With the rapid proliferation of new-energy vehicles and intelligent driving technologies, automotive manufacturers are continually raising performance requirements for optical components used in vehicle interior and exterior trims. In particular, the thickness of functional coatings applied to components such as front and rear headlights and bumper decorative covers directly affects product properties—including scratch resistance, light transmittance, anti-fog performance, and service life—making coating thickness a critical quality control parameter in production. However, these components typically feature irregular curved surfaces and present numerous metrology challenges: low optical contrast between polycarbonate substrates and coatings; spectral interference from colored lamp housings (e.g., red taillights); difficulty in identifying interfacial adhesion layers; and surface texture-induced reflection noise. Conventional contact-based measurement methods or standard thin-film thickness meters struggle to deliver accurate, efficient inspection under such conditions.
To address this set of industry-wide inspection challenges, Jingyi Optoelectronics has launched the FILMTHICK-C10 high-precision thin-film thickness meter—a comprehensive, production-line-ready solution. The instrument employs a broad visible-light spectral detection range of 400–1000 nm and features a manually operated probe connected via flexible optical fiber. This design eliminates the need to move large workpieces onto fixed inspection stations; instead, operators can simply hand-hold the probe to conform seamlessly to surfaces of any curvature—dramatically simplifying thickness measurement for large-size or geometrically complex parts. Jingyi’s proprietary miniaturized optical path design compresses the measurement spot size to just 180 μm, effectively suppressing interference from backside reflections in thin-walled components and enabling precise identification of interface layers as thin as several tens of nanometers.
To meet the unique inspection demands of automotive manufacturing, Jingyi has specifically optimized the device’s spectral fitting algorithm. It automatically compensates for spectral shifts induced by colored substrates, low-optical-contrast coatings, and textured surfaces. As a result, even general production-line personnel can perform measurements independently after only 30 minutes of training—eliminating the need for specialized technicians to repeatedly adjust parameters. Each measurement takes ≤100 ms, fully aligning with fast-paced production-line throughput requirements. The instrument achieves a repeatability precision of ±0.01 nm and maintains long-term measurement drift of <0.2%, satisfying stringent automotive-grade quality control standards.
Currently, the FILMTHICK-C10 is already deployed on production lines at multiple automakers and Tier-1 suppliers, covering the full spectrum of automotive coating inspection scenarios.
- For scratch-resistant hard coatings applied externally to headlamps: whether transparent front lamp housings or colored (e.g., red or smoked) rear lamp housings—even those featuring anti-slip textured surfaces—the system simultaneously measures both hard-coat and primer layer thicknesses within industry-accepted tolerance limits.
- For anti-fog coatings applied to internal lamp lenses: the instrument reliably detects interface layers down to ~70 nm; while measuring anti-fog coating thicknesses of 3–5 μm, it also evaluates interfacial parameters to assess coating adhesion strength—preventing delamination or fogging issues during end-use.
- For large, irregularly shaped components such as bumper decorative covers and reflector bowls: the flexible probe enables rapid positioning at any target location; each single measurement yields two independent thickness values—substrate polymer layer and top functional coating—boosting inspection efficiency by over 100% compared to conventional approaches.
Beyond automotive manufacturing, the FILMTHICK-C10 serves diverse high-precision industries:
- In semiconductor fabrication: accurate measurement of silicon-based films, silicon carbide, photoresists, and dielectric layers;
- In display manufacturing: meets inspection needs for ITO layers and polyimide films in OLED and LCD panels;
- In optical coating applications: supports thickness control of AR (anti-reflective), HC (hard-coat), AG (anti-glare) layers, optical filters, and eyeglass lenses;
- In biomedical fields: compatible with parylene coatings, biological membranes, and medical device coatings;
- And across functional PET films—covering the entire measurable thickness range from 1 nm up to millimeters.
For customers with highly specialized inspection requirements, Jingyi Optoelectronics offers customized probe development and tailored algorithm calibration—supporting measurements on miniature components as small as 10 mm. Furthermore, all prospective customers receive complimentary sample testing services. Based on clients’ actual samples, Jingyi pre-optimizes inspection protocols to ensure seamless integration and immediate production readiness upon equipment deployment.
As advanced manufacturing continues to demand ever-higher performance from thin-film structures, optical thickness measurement instruments that combine multi-scenario adaptability with ultra-high precision will become indispensable core tools across quality assurance processes in virtually every industry.
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