REVIEW: Konica Minolta ICE-µ Tint Film, Are All Tint Film The Same?

Car window tint is very synonymous with drivers here due to our hot and humid weather in Malaysia. It is like a must for all new car owners to have window film tints installed as soon as the car drives out from the showroom. The automotive window tint scene in Malaysia can be traced back to the mid-nineties when there were only a few players in the market.

Fast forward, the automotive window tint scene in Malaysia has since evolved from its humble beginnings. Today, we see many brands and distributors mushrooming to satisfy the needs of new and current car owners. Seeing this trend and also the sheer size of this business, a new entrant to this industry has been established in Malaysia - the Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film – marketed through its authorised partner and sole distributor, Jasa Sarjana Sdn. Bhd (Jasa Sarjana).

Established in September 2013, Jasa Sarjana Sdn Bhd exclusively offers Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film at their outlet at Glenmarie, Selangor. So, if you are looking for other window tint film brands, this is not the place for you.

Recently, Jasa Sarjana invited me to their outlet to experience first-hand, the technology and product range from Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint films, which are available in the market.

Konica Minolta has built up wide expertise in optical technology through developing and producing film and lenses, evolving as a company along with Japan's photographic culture. They have adapted the technical knowhow to the changing world, advancing into new business areas such as IT and medicine while consistently creating new value. Konica Minolta's new high-performance window film, Ice-μ, is a product of their accumulated expertise in optics and film manufacturing.

Enough of the history lesson. Let’s move on to get know more about the technology behind the Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film. The Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film technology features can be divided into four distinct aspects:

• No signal interference
• In pursuit of greater comfort
• Wavelength control technology and
• Environmentally friendly

In this write-up, I will explain to you, the readers of Auto Insider Malaysia, on each distinct point that makes the Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film a great product.

The first point that I would like to discuss is the ‘no signal interference technology’ of Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film. The tint differs from other technology on the market as it utilises a non-metallic nanotechnology layer, as opposed to competitors who use metallic layers to block the blazing heat from the sun. The advantages of using a non-metallic nanotechnology layer is that the tint film will not interfere with mobile phone reception or signals used by onboard devices, such as car navigation systems and electronic toll collection systems such as Smart-Tag. With this technology, you will not have drop calls (aside from those due to cellular coverage) while talking on your mobile phone, experience good GPS reception for navigation purposes and also have no issues whilst using Smart-Tag in toll lanes. Now, you may have noticed the tint in some cars has a yellowish/brownish reflection. This is because the metallic layers on the film have begun to develop rust that has built up on the surface. With Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film, you will not experience this issue and Konica Minolta guarantees this throughout the film’s lifespan.

The second salient point is about the pursuit of greater comfort. The Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film ensure users that unwanted solar rays will be blocked, thus reducing the heat from the sun. As you may know, unwanted solar rays such as UV rays can be harmful to the skin for you and your passengers and also affects the interior of the car. In blocking the UV rays, interior of cars will not fade nor will there be issues with dashboard cracks. The film is clear enough to comply with visible-light transmission laws around the world and provides cooler and comfortable driving during daytime, all while ensuring a clear view for safe night driving. With safety in mind, Konica Minolta ICE-µ window security tint film also holds shattered glass together during instances such as glass breakage due to loose stones deflected from large vehicles or in carjacking cases.

The third point I would like to touch on is the ‘wavelength control technology’. As explained earlier in the history, Konica Minolta film technology is built on the experience gained from a thin film and optical design. The Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film has been designed uniquely and innovatively to incorporate layers upon layers of functional design. These layers include high and low refractive index films made from newly developed nanomaterials which are sandwiched at optimal thickness enabling the film to reject or absorb only UV rays and IR (infrared) wavelengths from the light spectrum. Through this innovative technology, not only were the harmful rays rejected but at the same time, the film lets through visible light as high as 95% for some of their range of films.

With Konica Minolta ICE-µ Tint Film

The last point is about its ‘environmentally friendly credentials’. As mentioned earlier, the ultimate pursuit of the product is to give the best comfort and safety in mind. All Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film is designed to reduce heat considerably which in turn means you can rely less on air conditioning in your car. This results in less fuel burn as the air conditioning system operates at a lower level without zapping the power from your engine to cool the cabin. With the increases in fuel price, purchasing Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film will be a financially viable solution.

Without Konica Minolta ICE-µ Tint Film

With all the above mentioned technology, the product would not be great without good manufacturing and material design. The Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film is manufactured using high-tech multicoated films with precision nano order where the layers of film have gone through the ‘roll to roll’ coating technology. This technology allows multiple coatings to be simultaneously applied to each layer instead of one layer at a time. This will enable faster and more stable production. Besides that, the material design of the tint film is layered with special coating material properties that prevent different layers of the tint material to be mixed, which can reduce its performance.

All in all, the Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film technology and precision manufacturing method provides the highest quality automotive window tint film technology on the market. The price for a whole car installed with Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film is roughly the same as what is being offered by other established brands in the market. However, with a long history of technology and experience in film and optics, the Konica Minolta ICE-µ window tint film has established themselves as the next generation tint film technology for your car.

In the next article, I will share my first-hand personal experience of the latest Konica Minolta ICE-µ RS series window tint film and the installation process by their professional technicians. Stay tuned for the next update!!

Konica Minolta History : http://www.konicaminolta.com/about/corporate/history.html