Automotive Lighting Prototyping and Pre-Production Services

On the road, the lighting signature is a central element of a vehicle’s identity. It is no longer limited to lighting or safety functions: it expresses the vehicle’s design, technology, and brand image.

At ARRK, we provide prototyping and pre-production services that help automotive manufacturers turn lighting concepts into accurate, tangible parts, from exhibition models and functional prototypes to small production runs.

DESIGN & VALIDATION

Bringing the Design to Life and Validating a Lighting Signature

Our prototyping services support the teams involved in the design, validation, and promotion of automotive lighting components.

For many years, we have supported engineering, design, and marketing teams in developing physical parts that accurately represent the intended design and lighting effects.

Our role is to support the transition from design concept to physical prototype, applying suitable manufacturing processes to reproduce the expected appearance and lighting performance.

FROM PROTOTYPE TO PRODUCTION

Preserving the Automotive Designer’s Vision and Supporting Industrialization

Lighting optics is a complex science in which every stage matters to achieve a result that meets both technical and aesthetic requirements.

Through our prototyping services, we apply materials and processes that preserve, with a high degree of fidelity, the light transmission, diffusion, and visual effects defined by the design and digital simulation.

different types of parts

One Lighting Assembly, Multiple Functions

A lighting assembly consists of numerous components, each serving a different function. We can manufacture the complete set of parts while meeting the specific technical requirements of each component.

Light Guide

Transports light through the headlamp from the light source, creating transmission or diffusion effects.

Diffuser

Transparent or metallized, with complex geometry and numerous facets to create specific lighting effects.

Protective Lens

Transparent, red, or orange, with flowing curves or more pronounced angles to enclose the headlamp while following the lines of the vehicle body.

Structure and Supports

Mechanical headlamp structure, supports, and illuminated logos for the overall integration of the system.

Materials

Ensuring Optical Performance and Mechanical Strength

In the field of lighting, material selection is essential to ensure the desired optical effects while providing mechanical strength. We work with our customers to identify the best compromise for prototyping, as close as possible to production results.

We work with, among others, PMMA 8N, PC, and optical-grade Makrolon® and Tarflon®. We produce material sheets or blocks for machining from solid stock.

Our range of materials extends from highly transparent to translucent materials, including red and orange tints. We also offer metallization of selected surfaces to create reflective effects.

Transparency

PMMA 8N, PC, and optical grades suited to the required appearance and performance.

Tints

Red, orange, translucent, or high-transparency options according to requirements.

Metallization

Reflective or decorative surfaces for specific lighting effects.

Machining From Solid Stock

Material sheets and blocks dedicated to production-like prototypes.

Manufacturing

Machining Complex Geometries and Their Textures

We have high-precision machining capabilities, achieving accuracy better than 0.1 mm depending on the application.

Our expertise has been recognized for many years by engineering departments, design centers, and marketing and communications teams.

We can then apply specific surface finishes through sandblasting, chemical polishing, and mechanical polishing, including on complex surfaces. Finally, we can faithfully reproduce technical textures and grains, such as MT-11020.

Car Body

A Model for Assessing the Headlamp in Its Real Environment

Since a headlight unit never exists in isolation, we include the bodywork elements surrounding the light.

The model makes it possible to evaluate alignments, gaps, perceived quality, and consistency with the vehicle's design.

BEYOND AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING

Prototyping a Wide Range of Optical Applications

Our prototypes make it possible to concretely assess design and technical choices.

Your teams can validate not only the geometry, but also the lighting behavior and visual perception of the part.

Validate a credible lighting signature at an early stage, consistent with the design intent
Observe light diffusion, textures, and distribution under conditions close to real-world use
Compare the physical result with the simulation
Reduce uncertainty before industrialization by testing the design against real materials and lighting

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL

Helping Optimize Manufacturing Lead Times in the Automotive Industry

"“We have been working with ARRK for around ten years to produce our prototypes.

Beyond the quality of the models, it is their ability to adapt to our technical and optical constraints that makes the difference.

Thanks to our relationship of trust and their commitment, we have successfully optimized our optical validation and workflow processes. Together, we reduced our manufacturing time by around 20%, which allows us to work with them with complete confidence.

A key partner for the responsiveness of our prototype R&D department, built on lasting trust and shared high standards."