Calculation of Temperature Loads in Headlamps

The calculation of temperature loads in headlamp systems is an important as well as complex field of development for several reasons: Today's car designers ask for compact and light-weighted headlamps with special stylistic elements such as clear outer lenses. This yields in modern free form reflectors with small dimensions and the need for plastic lens usage. Both of this is sensitive to the amount of temperature and at a critical level may cause irreversible damage therefore. It is necessary to predict temperature loads in order to shorten development time and reduce costs. For this application several powerful software tools are employed to calculate and analyze temperatures in headlamp systems which are presented exemplary as an overview. The results can be compared and correlated to measurements carried out with thermal cameras and demonstrate the benefit of these methods.