Windshields with multifunctional capabilities are a growing trend in the global automotive market. Being in the driver’s seat means total control with capabilities such as head-up displays (HUD) coupled with acoustic and solar features. 

Introducing Saflex® Solar Connect, our newest solar-absorbing interlayer that provides cabin comfort and connectivity in sensor-compatible and HUD windshields. We’ve developed the windshield of the future that can deliver for the cars of today.  

HUD technology helps you maintain your focus on the road while viewing critical data. Sensor technology is seamlessly enabled and acoustic and solar properties help you optimize cabin comfort.

Cool reasons to choose Saflex Solar Connect:

• Heat reduction and cabin comfort
• Sensor compatibility
• Multiple product formulations
• Ease of processing

Heat Reduction and Cabin Comfort

Saflex Solar Connect interlayer significantly reduces the transmission of the sun’s infrared (IR) radiation with minimal effect on visibility. This helps to lower interior temperatures and reduce the load on the vehicle’s HVAC system compared to traditional non-solar PVB configurations. Saflex Solar Connect uses a tri-layer construction, positioning an acoustic damping layer between the two solar-absorbing layers to improve cabin sound quality. These attributes are valuable in any vehicle, but are especially helpful in electric vehicles where lightweight glazing and reduced energy consumption by the HVAC system directly translate into vehicle range improvements.

And all Solar Connect interlayers offer traditional benefits of Saflex interlayers, including safety, security, and UV protection to laminated glass.

Enabling Sensor Compatability and Connectivity

With a greater demand for windshield capabilities, Saflex Solar Connect answers the call through compatibility with both infrared and radio frequency devices such as rain sensors, electronic toll readers, and ORBIS traffic systems. Moreover, because Saflex Solar Connect marries solar control with sensor capabilities, it is a strong alternative to metal-coated solar reflective technologies, which create the potential for electromagnetic interference with mobile devices, GPS and other transmitters within the vehicle.

Smart reasons to choose Saflex Solar Connect:

• Rain sensor compatibility
• Electronic toll reader friendly
• Mobile device friendly
• ORBIS compatibility

Ease of Processing

Saflex Solar Connect is an easy-to-adopt solution for improved windshield solar performance and a drop-in replacement in lamination processes optimized for acoustic PVB. Particularly for specialty windshield configurations, it is an easy way to add solar performance without the complexity of metal coating processes, bending of coated glass and laser ablation for sensor areas. As with standard Saflex products, Solar Connect also provides proper adhesion, durability, and impact safety performance.

Product Benefits:

• Improves cabin comfort - Solar infrared rejection offers improved comfort
• Improves acoustic comfort - Reduces exterior noise by up to 4.7 dB
• Extends range for electric vehicles and reduces CO2 emissions for ICEs - Reduced load on air conditioner and provides opportunity to reduce glass thickness without compromise to cabin acoustics (weight savings resulting in lower fuel / energy consumption)
• Provides UV protection - Blocks more than 96 percent of harmful UV radiation (Test method ISO 13837, 300-400nm)

Full sun. No sweat.

Saflex® S Series solar-absorbing interlayers blocks solar heat and UV radiation transmitted through a vehicle’s glazing, so driver and passengers won’t break a sweat.

This advanced automotive solar control interlayer is an easy drop-in solution with a positive chain reaction:

• lowers interior temperatures quickly
• minimizes strain on the vehicle’s air conditioner
• improves fuel efficiency

All while optimizing occupant visibility.

High marks on energy savings

Testing conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory determined that a windscreen made using the Saflex S interlayers  can reduce cabin temperatures up to 5°C (9°F). This translates to a potential four percent reduction in air conditioning power versus a conventional windscreen. That reduction in air conditioning translates to a fuel efficiency improvement greater than one percent.

On a per vehicle basis, these improvements are excellent.  Across an entire fleet of vehicles, the impact can be astounding.  

Reduce infrared waves

Wavelengths from the sun called Infrared (IR) light are responsible for generating excessive heat in vehicle interiors. Compared to windscreens made with standard interlayers, Saflex S series solar-absorbing interlayers provide measurable heat reduction in the passenger cabin of stopped or slow-moving vehicles by absorbing the heat-causing IR rays without compromising visibility.  

S Series products use more effective nano-particles for solar absorbing. They provide the best solar absorbing performance in the market and are best suited for side and back windows, and sun roofs. Due to the broad absorbance spectrum, S series products might not compatible with selected IR sensors. Please contact your representative for more information. Saflex® Solar Connect is the standard choice for windscreen applications because they allow the freedom for sensor use in conjunction with a solar product.

Product Benefits:

• Increases fuel efficiency: Lower cabin heat reduces use of air conditioner, resulting in lower fuel consumption
• Reduces Weight: Decreased air conditioner usage allows ability for smaller A/C system units
• Reduces CO2 emissions: Improved fuel efficiency helps meet U.S. EPA targets
• Signal enabling: No electromagnetic interference for mobile devices
• Added acoustic comfort: Can be combined with Saflex® Acoustic interlayers, reducing exterior noise by up to 5 dB
• Compatible with color: Can be combined with Saflex® Colors
• UV protection: Blocks more than 99 percent of harmful UV radiation
• Improves cabin comfort: Lower interior vehicle temperatures

Awards:

Frost & Sullivan 2012 New Product Innovation Award for Automotive Glazing Materials

Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation, marking the first and only time an automotive-grade PVB has been recognized for its ability to block +99 percent of UVA and UVB radiation.

Where Style Meets Substance.

For OEM’s looking to amp up their brands, Saflex Color interlayers can re-define distinction.  With Saflex® Color PVB interlayers, glass laminators and car manufacturers can do it a shade better. Spot-on glass color consistency makes Saflex Color PVB interlayers a reliable choice for matching popular tint colors for automotive glazing — without traditional thickness and shape limitations. Stylish windscreens, side windows and sunroofs are at the designer’s fingertips, with choices ranging from on-trend greys to intriguing bronze, greens and blues.  

Don’t forget substance. Colored laminated glass can also deliver high performance benefits that create better brand experiences:  UV/solar control, glare reduction, optimal light transmittance, and enhanced sound control and safety.

Create a Better View with Color.

• Standard color:  Bronze, green and blue are the most popular tinted glass colors. Designed especially for windscreen applications, they are a perfect fit for the automotive windshield replacement market.
• Premium color:  Designed for all applications behind the B pillar, such as side windows and glass roofs, these interlayers exhibit lower light transmissions than windscreens and create greater passenger comfort, privacy, and security.
• Custom color:  Expert consultation and distinctive color match capabilities through proprietary PVB interlayer technology enables automotive stylists, designers, and engineers to create automotive glass in almost any color.  Go bold, get noticed.

Saflex automotive PVB colors and applications
 

Shades of Grey.

Grey is one of the most popular colors in automotive glazing, from side windows to sunroofs. Our signature grey colors are specifically designed to work with your shade and privacy needs.
 

Applications:

Windscreen, Side Window, Sunroof, Back Glass, Quarter Glass

Product Benefits:

• Brand distinction: In front of the competition with endless color options
• Occupant comfort: Controls visible light and glare while reducing heat
• Acoustic comfort: Reduces exterior noise by up to 5 dB
• Reduces Weight: Implements thinner, lighter glass
• UV protection: Filters up to 99.9 percent of UV rays, protecting occupants and reducing interior fading
• Safety and security: Protects occupants from accidental glass breakage while providing forced-entry resistance
• Step-up options: Also available in solar heat-blocking and acoustic formulation

Safety First

When it comes to passenger safety in the automotive industry, laminated glass can be a game changer. Whether addressing rock impacts, collisions or rollovers, innovations are always in the works.

Saflex® K Series high-security interlayer is an advanced, composite PVB interlayer that is stronger and more resistant to tearing and penetration than traditional interlayers. Fabricated to provide reduced flexibility if broken, Saflex high-security interlayers help mitigate the risk of ejection during rollovers and accidents for passengers seated next to row windows.

Helps Meet NHTSA Regulations

Laminated glass made with Saflex high-security interlayers can be a vital component of an integrated occupant protection system for multi-passenger vehicles or buses. Saflex K Series can help automakers meet National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) ejection mitigation regulations (FMVSS 226), especially in fixed-glass positions and applications facing challenges with airbag tethering.

Added Benefits, Too

Saflex K Series high-security interlayer provides other forms of protection, including acoustic and solar. Noise levels in the vehicle cabin can be reduced by up to 3 dB due to its insulating benefits against outside noise. Passengers and interiors are protected from sun damage due to its ability to block out harmful UV rays. In addition to mitigating the risk of fabric and leather damage, Saflex has been shown to have a sun protection factor greater than SPF 50 sunscreen.
 

Applications:

Windscreen, Side Window, Sunroof, Back Glass, Quarter Glass

Product Benefits:

• Improves safety: Protects occupants from accidental glass breakage and potential ejection
• Enhances security: Provides resistance to forced entry and break-ins
• Improves acoustic comfort: Reduces exterior noise by up to 5 dB
• Reduces weight: Implements thinner, lighter glass
• UV protection: Filters more than 96 percent of UV rays, protecting occupants and reducing interior fading

Clearly Better Sound Quality

Bluetooth technology, voice-activated commands, onboard navigation systems, and sophisticated audio equipment make driving more enjoyable, yet they dial up the interior noise.   A new advanced Saflex® Q Series acoustic interlayer addresses this problem with precise acoustic control.   

Saflex Q Series is an advanced tri-layer polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer that reduces noise level by 4.7 dB versus a standard windscreen and 5.9 dB compared to tempered side windows within the medium frequency range (1,000 – 5,000 Hz).

The Clarity is Real

Saflex Q Series advanced acoustic interlayers are especially effective within the frequency of human key voice recognition ranges (2,000 – 6,000 Hz), reducing sound transmission by 4.8 dB over this range. In other words, consumers can hear a difference, and that can speak volumes about brand experience and perceived quality.

Lightening the Load

In response to regulatory and consumer demand for greater fuel efficiency, automotive makers rely on every opportunity to reduce overall vehicle weight. Saflex Q Series helps reduce the negative trade-offs of typical weight reduction efforts by enabling improved acoustics, even in thinner glass configurations.

Saflex Q Series enables improved acoustics in when paired with thin glass.

This solves the weight issue… For a typical windscreen, the reduction of glass thickness from 2.1/2.1 mm to 2.1/1.6 mm would result in a weight savings of 1.7 kg (3.7 lbs) or 11%.  In a standard windshield, this would result in an acoustic performance loss of 0.6 dB over the full frequency range (200 – 10,000 Hz).  However, when Saflex Q interlayers are used in the thinner configuration, the weight reduction can be achieved while still improving acoustic dampening over the standard windshield by 1.2 dB over the same frequency range.  

The addition of acoustic front side glass (2.1/2.1 mm) can enable a further reduction of 1.1 kg (2.4 lbs) while improving sound transmission loss through the side windows by 3.3 dB versus 5 mm tempered glass.  Across all glazing positions, Saflex technology allows automakers to use thinner glass without sacrificing cabin comfort.

Lightweighting also helps auto manufacturers meet global environment regulations for lower CO2 emissions, including the Kyoto Protocol, the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), and U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards.
 

Avoids Retooling Costs

Typical weight reduction solutions can require expensive retooling. Automotive glazing made with Saflex Q Series can be substituted into a vehicle’s existing glass with no need for expensive redesign, retooling, or research and development.

Applications:

Windscreen, Side Window, Sunroof, Back Glass, Quarter Glass

Product Benefits:

• Improves acoustic comfort: Reduces exterior noise by up to 4.7 dB versus standard laminated glass
• Reduces weight: Enables the use of thinner glass configurations with minimal compromise to cabin acoustics
• Provides UV protection: Blocks more than 96 percent of harmful UV radiation

Your Car, Your Sanctuary

Acoustics play an important role in the vehicle cabin experience — less noise helps lower the stress of driving, reduce fatigue, and enable easier conversations between drivers and passengers.

The use of hands-free devices such as Bluetooth, navigation systems, voice-activated commands, and on-demand audio are all essential components of the driving experience and features that consumers expect in modern vehicles.

With Saflex® E Series, a new enhanced acoustic interlayer for automotive laminated glass, improved cabin comfort and connectivity are more attainable than ever. The new Saflex E Series acoustic PVB interlayer is specially formulated to dampen sound by 2dB in the high frequencies (critical wind noise region is 5,000 to 10,000 Hz), more effectively than traditional acoustic interlayers.

TranquilGlass™ Technology

Eastman has leveraged its patented resin and plasticizer technology platforms to formulate a unique viscoelastic core layer called TranquilGlass. TranquilGlass allows the glass-interlayer system to effectively dissipate noise vibrations while maintaining the safety benefits expected from laminated glass. As a result, overall acoustic performance is improved, especially in the critical wind noise region.

With a more balanced cabin noise profile and exceptional sound damping properties in the high-frequency range, Saflex E Series featuring TranquilGlass is a key element of any premium cabin acoustic package. Consumers will notice the difference of a much quieter vehicle cabin with Saflex E series enhanced noise reduction technology.
 

These interlayers are also available in solar heat (IR) blocking, gradient band, colors, and head-up display (HUD) compatible formulations.

Applications:

Windscreen, Front Side Window
 

Product Benefits:

• Improves acoustic comfort: Reduces noise levels by 4.5 dB (1,000 to 5,000 Hz) vs. standard laminated glass and by 2 dB in the critical wind noise region (5,000 to 10,000 Hz) vs. traditional acoustic glazing
• Reduces weight: Enables the use of thinner glass configurations with minimal compromise to cabin acoustics
• Provides UV protection: Blocks more than 96 percent of harmful UV radiation

Keep it cool

Environmental concerns are a hot topic for OEM’s. Looking to achieve better fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions?
Advanced automotive solar control glass made with XIR® automotive solar control technology lowers interior temperatures quickly, minimizing strain on the air conditioner while improving fuel efficiency, and maximizing cabin comfort.

Metallic coating reflects IR rays

XIR automotive solar control technology uses a transparent automotive film with a spectrally-selective metallic coating encapsulated between layers of Saflex® polyvinyl butyral (PVB), which in turn, are enclosed between two glass panes.
The metallic coating reflects heat-causing Infrared (IR) rays without impairing visible light transmission. The result — XIR laminated glass reduces solar heat gain an average of 35 percent more effectively than tinted automotive glass.

CO2 credit eligibility

Other positives of laminated glass with XIR automotive film — eligibility to receive U.S. EPA off-cycle credits and reduction in annual fleet emission levels. Saflex XIR Solar Control Technology has been used in more than 25 million vehicles produced by the world’s largest automobile OEMs over the past 20 years. Now that’s proven solar control performance.
 

XIR® Technical Data
 

XIR® Spectral Data

HUD Interlayer Resolves Driver Height Challenges

HUD (heads up display) systems are an effective method to help combat driver distraction. Today’s systems enhance the overall driving experience by allowing drivers to keep their eyes on the road and still view critical vehicle data. The Saflex® VIEW ST interlayer offers an advanced solution for the complex curved or steep angled windshields commonly used in trucks and SUVs.

One challenge with automotive HUD systems is projecting a well-focused image on the windshield. When the image is reflected through multiple layers of glass at an angle, visual distortion — commonly known as ghosting — can occur.

And while a larger number of automotive OEM platforms employ HUD systems, there are some limitations. Not every driver is the same height.

Conventional, single-angle HUD PVB solves ghosting for drivers at a nominal height, but may not meet levels needed for short or tall drivers. The problem becomes even more problematic in vehicles with a complex windshield curvature or steeper rake angle.
 

A Dynamic Wedge Interlayer for Complex Windshields

Eastman’s Saflex  VIEW ST is a next-generation interlayer that helps eliminate HUD ghosting in trucks and SUVs. VIEW ST’s wedge angle can be calculated and tailored to the HUD box. This increases the usable HUD zone for short and tall drivers, improving image clarity by minimizing ghosting.
 

For successful growth, HUD systems of today and tomorrow require innovation like the VIEW ST dynamic wedge interlayer.

Product Benefits:

• Combats driver distraction from looking down
• Provides critical vehicle data on windshield
• Best suited trucks and SUVs with curved or steeper-raked windshields
   
• Eliminates HUD ghosting in complex curved and steeper-raked windshields
• Increases usable HUD zone for short and tall drivers
• Improves image clarity by minimizing ghosting
• Compatible with other Eastman PBV technologies addressing safety, security, acoustics, and more

Forward-Looking Innovation

Driver control is looking ahead in the automotive industry. Head-Up Display (HUD) technology, once reserved for fighter jets and luxury cars, is now available due to advances in polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayers.

HUD technology enhances the overall driving experience by allowing drivers to keep their eyes on the road and still be able to view critical vehicle data.
Traditional PVB interlayers have a flat uniform surface. Using a proprietary process, Saflex® HUD interlayers feature nonparallel surfaces to create a windscreen that provides better optical correction. This has resulted in the highest quality projected image in the market (see image below for illustration).

 

A Pioneer in Head-Up Display

OEMs and glass laminators trust Saflex HUD to be the best. We helped pioneer the development of HUD interlayers more than 20 years ago. Working jointly with HUD channel partners provides us with a robust understanding of how to enable best-in-class HUD optics performance and ensure the smooth launch of each HUD vehicle program.
Saflex HUD interlayer technology provides automotive engineers cost-effective, easy-to-implement HUD features. Saflex HUD products deliver this high quality while also decreasing cabin noise, reducing vehicle weight, improving gas mileage, and lowering CO2 emissions.
Saflex provides a variety of HUD products to suit any make and model’s unique image requirements:

• Saflex HUD
• Saflex QHUD (acoustic HUD)
• Saflex VIEW ST — made specifically for complex windscreens to fix short/tall image

Saflex® QHUD - Same Benefits. Even Better Acoustics.

Saflex® QHUD is an enhanced acoustic PVB interlayer that provides all the benefits of Head-Up Display technology with even better acoustics. The noise level within the cabin is reduced by up to 3 dB versus a standard windscreen and up to 5 dB compared to tempered side windows. The selection of Saflex QHUD provides drivers with less sound distraction so they can keep a sharper focus on the road ahead.

Applications:

Windscreen

Product Benefits:

• Improves acoustic comfort: Reduces exterior noise by up to 3 dB
• Reduces Weight: Implements thinner, lighter glass without increasing noise
• Increases fuel efficiency: Lighter weight glass lowers fuel consumption
• Reduces CO2 emissions: Improved fuel efficiency helps meet U.S. EPA targets
• UV protection: Blocks more than 96 percent of harmful UV radiation