3M Automotive Division's 3M solar reflecting film was named one of the winners of the 2003 PACE Award. The announcement was made last night (March 2) during a banquet at the Detroit Opera House.
The PACE -- Premier Automotive Suppliers' Contributions to Excellence -- Award is co-sponsored by Cap Gemini Ernst & Young and the Automotive News. Twenty-two finalists and their guests attended the awards banquet to learn who among them would win this coveted annual award.
3M was honored for an innovative solution to controlling cabin heat through the use of a non-metallic, colorless multilayer solar reflecting film. The product is laminated in automotive glass by the glass manufacturer to reflect infrared solar energy, thus increasing cabin comfort and decreasing gas mileage through reduced air conditioner usage.
The heart of 3M solar reflecting film technology is a special film placed within a five-layer laminate consisting of glass/polyvinyl butyral (PVB)/3M solar reflecting film/polyvinyl butyral (PVB)/glass. The 3M film consists of hundreds of individual layers, many only several molecules thick. The 3M film itself is only about one-quarter the thickness of a human hair.
There are other solar reflective films and coatings on the market, but because the 3M film is non-metallic it does not interfere with the ever-increasing number of telematic devices onboard vehicles. The product also eliminates corrosion issues and may be used in steep automotive glass cross-curvatures that can cause cracking or crazing in metallic coatings or films.
The clear, color-free film is designed to be used in combination with colored glass. This allows the glazing designer to take a "systems" approach by incorporating the best combination of glass tints and thickness in conjunction with the film.
A significant manufacturing advantage offered by 3M solar reflecting film, when compared with metal coatings, is that the film does not require use of a special glass coater. There is, therefore, no additional capital investment required and the film can be laminated at glass manufacturing facilities anywhere in the world.
Advantages offered by the new product have led BMW to adopt it for the backlite in its 2003 7-Series. Porsche also is using 3M solar reflecting film for the backlite in its just-released Cayenne SUV.
3M Automotive is a global supplier offering hundreds of products in virtually every application area -- electrical/lighting, exteriors, interiors, manufacturing/assembly, powertrain/chassis and trim and ornamentation. Detailed information about 3M Automotive's products may be found at http://www.3m.com/autosolutions.
About 3M
3M is a $16 billion diversified technology company with leading positions in consumer and office; display and graphics; electronics and telecommunications; health care; industrial; safety, security and protection services; transportation and other businesses. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, the company has operations in more than 60 countries and serves customers in nearly 200 countries. 3M is one of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average and also is a component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. For more information about 3M, go to www.3M.com/profile/pressbox/index.jhtml.
3M is a trademark of 3M Company.
3M, St. PaulLorin Robinson, 651/736-2964lrrobinson@mmm.com
