Feature: LEDs
The limits of standard secondary optics If developing a novel LED application in a specialist sector that doesn’t fit neatly into the “general lighting” box, then customisation becomes essential. Some of the most powerful differentiation can be found in custom LED optics. Secondary optics are, by necessity, designed to serve a broad
range of applications, which generally means compromises, whether on beam shape, efficiency, form factor, integration, or something else. Te good news is that custom LED optic design is oſten quicker, easier and more cost-effective than most expect. Tat said, one golden rule applies – never design optics in isolation. To fully unlock the benefits of optical customisation, the
optics must be treated as a fundamental part of the entire LED product design. Only by designing LED optics in tandem with the light source, thermal management, control gear, mechanics and aesthetics can you realise true optimisation.
LED basics Te light emitting diode, or LED, emits light when energised. Commercially available since the 1960s, today’s LEDs come in a vast array of shapes, sizes, power levels and colours. However, one key characteristic of LEDs that has changed little since the 1960s is that the light they produce is still of limited use on its own. Most LED light emission is unfocused, which means it needs
The case for custom LED optics in product design
By David Scott-Maxwell, Director, Forge Europa
I
t is a fair statement to make that the LED lighting industry is now mature and highly commoditised space. Te supply chain for core LED lighting components is well established – from the LEDs to their control electronics and secondary optics. With so many vendors offering off-the-shelf (OTS) products, it’s tempting to think that most LED solutions
can be built from catalogue parts alone. In many cases this is true; however, there are many parameters that should be considered first, certainly when trying to achieve something different.
www.electronicsworld.co.uk September 2025 25
help to become usable in real-world applications. In technical terms, modern LEDs typically emit light from a flat surface, and their intensity varies according to the cosine of the viewing angle. Tis isn’t new – the cosine emission pattern, known as ‘Lambertian’, is named aſter Johann Lambert, who published a foundational book on light measurement – ‘Photometria’ – way back in 1760. While some LEDs incorporate built-in lenses, so-called ‘primary
optics’, these typically only focus the LED light modestly and don’t produce a particularly useful output for real-world applications. To
Figure 1: LED ray tracing tool
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