OEM: BMW AG Industry sector: instrument panel interior

Part design:

The interior of the new BMW 7 series exudes a feeling of clarity, elegant functionality and intimacy – not least thanks to a new design concept. The multi-functional instrument panel in the cockpit and the audio/air-conditioning control systems in the instrument panel and the air-conditioning control in the rear are designed to have a black, matt, completely homogeneous surface when the displays hidden behind them are not activated.
The concept for this Black Panel Technology was developed jointly with the BMW Group in cooperation with system suppliers and film processors. Our task was to provide matt, antireflective and scratchresistant films with a precisely defined transmission within minimum tolerances. The multi-functional instrument panel is covered with a thin light-transmitting sheet made of Marnot® XL GU 90. This precision optical element is produced by BÖ-LA Siebdruck- und Kunststofftechnik GmbH using an extremely careful and accurate die-cutting technique. Robert Bosch GmbH from Leonberg near Stuttgart is the developer and system supplier for the multi-functional instrument panel. The surfaces of the control systems are made of Marnot® XL GU 130 and are produced by Albea Kunststofftechnik GmbH using the film insert molding (FIM) process. One challenge was to ensure the flawless back injection of the film inserts and the careful handling of the components while maintaining a high level of automation. The developer and system supplier for the entire Black Panel Effect system is Preh GmbH.