Freudenberg shows innovations at International Auto Show

The new Opel Adam exhibited at the IAA, features the starry headliner. Freudenberg's NOK Mechatronics Business Group developed the flexible printed circuit board technology for the popular car's star-filled headliner.

Doing so was no simple task: The individual lights in the large, domed roof needed to be precisely connected without using any wires. It was the first time that the flexible, printed-circuit-board technology was used on such a large surface. Freudenberg engineers and developers worked with the headliner manufacturer and in only eighteen months developed an individual solution for Opel.

The result - sixty-four LED lamps shining like tiny and large stars on the car's roof. "Thanks to Freudenberg technology, it is now possible for the Opel Adam city car to have a star-filled headliner which had previously only been available in luxury vehicles," says Christophe Luciani, responsible for Sales, Purchasing and Quality Management in the NOK Mechatronics Board of Management. "We worked closely with the customer to create such an innovative product." The star-filled headliner is just one of many Freudenberg products at the motor show developed by working closely with customers.

At the customer's request, the popular new Opel Adam has been available with the new starry headliner and Freudenberg technology since February: The flat version of the star-filled headliner in the roof is less than 0.2 millimeters (0.07 inches) thick.

It can only be seen when turned on and has no rises or depressions. The headliner is also very light. The part weighs less than 150 grams (5.3 oz). Power consumption is also very low. The scale illumination in the car radio uses much more power and Illumination can be adjusted using an integrated control panel in the roof liner. The lights can be dimmed so that the driver is not blinded.

The customer may choose between five fabric options. They range from various single colors to fall leaves and clouds against a blue sky. "The trend is moving towards giving customers ever more individualized vehicles," says Dr. Wulf Bramesfeld, Technical Sales Manager at Freudenberg NOK Mechatronics.

"Freudenberg is a flexible printed circuit board technology expert and used the technology on a large scale for the first time, combining it with new materials. The challenge was electronically connecting and precisely inserting the lamps on such a thin and domed surface. A standardized solution has now been created that impressed our customer, Opel." The headliner is popular as seen in the steadily rising production volumes.

Automobile manufacturers rely on individual solutions from Freudenberg to help reduce emissions. Starting on September 12th at the IAA, Mercedes will present the new S-Class featuring Freudenberg engine parts which help reduce the vehicle's weight. The cooling water connecting tubes and water pump cover in the new S-Class were developed so that they could be manufactured using a multi-component, injection-molding plastic elastomer.