Sustainable Electronics
The rise of integrated electronics and sustainable solutions for front shields
By Neil Armstrong, group managing director, In2tec T
he traditional automotive vehicle grille has served a fundamental purpose for the last hundred years; a means to ventilate the front of the vehicle and provide cooling
air to the engine. As brand identity became a strong part of the buying experience the use of the grille as an imposing or subtle part of that aesthetic became increasingly important. Then in the paradigm shift away from the internal combustion engine in meeting the challenges of environmentally sustainable solutions, via the development of electrification, the conventional grille has a reduced functional requirement for venting and is now finding alternative uses. Even the naming of the part is changing. We now use the description of ‘shield,’ acknowledging the change in both opportunity and use. The clear movement in the industry is to house sensors, electronics, and lighting systems in the shield. Thereby providing alternative packaging, effective positioning, and aesthetic differentiators in a way not previously viable.
Mercedes is integrating ADAS sensors into the front three-pointed star emblem and Hyundai is integrating significant and innovative LED illumination in their ‘lighting grille.’ The Polestar 3 has marketed the ‘smart surface’ front shield, heralding the homogenous integration of radar, camera, and heating systems to the part.
The front shield market is developing at a pace. It is estimated that the compound annual growth rate is upwards of 7 per cent, with the current market valued at over $15 billion p.a. The integration of electronics is set to increase this value significantly.
What are the challenges to this level of integration? Packaging electronic printed circuit assemblies (PCBA’s) means that the current solutions ‘wire harness’ multiple circuit boards together. These units need to be individually sealed to protect them against the elements encountered at the front of a vehicle; doing so takes up space in the real
38 December/January 2024
On-Mould Sustainable Electronics (OMSE) inte- grating electronic systems through highly recyclable Flexi-hibrid Technologies
estate, added to which is the requirement for the mechanical inclusion of individual modules throughout the shield. All these requirements make the system complex and to some extent unwieldy in production, as well as increasing the risk of reliability issues with a considerable number of interconnects and units to seal. ADAS sensors require an unimpeded view. The sensing system needs to be as close to the front of the shield as possible, which is conflicted with the production methods of injection moulding. There is a growing need in the automotive industry for reduced C02e impact and increased circularity at the end-of-life. The market has an ever-increasing driving force to increase sustainability to meet government
rules and customer expectations. However, the developing integration of electronics in vehicles is at odds with the lack of scalable sustainable solutions to the Electronic Printed Circuit Assembly. The commercially unviable recycling of printed circuit boards and assemblies means a sizeable portion of these are essentially shredded and then buried! This is a complete paradox to the global focus of delivering highly sustainable technologies, which the automotive industry is starting to understand.
What are the solutions?
Today, the conventional ‘go-to’ method is a very predictable mix of separate electronic units and sensors that are connected via a
wiring harness. All these components are produced separately, shipped individually to the OEM, and installed on dedicated mechanical mounting systems. The connection system is a standard harness with connectors per individual or group of electronics, heaters, or sensors. Packaging is a realisable issue, plus the time and cost to produce are significant.
There is a growing trend in the industry towards IME (In Mould Electronics) to deliver the end goal. The technology essentially injection moulds a 3-Dimensional shape around a printed electronic foil, embedding the conductors and in some circumstances electronic components into the unit. The aim is to produce a single part that reduces the total component count in a highly protected environment.
Circuit built into car showing components and receptive moulded cavities (close-up) Components in Electronics
The gains are significant. A Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) shows a demonstrable reduction in transport costs of individual items and materials, as well as energy to produce a full shield. At first, this seems the panacea to the integrated shield design. However, the technology does not lend itself effectively to the integration of multiple electronic components, as they are subjected to high temperatures and pressures of the moulding process. More significant is the lack of end-of-life recyclability of this solution, as the unit
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