“Stunning Clarity”: KURZ demonstrates the highest level of perfection for automotive interior design at CES 2022

Fürth/Germany, January 4, 2022: Year after year, it is considered one of the largest international platforms for innovation in the field of consumer electronics: The CES trade fair, held in Las Vegas from January 5 to 8, 2022, is also one of the most important platforms for LEONHARD KURZ to present pioneering surface solutions and exciting design options. At Booth 4567 KURZ will introduce visitors to the vehicle of tomorrow and, together with its subsidiary Schöfer, demonstrate surface finishing to the highest level of perfection. “The automotive industry is facing far-reaching changes – comprehensive e-mobility and autonomous driving will be a reality on our roads very soon,” explains Martin Hahn, Head of Application, Technology & Innovation, Business Area Decoration at LEONHARD KURZ. “The future is also going to move into vehicle interiors: With our futuristic designs, we already have the right answers for the car of tomorrow, today – and we are looking forward to presenting them at one of the world’s most important trade fairs for technology and innovation.”

Technology meets design: The KURZ vision for the car of the future

Among other things, KURZ is bringing the automotive future to life at CES by integrating highly transparent sensor technology from its subsidiary PolyIC to turn the instrument cluster into an intelligent human-machine interface. In the future, there will be practically no limits to design. Thanks to the countless possibilities offered by In-Mold Decoration (IMD) in combination with polyurethane, the vehicle interior can be designed with polygonal 3D structures. “The elegant prism design impresses with its clarity and, in combination with the corresponding backlighting, conjures up breathtaking effects,” stresses Martin Hahn. Keys and mechanical switches will not this often be found in the vehicle of tomorrow any longer. Thanks to the Shy Tech design with integrated touch functionality and backlighting effects, the control elements only become visible when touched. This means surfaces can be equipped with functions and the use of the interior is optimized – from the roof to the instrument cluster, and from the seats to the doors. Light technology is also of particular importance here; it is no longer only associated with purely functional tasks but also contributes significantly to the design of the interior with its diverse color and design options. Exciting variations are also created by the ability to backlight the wafer-thin decorative layers.

A truly unique prism look can be created by adding indium to the mix, KURZ’s new metallization option, which is significantly more environmentally friendly than electroplating. The emission-free and highly efficient IMD decoration technique used by KURZ for the transfer of wafer-thin decorative layers significantly improves the customer’s carbon footprint. What’s more, the innovative genuine metallization also impresses with its radar and 5G permeability – a very important aspect for the mobility of tomorrow. And of course, this exclusive finishing does not affect the recyclability of the metallized components at the end of the product life cycle.

Economical and sustainable: Component production and decoration united in one process

The innovative IMD DECOPUR^® process, developed in collaboration with the tooling technology specialist Schöfer, a KURZ company, is behind the innovative instrument cluster, which will be showcased at CES as an example of the possibilities in the vehicle of the future. The 3D-formed component can be produced, decorated, and coated with a PUR prism structure in just one, particularly economical and sustainable work step. In order to take sustainability into account, in particular, the use of recycled material is also easily feasible. The surfaces can additionally be equipped with capacitive PolyTC^® sensors, which can also be inserted into complex geometries thanks to their flexible metal mesh structures. The end result impresses with unprecedented depth effects and maximum durability. Polyurethane not only provides for clear and high-gloss surfaces that optimally highlight the decoration underneath, but also it has self-healing capabilities: Small scratches disappear after a short time under low heat exposure. This makes the technology especially interesting for exterior applications such as on the front of the vehicle, which is increasingly becoming the most important surface for branding purposes, as the classic radiator grille is done away with.

Online presence for CES 2022

LEONHARD KURZ is also using its trade fair presence in Las Vegas to showcase a comprehensive online presentation of the company’s innovations and exhibition highlights. Visit www.ces.plastic-decoration.com for detailed information and extras such as videos or 3D animations on CES products and topics.

At a glance

CES 2022 from January 5 to 8, 2022
LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung & Co. KG: Stand 4567
Our trade fair presentation focuses on automotive interiors, consumer electronics, and sustainability