ITO Coated Heated Train Windows

Diamond Coatings specialise in the design and manufacture of quality heated ITO coated optical windows. Indium tin oxide, a transparent conductive oxide, can be applied to plastic and glass substrates, as a transparent and heatable film, to supply ITO heated windows for trains, aircrafts and any transport operating  in harsh environments and low temperatures.

Diamond Coatings are well established suppliers of transparent heated window solutions, using conducting transparent oxide coatings to maintain optical clarity and equal heating of the driver windows, even within the most demanding of operating environments.

Heated ITO Coated windows offer not only a transparent, heated surface, but also prevents condensation, misting, ice build-up on windows and the need to manual de-ice windows. The vision offered to a driver through the use of ITO heated windows helps reduce the risk of obstructed view and resultant negative outcomes.

ITO Coatings vs ‘Wiggle Wire’ technology for Heated Train Windows

Heated windows have been used in aircraft windshields for some time and more recently in train windows. Windows would be outfitted with small, resistive wires in their windshield.

These wires are often arranged in a zigzag pattern, causing them to be named ‘wiggle wires’. Once powered, the wiggle wires heat up the windshield.

Unfortunately, this method of heating creates a problem of reduced visibility due to the physical presence of the wires and can also cause optical distortion through the windshield as uneven heating occurs, due to the placement of the wires.

Vehicular windows that utilize this method of heating often have much smaller areas capable of being defogged, which further reduces pilot and driver visibility under certain conditions.

A more effective method of windshield heating is to apply a transparent and conductive film over the surface of the window. A voltage is applied to the film, which evenly distributes heat over the entire window.

A window using an Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) coating, is much more visually clear than a window with wiggle wires. With ITO heated windows, visibility is not impaired by the presence of physical wires, and heating is evenly achieved over the entire surface.

Driver visibility is obviously highly correlated to safety and with the elimination of visual distraction and increase in visibility offered by using ITO heated train windows, a higher level of safety can be assured.

Heated ITO coated windows were designed predominantly for driver windows, but can be used throughout the train, with costs being reduced as the number of windows used increases.

Heated ITO Coated Windows – Design and Manufacturing

Diamond Coatings are able vacuum deposit indium tin oxide coatings to any sheet resistance as low as 2.5 ohms/sq, in our state-of-the-art vacuum coating plants. Transparent ITO heaters can be designed specifically for any area requiring heating. Using expert knowledge and years of experience, Diamond Coatings are able to provide full design assistance to help determine the parameters required to achieve all of your application’s target performance criteria in terms of both heater functionality and optical performance.

The power density required for optimum heating uniformity, optical performance and light transmission can be ascertained by calculating the required thickness of the conductive ITO coating and sheet resistances.

Diamond Coatings has the ability to vacuum deposit heater and EMC functionality specific ITO coating onto either polycarbonate (plastic) or glass domes. We are able to design and vacuum deposit onto both curved and flat substrates to create a transparent heater window.

While the primary function of Transparent ITO Heaters on plastic and glass substrates is heating to maintain performance in low temperature conditions, they can also be further enhanced to provide further features that may be required for an application.

Enhancements may include EMC filtering, anti-reflection and index matched coatings to reduce reflection to further support an applications optical performance.

Diamond Coatings can also provide a range of quality Silver Busbar connection options, including options for glass substrates. Silver Busbar is a highly durable frit busbar, fired in silver, to which connection wires can be soldered.

We have full capabilities to provide additional design requirements such as required logo, additional graphics or borders.

To learn more about any of the products within our range and/or discuss your specific requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us today.