Truck-Lite, a USA-based provider of advanced lighting solutions for commercial vehicles, has unveiled its new Advanced Transportation Lighting Laboratory. The facility is located in the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center (AMIC) Building on the campus of Penn State Behrend in Erie, Pennsylvania, next to Truck-Lite’s headquarters – the Knowledge Park.
The Advanced Transportation Lighting Laboratory will be used to deliver products that meet internal standards for performance and comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
The laboratory is built around a 100ft light tunnel designed to measure optics performance across a variety of characteristics, including intensity, color and distribution/spread – a vital part of validating new products or unique design applications.
The laboratory can also be used to simulate real-world environments to ensure durability and longevity of company products. For example, Truck-Lite’s engineers can assess the long-term performance impact of exposure to extreme temperatures, wind, dust and water, in addition to the resilience of products to shock, vibration and impact.
The facility enables engineers to test and validate product designs against over 1,000 different standards set by the transportation industry, including all applicable FMVSS, ECE, SAE and ASTM safety standards. Furthermore, Truck-Lite can issue certifications against IATF and ISO/TS for custom designed products for OEMs, in addition to certifications for lighting used in the military and defense sectors.
“Truck-Lite has proudly earned the trust of customers over its history by consistently delivering products that set the industry benchmark, and we intend for this to continue well into the future,” said Jon Stineman, president, Truck-Lite. “The Truck-Lite Advanced Transportation Lighting Laboratory is a state-of-the-art facility that brings a complete set of testing and validation capabilities directly to the Truck-Lite engineers responsible for the development of future lighting solutions.”
“From electric and autonomous drivetrains to connectivity, artificial intelligence and other smart solutions, the new technologies changing transportation today have different technical requirements that impact lighting,” explained Craig Watrous, vice president of technology and compliance. “The Truck-Lite Advanced Lighting Laboratory will help us develop next-generation lighting that meets both future technical requirements as well as our own exacting standards.”
