In the world of LEDs, you’re going to find a lot of logistical details. These can range from choosing among a variety of LED package types, to managing lead times on shipments from overseas, choosing the right correlated color temperature (CCT) variation for your application, dealing with revision changes on LEDs as your product matures, and many more.
At Norlux, we are experts in all of these areas. We can help you manage all of these details so that you can keep your focus on your own business needs and trust the logistics to us.
Norlux has a build-to-order manufacturing model. This philosophy combined with our high capacity gives us the ability to be very nimble in meeting our customer’s demand. Norlux works with our trading partners to find the optimal balance between shipment and replenishment cycles, which, in turn, will reduce transportation expenses. Also, our central location in the suburban Chicago area makes us an optimal distribution point for North American customers.
Our volume and scale bring value to you. Norlux purchases millions of LEDs per year, so we have gained significant buying power and strong supplier relationships with all major LED manufacturers. This ultimately gives our customers access to more competitive pricing and in many cases, shorter lead times than would be otherwise achievable. Norlux also has a world class material tracking system, complete with lot number traceability.
Product lifecycle management is another area we excel in. With rapid improvements in performance and falling prices seen in the LED industry, you need an expert in managing your product lifecycle. At Norlux, we have a system in place for dealing with this. We coordinate the changes for you every step of the way. If the market price of your LED platform falls, you will benefit from the positive impact shortly thereafter. By minimizing inventory on hand and knowing precisely what exists in the supply chain, we can help you make an optimal business decision on how and when to evolve your design.
You should be free to keep your attention on your own business’ growth rather than managing these kinds of details. At Norlux, we want to partner with you and allow our expertise to fill this role, so that you can move forward with confidence and assurance in the LED lighting world. Contact us today to discuss your LED logistical needs!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Rating Systems for Outdoor Lighting Applications
Outdoor lighting applications are subject to two very important rating systems that serve to define the fixture's level of protection from the elements (IP Rating) and the projection of stray and unwanted lighting from a luminaire (BUG Rating).
IP Rating:
IP or “Ingress Protection” ratings are crucial to outdoor lighting applications because they represent a more accurate means of classifying a fixtures ability to stop the ingress of solid particles (dust and dirt) and water in the form of rain, a hose (cleaning or watering foliage) or total submersion. The first digit in an IP rating refers to how dust proof a fixture is and the second digit refers to how waterproof a fixture is. The two numbers combined will depict the likelihood of foreign objects getting into the light fitting and possibly damaging the sensitive electronics inside. The higher the protection numbers in the chart (see example below), the greater the protection from ingress. Lower numbered fixtures are typically better suited for inside, carpeted areas like offices, waiting rooms or schools.
BUG Rating:
BUG stands for “Backlight”, “Uplight” and “Glare.” The acronym describes the types of stray light escaping from an outdoor lighting luminaire. Backlight is the light directed in back of the mounting pole, uplight is the light directed above the horizontal plane of the luminaire, and glare is the amount of light emitted from the luminaire at angles known to cause glare. It is expected that BUG values will be published by luminaire manufacturers so lighting specifiers, designers or purchasers can tell at a glance how well a certain luminaire controls stray light or compares with other luminaires under consideration for an installation. The BUG system was developed by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) to make comparing and evaluating outdoor luminaires fast, easy and more comprehensive, than older systems.
For more detailed information on the BUG rating, please visit this guide from the International Dark-Sky Association. See also the chart below that defines the various light angles of acceptable and stray light.
IP Rating:
IP or “Ingress Protection” ratings are crucial to outdoor lighting applications because they represent a more accurate means of classifying a fixtures ability to stop the ingress of solid particles (dust and dirt) and water in the form of rain, a hose (cleaning or watering foliage) or total submersion. The first digit in an IP rating refers to how dust proof a fixture is and the second digit refers to how waterproof a fixture is. The two numbers combined will depict the likelihood of foreign objects getting into the light fitting and possibly damaging the sensitive electronics inside. The higher the protection numbers in the chart (see example below), the greater the protection from ingress. Lower numbered fixtures are typically better suited for inside, carpeted areas like offices, waiting rooms or schools.
BUG Rating:
BUG stands for “Backlight”, “Uplight” and “Glare.” The acronym describes the types of stray light escaping from an outdoor lighting luminaire. Backlight is the light directed in back of the mounting pole, uplight is the light directed above the horizontal plane of the luminaire, and glare is the amount of light emitted from the luminaire at angles known to cause glare. It is expected that BUG values will be published by luminaire manufacturers so lighting specifiers, designers or purchasers can tell at a glance how well a certain luminaire controls stray light or compares with other luminaires under consideration for an installation. The BUG system was developed by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) to make comparing and evaluating outdoor luminaires fast, easy and more comprehensive, than older systems.
For more detailed information on the BUG rating, please visit this guide from the International Dark-Sky Association. See also the chart below that defines the various light angles of acceptable and stray light.
Our team of engineers at Norlux are experts in LED lighting for outdoor applications. Please contact us to discuss your LED based outdoor projects today.
Reference:
International Dark-Sky Association: volume 2: issue 1 : 2009: (BUG Illustration and Information)
http://www.aal.net/content/resources/files/BUG_rating.pdf
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