Several tier one car brands in Germany are developing heated car seats based on a new printed conductive paste.
Freudenberg NOK Mechatronics (FNM), a technology firm in Germany, aims to supply car makers with a new printable electronic paste that can be used in car seat heating.
FNM co-produced the paste as part of an EU-funded project called the Stretchable Electronics for Large-Area Applications (STELLA) which is focused on other applications for the technology. However, FNM's contacts in the automotive industry have expressed an interest in using the paste.
FNM's Christopher Klatt, who is involved in STELLA, says: 'The paste is highly conductive, stretchable and can be used to print wiring that emits heat. Prototypes will be produced next year and will be sent to senior interior design engineers at some of Germany's largest auto firms.'
Advantages
Existing heating systems are made from heavy, cumbersome metal coils that require large volumes of power to maintain heat for suitable periods.
'Tier one car manufacturers are always looking to add value and quality to existing models and our auto partners are sending their upholstery designers to our labs before the end of the year to assess progress,' he adds.
The circuits require little power to heat up and can be printed underneath the upholstery of the car seat.
Moving forward
Over the next six months, FNM will develop a screen system that deposits the paste on a range of textiles, nonwovens, plastics and thin metals. 'We see the automotive industry as a potential high volume market. It is just a case of getting the technology certified by automotive standards agencies,' says Klatt.
Partners in the STELLA project are building three flexible, printed circuit technologies for use in clothing. FNM has been allowed to follow a separate commercial path with the seating concept, but still remains part of STELLA.
Klatt adds: 'We need to respect the disciplines of microelectronics and ensure that the paste is efficient and actually works within a garment or sensor device. We need to make sure the development and implementation processes are transferable - particularly if they are to be mass-produced.'