineered, micro-patterned, thermoformable polycarbonate material that provides even illumination around complex shapes with fewer LEDs, reducing both complexity and energy use, according to GM.
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The 2013 Buick Enclave's new taillights use an industry-first Uniform Lighting Lens technology from 3M for a unique look and reduced energy use.
Ford expands German design center
Installing a “powerwall” capable of projecting vehicle and concept designs in 3-D and virtual environments is among the ways Ford has upgraded its German design center in Merkenich-Cologne. The €11.6 million expansion also involves new milling machines that use CAD to create precise clay models of new vehicles for aerodynamic wind-tunnel testing, as well as redesigned existing studios. The center also features an open and fluid design that creates an atmosphere for effective communication and idea exchange, Ford says. It is home to the design and development team with global responsibility for small and compact vehicles, including the Fiesta and Focus. The 3000-m² (32,000-ft²) expansion brings the center’s total area to 16,000 m² (172,000 ft²).
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The extension’s open-plan design means there are no barriers between the teams that work at the design center, Ford says.
Phone app enables auto LED lighting design
Osram has developed a Web-based smart phone app for designers of exterior automotive lighting called the Automotive Signal LED Selector. Available for the iPhone, Android, or Blackberry OS, or any device with a Web browser, the tool provides lighting designers and engineers with a mobile, convenient, and easy-to-use tool to select the right LEDs for the application. Designers and engineers can quickly and easily select LEDs by function, color, regulatory requirements, luminosity, and the number of LEDs required. “As demand for LEDs in exterior signal and forward lighting increases, we saw the need for a portable tool that enables simplified calculations for function-specific LED selection,” said Mike Godwin, Director, Visible LEDs, Osram Opto Semiconductors Inc. “The Automotive Signal LED Selector is a mobile extension of Osram’s extensive know-how in automotive LED selection, offering access to the latest advances in LED technology.” Applications in the tool include center high mounted stop lamps, daytime running lights, front fog/park/position/turn lights, high/low beams, rear fog/park/position/stop/turn lights, and reverse and side marker/turn indicators.
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The Web-based smart phone app for designers of exterior automotive lighting—called the Automotive Signal LED Selector—is available for use with the iPhone, Android, or Blackberry OS, or any device with a Web browser.
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