Industrial Applications Embrace LED Technology

The usage of energy efficient LEDs in large-scale industrial lighting applications is becoming more critical than ever. Factories, warehouses, manufacturing plants and workshops all require a very large volume of light to properly illuminate operations, and as a result have created huge costs for businesses utilizing outdated lighting technologies of the past. Commercial grade LED industrial lighting is designed to replace existing mercury, sodium and metal halide lamp fixtures of much higher wattages, and therefore save money, energy and by extension: the environment. Thanks to advancements in semiconductors, optics and materials, LED lighting has excellent applications in industrial environments.

Below, Steve Henry (greenmanufacturer.net; 11/2011) gives us an overview of features that illustrate why LED technology is suitable for nearly any industrial lighting application. 

• Energy-efficient. The main driver for LED adoption is energy efficiency. Achieving the lighting levels required for a particular application at the lowest possible energy input becomes critical as energy costs rise and as government regulations clamp down on wasteful energy sources.
• Long-living. Correctly designed, LED fixtures offer up to 60,000 hours of illumination, with no "droop," or color shifts, and no penalty for frequent on/off cycles.  LEDs' longer lifespan than most other lighting sources' means less material is disposed over time.
• Low-maintenance. Because it is rugged and long-running, LED lighting requires very little maintenance. When LED lighting is used in a fixture with an intelligent modular design, even end-of-life replacement of components becomes quick and simple.
• Resistant to Shock, Vibration, Corrosion. LEDs can be used in environments where other technologies fail—prematurely or catastrophically.
• Cold Start-Capable. LEDs provide instant on and instant restrike capabilities to -40 degrees C, with no warm-up time required to achieve full brightness.
• Non-damaging. LEDs do not produce ultraviolet or infrared radiation often emitted by other lighting sources. This lowers cooling costs, simplifies maintenance, prolongs product life, protects eyes and sensitive equipment, and provides a margin of safety in hazardous environments.
• Safe for Hazardous Locations. Available LED luminaires are rated for use in areas where flammable gases and vapors are present under conditions defined by NEC Class I, Division 2 and IEC Zone 2.
• Easily Positionable. LED lighting often is the best choice for areas with low clearance, severe weather conditions, excessive moisture or dust, corrosive atmospheres, and high ambient temperatures.
• Nontoxic. LED lighting is also the only non-incandescent lighting source that contains no mercury. This eliminates any chance for mercury to escape into the environment either in operation or after disposal, therefore special handling is not required. Lights with lead-free solder ensure no toxins leak out when components finally reach end-of-life.
• White and Bright. Today's industrial LED luminaires provide high-quality white light that eases eye strain.
• Highly Directional. LED luminaires can be configured to produce nearly any horizontal and vertical distribution of light—from illuminating a tall, narrow fence line for security purposes to area lighting that allows production crews to work efficiently and safely.

LED industrial lighting is here today, and it's here to stay. The benefits it provides simply cannot be ignored. Even local and national governments are taking notice of LEDs as they focus on the problems of energy consumption, greenhouse gases, pollutants, and toxic waste.  LEDs are Green, and most important green feature of LEDs are their energy efficiency. LEDs have the smallest environmental footprint of any manufactured source. Because a large percentage of electricity in the U.S. is produced by burning fossil fuels, switching to LED lighting also is likely to cut emissions of greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants. In addition, LEDs are mercury-free.

 

For all of the advantages of LED based illumination, it's easy to see why the industrial market space is embracing LED technology now and will continue to switch-over well into the future.  Contact Norlux today for a consultation on your LED lighting project.

Reference: 

"Shedding light on LED for industry: LED primed to replace metal halide, mercury vapor".By Steve Henry; October 12, 2011; Green Manufacturer http://www.greenmanufacturer.net/article/facilities/shedding-light-on-led-for-industry

Norlux: Perfecting LED Logistics

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!

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.

 

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

The Benefits of LED Based Surgical Lighting

LED lighting units are becoming more and more prominent in all segments of lighting, and surgical lighting is certainly no exception. LEDs are proving to be perfectly suited for examination and surgical illumination applications, and the switch in lighting technology from halogen to LEDs is widespread. Hospitals are always interested in finding more effective ways to run their operations at an optimum level and LEDs fit the bill not only economically, but also in terms of comfort for both surgeon (who endure hours under these lights) and patients alike.

Light emitting diode surgical lights, first introduced in the United States in July 2006, were initially met with a healthy mix of interest and skepticism. Why use LEDs in the operating room (OR)? Were the proposed benefits real? Did those benefits justify turning away from proven technologies, such as halogen, especially with lives on the line in the OR?  In the relatively short period since their introduction, these questions have been answered and the validity of LED surgical lights has been confirmed by a variety of factors. 

Low heat
Reducing heat, particularly in the area of the surgeon’s head, provides a more comfortable environment with the potential to improve surgical team performance, OR efficiency, which also would improve patient outcomes. While traditional surgical light manufacturers have made continual progress to reduce the heat produced by their lights, LED technology essentially ends this battle. In fact, the heat output of LEDs is better described as “no heat” rather than “low heat,” with temperature increases in the area of surgeon’s head measured at less than 1 degree Celsius by one manufacturer.

Extended Lifespan

LED based lights offer dramatically longer life cycles over conventional halogen based lights. The expected service life for the light source used in traditional lights is upwards of 2,000 hours. Various LED surgical light manufacturers talk about dramatically different numbers. The diodes used in LED lights are manufactured to last 50,000 hours on average. LED surgical light manufacturers will either use that 50,000-hour figure or a more conservative guarantee of 20,000 hours referring to the whole light and all its components.

Quality of Light

Beyond the benefits of long life and low/no heat, which seem to dominate most conversations on LED technology, it is important from a surgical team’s viewpoint to pose more basic questions regarding the quality of the light output. Some things to consider are:

• A homogeneous light field: The quality of light is a subjective issue, with surgeon preference coming into play to explain why some lights get approval over others. Among the factors that are at work here is whether the light field is homogeneous. Surgeons are looking for consistency of the light across its focused area with no hot spots or drop-offs.
  The quality of the field is certainly affected by the configuration of LEDs in the light head, with more LEDs providing greater coverage and a better pattern. The critical assessment of the quality of the light field is best left to the surgeon’s discerning eye during a light trial.
• Focusing ability: Another basic question is how the light is focused. Some LED lights offer a manual focus but a few can be focused electronically. What is the size of the spot and quality of the focus? Again, these functions are best judged by clinical staff during a light trial.
• Intensity: The maximum allowable intensity of a surgical light is 160,000 Lux. The best traditional lights provide this level of intensity. The best LED surgical lights also meet this standard and provide dimming capabilities so a surgical team can adjust to the demands of each procedure.

Advanced Features

Depending on the manufacturer, LED surgical lights also offer various advanced features that can contribute significantly to a surgical team’s ability to deal with common problems, as well as provide them with new capabilities.

• Shadow correction: Shadows during surgery are created by surgeon positioning, surgical team movement, equipment or the depth of a wound. The key is to minimize shadows so a surgeon always has the clearest possible view of the surgical site. In a typical LED surgical light, each LED generates the entire spot. These individual spots are then precisely overlapped, so no matter how many LEDs are blocked, the spot remains round and consistent. As obstructions move inside the light field, the pattern does not change.
• Adjustable color temperature: An option currently offered by two LED light manufacturers is the ability to adjust color temperature. Color temperature is measured in Kelvin (K) with a lower number indicating a warmer, more orange light and a higher number representing a cooler, neutral, white light. The ability to adjust color temperature, not possible prior to the introduction of LED lights, allows a surgical team to improve contrast and tissue differentiation, based on factors such as the type and depth of the surgery, blood flow and a surgeon’s preference.

It comes down to a better view for a surgeon, and that can only help to benefit the patient. OR managers benefit by having one light that can address varied surgeon preferences, so staff satisfaction is increased and room scheduling is easier. The hospital benefits by being better positioned to recruit and retain qualified surgical talent. Factor in the economic advantages of consuming less electricity to power LED lights, and it’s easy to see why LEDs are the driving force in surgical lighting.

The team at Norlux will help design and manufacture your LED based examination, procedure and surgical lighting systems; call Norlux today!

Reference:

"The future of LED lighting and why surgeons prefer it: Benefits start to push new technology ahead of traditional products"

By Dave Rector, Jan 2008

http://www.matmanmag.com/matmanmag_app/jsp/articledisplay.jsp?dcrpath=MATMANMAG/Article/data/01JAN2008/0801MMH_FEA_OR_Technology&domain=MATMANMAG

Wireless Controls in LED Applications

With the advent of solid state lighting, we are now able to add intelligent controls to the lighting solutions. Already existing circuitry designed to control and dim the LEDs can easily be added on to include wireless control; a microcontroller can use its dormant Rx/Tx pins and connect to a wireless transceiver, instantly creating a wireless solution.

Wireless controls range from intelligent home automation to whole factory control. The fact that no control wires are required allows the customer to place the lighting controller wherever deemed most convenient. This means that adding a wireless switch at home would not require the costly addition of a junction box and wiring it directly to the light source. Wireless controls also allow for mobile control; from a laptop on the manufacturing floor to an iPad on your living room couch. Wireless solutions with a gateway to the internet can even be monitored and controlled from a remote location via the internet connection.

Some of the networks implemented by wireless control are mesh networks and point-to-point networks. Mesh networks occur when each light acts as an individual node, passing controlling data through the network. This allows for a larger range of communication from the initial command point as the signal gets passed from node to node until it reaches its final destination. Conversely, a point-to-point network occurs when a single remote manipulates a single light source. 

There are many different solutions to wireless control in LED applications. Some of the leading communication protocols are IR (infrared), Zigbee and Wi-Fi. IR controls, while a tried-and-true communication path, has become antiquated because its range and light of sight disadvantages have been overcome by other advances in wireless communication. Zigbee and Wi-Fi, on the other hand, take advantage of radio waves to extend the range and remove the line-of-sight requirement. 

Zigbee is IEEE 802.15.4 compliant and uses a mesh network and low data rates to connect many nodes to each other. Because Zigbee is a standard, it allows for interoperation with existing zigbee products that include many other controls then just lighting. Communication directly between a zigbee light source and a zigbee sensor can be achieved without the need for human control. The zigbee alliance boasts 64,000 individual nodes on a single network; however an extra gateway device is required to interface the zigbee communication to the internet. This means that a gateway is required if you want your PC or IPhone to communicate to a zigbee network.

Another popular communication protocol is Wi-Fi. While Wi-Fi is limited to only 255 nodes per access point (although it is often recommended that the number be less than 30), it can handle large amounts of data and is already connected to the internet via a router. This makes Wi-Fi a good choice for advanced lights that a consumer may only need a handful of.

When choosing a wireless solution for your lighting needs, it is important to consider the quantity of nodes per network as well as the need for internet connectivity. For example, many LED lights in a manufacturing warehouse can easily take advantage of a large mesh network solution that the zigbee affords. However, controlling a single strip of colored LEDs from your IPhone lends itself to Wi-Fi connectivity because it could connect directly to your router.

Here at Norlux we are committed to explore and understand all developments in wireless control of LED lighting. If you are interested in a wireless LED solution, please contact the engineers at Norlux.

Utilizing UV LEDs in Manufacturing

The UV-LED market is a relatively small segment of the overall LED market. It is estimated roughly to be $30 million annually, whereas, the overall LED market is already in the multibillion dollar range. The UV-LED market is expected to grow by 30% annually to about $100 million in 2016.  This late surge is due to breakthroughs in radiant power and intensity of UV-LED that will enable the displacement of mercury-vapor lamps altogether in the future. This could be due in part to recent achievements in product flux density of UV-LED chips beyond the flux density of 4W/cm2 at different wavelengths.

In manufacturing applications, the spectral ranges that are often used reside in the UV-A (315-400nm) and UV-B (280-315nm) range. Actually, 90% of the UV LED applications are based on these two ranges. The UV-A range is used in applications such as curing of adhesives, coatings and inks. Meanwhile, the UV-B range is often used for applications such as visual inspection systems on machine vision, and detecting. And, at the lower end, the UV-C spectral range (100-280nm) is  primarily used for air and water sterilization.

Since the curing process for manufacturing applications requires large and high-powered LEDs, it is often optimal to use LEDs in the range of 385, 395 and 405 nm. These ranges are preferred due to the ability to drive the LEDs at higher power with better efficiency.

Key UV LED Features & Benefits:

• Longer Life, >50,000 hours
• Stable power output throughout the life of the LED
• Instant on/off
• Emits no heat, able to cure heat-sensitive substrates
• Non-hazardous, contains no mercury
• Consumes less power
• Slower degradation when compared to conventional arc lamps
• No shutters needed
• No costly replacement parts required, greatly limits machine downtime
• Cost savings over product lifetime

To date, the migration from vapor lamps to UV LED is somewhat slow. Some contributing factors are life expectancy and efficiency. Typical UV LED life expectancy is about 2,000 hours to 5,000 hours compared to vapor lamps at 8,000 hours to 12,000 hours. But, recent advancement in the next generations of UV-LED has a life expectancy of 50,000 hours or 10 times that of the average UV LEDs. Meanwhile, the typical efficiency of UV LED is about 5% to 8%, which requires further development enhancements. Regardless, the UV LED adoption will grow as the gap narrows between UV-LEDs and vapor lamps. This will translate into a faster growing market in the future.

Reference:
http://www.ecnmag.com/articles/2010/04/key-benefits-next-gen-uv-led-tech

UV Light Applications for Manufacturers

Below the visible spectrum lies a band of wavelengths called ultraviolet (UV). Ranging from 100 to 400 nm, the radiation can effectively be used to sterilize cosmetics, perform forensic analysis, disinfect water and cure materials. More specific to manufacturing, UV rays take on roles designed to speed up the entire fabrication process.

Uses in Manufacturing
Ultraviolet curing is a process in which UV energy produced by a mercury discharge lamp is absorbed by a sensitizer, causing a reaction in the monomer which makes it hard and dry. This UV “curable” monomer includes a sensitizer which absorbs UV energy and initiates a polymerizing reaction. Manufacturers use this process to instantly cure or “dry” inks, coatings or adhesives throughout the engineering process.

At Norlux, for example, UV acrylate encapsulating resins are employed for achieving brighter chip-on-board (COB) LED assemblies. When cured with a DYMAX 2000-EC moderate intensity flood curing system, the Light-Cap family of encapsulates offer superior optical transmission during the life of the LED assembly. Their resistance to elevated operating temperatures results in reduced yellowing (a common phenomenon in brighter COB applications) compared to traditional encapsulating resins. UV/visible light curing coatings offer a wide range of high performance properties including lower stress and more durable wire bonds, superior adhesion, multiple viscosities, minimal shrinkage and low outgassing. Other characteristics described include good moisture resistance, optical clarity and excellent environmental resistance.

UV cured materials are widely used in circuit protection and electronic assembly applications, where products are electrically insulated and designed for various operations including: conformal coating, encapsulation, bonding, keypad coatings, thermal management, and masking. These materials are IPC approved, MIL-I-46058C and UL listed self-extinguishing graded, and are available in multiple viscosity grades depending on application method.

Advantages
UV curable materials provide manufacturers of electronics ease and flexibility in their conformal coating process. Because UV curable materials can be applied in a variety of ways including manual and automatic spray and dispensing, manufacturers are provided with different processing options while allowing them to meet cycle time and product specification requirements. For example, some Printed Circuit Board Assemblies (PCBAs) require environmental or dielectric protection or both. A PCBA manufacturer may set up a conformal coating line that has an automated spray/dispense system and a UV curing chamber. This curing methodology allows manufactures to eliminate thermal and room temperature curing methods, and also ensures that the material has reached full cure upon exit from the UV curing chamber. Other coating materials do not reach full cure for 48–72 hours.

LEDs as Alternatives to mercury arc lamps
UV LED technology is rapidly replacing traditional mercury or arc-based lights. In production curing operations, mercury-vapor lamps are hindered by short lifetime (2000-10,000 hrs.), slow warm-up and cool-down times, and wide spectral power distribution. The UV output of a mercury vapor lamp drops off rapidly over its operational life because some of its electrode material vaporizes, depositing a film on the inside of the quartz tube, which the UV cannot penetrate. This results in an unpredictable amount of UV output over time, which is a critical process parameter.

The mercury lamp has a main peak at 365 nm but several smaller peaks in the visible and infrared regions. The results are peaks in heat output, making working with plastics and other heat-sensitive materials a challenge. Due to the high voltage heat and environmental issues surrounding disposal of mercury bulbs, manufacturers now consider LED based UV curing. There seem to be too many variables to consider when dealing with traditional mercury or arc-based lights in standard curing processes.

UV LEDs bring such benefits as knowing precisely what power level is being delivered to the curing medium, as well as the other advantages LEDs are known for, such as the ability to pulse-width-modulate the output. The change from conventional curing technologies to UV LED allows system manufacturers to offer their users lower operating costs and higher quality products while enabling new capabilities and even reduced shipping and inventory storage due to the ability to print on thinner, heat-sensitive substrates.

Source: (http://ledsmagazine.com/features/9/2/5), (http://ledsmagazine.com/press/8554)