| BSH group is on a mission to increase the use of | | | | applications. |
| induction hobs cooking throughout Europe. To achieve | | | | For product innovation manager Lutz Klippe of Schott |
| this aim, the company needs to do two things: make | | | | HomeTech, bringing this product to market was not |
| its induction cooktops stand out from their radiant | | | | without challenges. The greatest challenge, he says, |
| counterparts and entice consumers to absorb the | | | | was meeting high-temperature stability demand while |
| increased cost of an emerging technology. | | | | maintaining aesthetic quality and mechanical integrity. |
| Ceran Cleartrans is a glass ceramic that offers | | | | The key to the product, Klippe says, is the |
| industrial design options not possible with | | | | noble-metal underside coating. It does not |
| Schott’s standard monochrome black or white | | | | compromise the durability of the glass ceramic even |
| glass ceramics. Cleartrans has a transparent glass | | | | at peak hob temperatures, which can reach 500° to |
| ceramic hobs base decorated on both the top and | | | | 600°C. “We had to develop something that |
| underside. The topside pattern is made from colored | | | | was very heat resistant, very stable, that |
| glass ceramic, while the underside is coated with a | | | | wouldn’t show any aging effects, even after |
| homogenous metallic film. This metallic coating is a thin | | | | long-time cooking applications. And on the other hand, |
| composite of noble metals, including gold and platinum. | | | | the coating could not spoil the mechanical toughness |
| The film, combined with the colored glass-ceramic | | | | of the glass-ceramic base material. This is not easy |
| topside pattern, provides myriad design possibilities, | | | | to achieve.” |
| enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the cooktop. | | | | “The superiority of induction hobs technology |
| A further design advantage of the material is that it | | | | in terms of speed and efficiency is extremely high. |
| allows for sophisticated user interfaces. A black | | | | And with Ceran Cleartrans we can now make this |
| semitransparent display area enables the use of | | | | technology more visible.” |
| different display colors and opens the door for | | | | Bosch, Siemens and Neff hobs have a full 2 year |
| complex display and electronics possibilities in future | | | | parts and labour warranty. |