Elumin8 Certified ISO 9001:2008

In December 2015 we began the process to obtain ISO 9001:2008 certification. After working closely with suppliers and customers over the last few months to refine and improve processes; we recently passed our audit on 24th March 2016.

The scope of our certification is for “The Design, Development, Manufacture & Supply of Specialist Lighting Products & The Supply of Bespoke Manufactured Parts”

Our certification is the first in a series of bold steps we are taking as part of an ambitious growth plan. This includes the appointment of key personnel both in the UK and oversees, partnering with several specialist manufacturers and engaging with OEMs directly to become a tier 1 supplier. Many of these announcements will be made in the coming weeks and months.

We would like to thank  suppliers, partners and customers who assisted us with this and continue to value their support.

Interior Design & Quality – BMW M4 and M3

Climbing into the BMW M4 and M3, you will be greeted by a familiar interior – quite similar to that of the BMW 3 Series and BMW 4 Series, a driver-oriented setup with even sportier accents.

As the BMW blog states “In keeping with the character of the two models, however, the interior fulfills an even more sharply defined sporting brief. BMW M equipment details includes M door sill finishers, an M driver’s footrest, M gearshift lever, M-design circular instruments with white graphics, M leather steering wheel with chrome trim, color contrast stitching and illumiated for the first time – M badges on the backrests of the seats.”

Richard Hammond was so chuffed with the new take on the macho classic and praised the M4 as one of the best sports saloons in the world.

The official launch video will be sure to get your heart racing – pay particular attention to the illumination feature in action at 1 minute 36 seconds…. Aaaahh… the art of light engineering!

 

Mercedes Benz gets it’s shine on!

The Mercedes Benz three-pointed star emblem is one of the most recognizable brand marks in the world. Even so, Benz thinks the star can carry even more, er, star power and has introduced a new option for illuminating the emblem with LED technology. Full post on the Car & Driver website.

Benz’s LED-illuminated badge is available in the accessories catalog, and is currently dealer-installed. Only a lit front star is available, and currently it is compatible with the C-, E-, GL-, GLK-, M-, and CLS-classes. The LED badge will set buyers back $480 before installation if ordered through a dealer, while port-installed units run $550 but carry no additional installation fee.

At present, the emblem lights up under the following scenarios:

  • Upon unlocking the car (stays lit for 40 seconds)
  • When a door is opened (stays lit for up to 5 minutes)

If the car is started or the doors are then closed, it then turns off.

A Mercedes representative says that ‘a star that stays lit when the vehicle is in motion’ is being worked on, with details on that version due later. Automotive illumination is something we at Elumin8 are passionate about, so it’s fantastic to see a manufacturer experimenting with illuminated badge technology.

Check out the LED badge in action in this video:

BMW LED Door Projectors – A must for all BMW enthusiasts!

BMW LED Door Projectors

When you think BMW you think styling and that is very much the case with the BMW LED Door Projectors seen here on the BMWBLOG. Essentially it is a door mounted LED projector that beams a BMW logo on the floor outside the car when the door is opened. Understandably not great during the day but at night the effects are pretty dramatic. As a highlight feature to attract attention (assuming your new M3 isn’t already doing that!) it is a must for any dedicated BMW enthusiast.

“The BMW LED door sill plates turn heads whenever you open the front doors. A white illuminating BMW badge, which is also easily visible during the day, catches the eye every time you climb on board. The badge is framed by high-quality metal with a brushed stainless steel look and creates an aura of class. The battery-powered LED door sill plates are extremely quick to fit due to the lack of cabling required. When the door is closed – or after 30 seconds – the illumination automatically switches off again. The two button cell batteries have a lifespan of approximately three years.”

Purchasers of this product get a choice of BMW logo, BMW wordmark, M logo and the letter X for BMW X models.

OLED panels central to Land Rover Discovery’s Vision

The new Land Rover Discovery range will integrate OLED screens into the driver controls, in-car entertainment system and windows of the vehicle. A prototype of this car was unveiled on 21 April.  See the full story here.

New Land Rover Discovery Review

The New Land Rover Discovery Review by Car Magazine is out. You can read the full review here. In summary it gets the thumbs up from the car journalists who feel that it is filling the hole left by the departing Defender until its replacement arrives in 2016. Practicality is offered with 7 (yes 7) seats, but with the additional sparkle you get from the modern Land Rover design team. This extra bling is offered by our very own illuminated tread plates that give a crisp white illumination. When you look at the vehicle you can’t help but see a genetic link with the hugely popular Range Rover Evoque. This link continues inside with running gear, engine etc.

The size meets Car Magazine’s approval as well, given the fact that a full size Range Rover on British roads can at times be challenging for a daily commute. “A Chelsea Tractor it is not. As you would expect from JLR the quality is exceptional. It is very well built and a beautifully finished cabin. Car Magazines verdict:

“It’s hard to envisage any reasons why the Land Rover Discovery Sport won’t sell well. Yes, styling may be slightly generic for some and some users may still balk at the launch engine’s mid-ranking CO2 (166g/km) and economy (44.8mpg) claims beaten by the Germans. But on first impressions the Disco Sport is an incredibly well rounded package.”

Telegraph Review

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Rolls Royce embrace the SUV market

Now that Rolls Royce embrace the SUV market, does it mean that we will see the THE most luxurious SUV on t he market? You better believe it. The new project (announced last month here) has the code name Cullinan which is the diamond that was discovered in South Africa in 1905 and is now mounted on the Queen’s sceptre as part of the Crown Jewels. When you give you project a working title like that you can be sure the end result will be nothing short of stunning.

Rolls Royce have made it quite clear early on that the decision to venture into this area is  “because many of our discerning customers have urged us to develop this car”. And lets be honest, when you are paying at least £250,000GBP for a car, there is every chance that just about anything you say to your supplier of said vehicle will be listened to. However this is a very refreshing approach from Rolls Royce.

In terms of what to expect is anyone’s guess and there is sure be a constant trickle of teasers. But with a potential price tag of up to half a million pounds it will likely to be a THE most luxurious SUV as you would expect from RR.The interior styling will be exquisite, as will the on board experience.

Qatar Air using tri-colour LEDs

Qatar Air have introduced tri-colour LEDs into the cabin interior of their new fleet of Airbus A350XWB. Full story here.

A significant feature, along with all the additional traveler benefits like seating space and connectivity to smartphones, is that they have also incorporated tri-colour LEDs for the cabin interior. It has long been known by the aviation industry that interior illumination and the effects it can have on passengers is a very cost-effective way of improving their user experience. Blue light can actually be used to reduce the affects of jet-lag.

The Qatar Air interior illumination has an incredible 16.7 million colour variations and uses considerably less energy. This move to a dynamic LED array is something that is also starting to take off in the automotive world.

OSRAM LED Ambient Lighting Sets – Future of Car Interior Design?

OSRAM, the world leading lighting manufacturer have long been at the forefront of LED design and development. And with the introduction of their LED Ambient Lighting Kits for cars, they are showing us the future of car interior design. With an emphasis on personalisation the OSRAM lighting kits are used to style the car interior to individual needs.

The kit allows the user to highlight normally dark areas of a cars interior is a stylish and individual way. And the use of colour change LED means that a drivers mood can be stimulated. For example cool LED can help you to feel alert and awake whereas the war, LED colours give you a feel-good factor.

These kits boast LED ambient lighting into the door panel, the center console, the footwell or the roof liner. There are no limits in terms of creativity! The LEDs provide homogeneous and individual lighting options for your car. An amazing effect: present your car’s interior just the way you like and express your personal style!

The major benefits at a glance

Design options:

  • 7 different colors: red, green, blue, orange, white, pink and turquoise
  • Spot or broad lighting
  • Flexible light guides

Controllability:

  • Wireless control of brightness and light color by remote control
  • Batteries that can be recharged via a USB cable and cigarette lighter outlet
  • Simple installation without the need for special tools

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Illuminated Tread Plates – Standard?

Having been a developer and manufacturer of Illuminated Tread Plates for over 6 years we have seen the interest in these increase dramatically. This is interest among car manufacturers and consumers of similar proportions. So the next question is when Illuminated Tread Plates will be standard in vehicles.

The future of Illuminated Tread Plates standard

If you go back 20+ years when such wizardry like air conditioning and electric windows were the optional extras that the purchaser of deliberated over when buying a new car; and they were restricted to the higher end vehicle only. Now of course even a lowly 2 door hatchback has such mediocre assets as standard. Therefore it is only logical to presume that the same will happen with the interior illumination. Our view is that it will happen sooner and later that Illuminated Tread Plates – standard will be upon us. And why not, they look great, really reflect well on the makers brand and have a level of statement to them.

Have a look at one of our latest blog posts, showcasing the BMW interior illumination – a must for any BMW enthusiast.

‘Snippet’: 

“The BMW LED door sill plates turn heads whenever you open the front doors. A white illuminating BMW badge, which is also easily visible during the day, catches the eye every time you climb on board. The badge is framed by high-quality metal with a brushed stainless steel look and creates an aura of class. The battery-powered LED door sill plates are extremely quick to fit due to the lack of cabling required. When the door is closed – or after 30 seconds – the illumination automatically switches off again. The two button cell batteries have a lifespan of approximately three years.”