LIGHTING & LIGHTING CONTROLS FEATURE
CUSTOM VS COMMODITY Four factors LED lighting manufacturers need to consider about light engines S
ome LED lighting fixture manufacturers compromise the
performance of their fixtures due to industry-wide cooperation aimed at the development of standard specifications of LED light engines. In many instances this may be attributed to the indiscriminate use of off-the-shelf light engines. Ramifications of an off-the-shelf Light
Engine (LE) selection could include unsatisfactory light output, poor lumen per watt performance, increased assembly time and costs, as well as delivery delays and other problems that can be avoided. It is perceived that a standardized product can provide both ready availability and cost savings. However, in many cases, lighting manufacturers may be much better off evaluating the use of customized light engines for their fixtures.
DETERMINING TRUE REQUIREMENTS Simply because many LEs are produced in high volume, doesn’t necessarily make them the best value. Nor should they necessarily be the ‘standard’ for lighting companies. In many instances lighting manufacturers are seeking design latitude in terms of sizes, shapes and mounting hole locations, as well as light output and color temperature that comprise their products. The finished fixture’s lumens, watt performance or light quality may be off-target, creating long-term dissatisfaction among end-users. Custom LEs are expressly designed
and manufactured to fit the lighting output and size requirements of specific lighting fixtures. “At MADE we take that information, lay out a light engine board, build the board, and then deliver samples to the lighting company for them to test in their fixture. All of this is done efficiently; most of the time we satisfy the customer’s true requirements with the first samples,” explains Don Bernier.
HITTING LIGHTING TARGETS Too often the result of settling for a commodity module is finding out that it did not quite hit target. This might result in adaptations such as trying an increased drive current, which then may not achieve the lumen/watt goal. By
Depending on fixture design, off-the-shelf light engines may be inefficient and create a production bottleneck. Don Bernier, president of MADE (Manufacturing And Design Electronics) cites several factors that light fixture makers should consider
Custom LE
manufacturers can streamline the light engine design process and find a solution that suits the lighting company needs
looking at all of those targets at the fixture design stage, the custom LE manufacturer can usually streamline the light engine design process and find a solution that enables the fixture to perform in the manner that the lighting company desires.
HITTING COST TARGETS Cost is usually a dominant consideration when selecting a light engine module. It is often assumed that an off-the-shelf Light Engine (LE) selection will be the most cost effective. However, that isn’t necessarily the case. It is entirely possible for a custom light engine company to produce a board for a highly competitive price, perhaps even less expensive. One of the major advantages of a
custom light engine is that it is easier to integrate into the light fixture, requiring fewer connections during assembly and resulting in time and labor savings. There are other cost options that the
custom LE manufacturer can recommend, such as what type of LED is used for an application. For instance, a properly designed solution might call for more LEDs, but at a significantly
lower cost per LED. LE availability is another significant consideration. Lighting manufacturers may run into supply and delivery problems when they receive a large order which takes the bulk of their inventory. Smaller custom LE makers are usually able to minimise delivery problems because they design and plan with their customers .
DEVELOPING FUTURE PRODUCTS Another advantage of sourcing LEs from a custom manufacturer is that this is where many lighting technology advancements are developed. MADE is among the few light engine
manufacturers that are building light engines up to 48 inches long. This advancement in light engine design allows for the quicker, easier and cheaper assembly of linear light fixtures. Instead of two, four, or even more light engines wired and connected together to operate a linear or other large LED fixtures, a lighting manufacturer can simply connect the LED lamps to a single circuit board thereby providing significant savings on labour, components and assembly time.
MADE
www.made-usa.net
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | APRIL 2016 21
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