John V. DeNuto, Alan B. Toot and Matthew S. Mrakovich
A fiber optic distributed lighting system can illuminate exterior door handles, puddle lamps and running boards in vehicles, eliminating the need for incandescent lamps or light-emitting diodes in these high-moisture, -shock and -vibration areas. Distributed lighting offers vehicle designers flexibility in styling while offering manufacturers energy savings and improved reliability.
However, lighting system designers face stiff safety and reliability problems when considering any type of systems for production vehicles: thermal management, environmental performance (dust, heat endurance, vibration, and thermal and mechanical shock), manufacturability, luminous output and fiber uniformity....
Meet the authors
John V. DeNuto is an engineering supervisor with Delphi Automotive Systems in Troy, Mich. He has a bachelor's degree in naval architecture from the US Naval Academy and a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Akron.
Alan B. Toot is a project engineer at Delphi. He has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Akron.
Matthew S. Mrakovich is a project engineer, also with Delphi Automotive Systems. He has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Youngstown State University.