eNewsletter

March 2009

Trends and Tradeoffs in Powering LED Luminaires
As the cost of energy continues to rise along with awareness of the environmental impact of energy production and consumption, increased attention and focus has been placed on new technologies that can save energy as well as have a positive impact on the environment. It is estimated that 19 to 22 percent of electrical energy demand globally is used for lighting so there is significant impact in replacing inefficient light sources such as incandescent lamps. Around the globe there are voluntary and legislative initiatives driven by utilities, businesses, environmental organizations and government entities, to transition to more energy efficient light sources. To date, much of the focus has been on driving the adoption of compact fluorescent lamps (CFL).

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Lumex Launches Innovative 3-Watt AstraLED RGB LED
Lumex has expanded the company’s extensive line of high-power technologies with the introduction of AstraLED RGB, an innovative high-power LED that combines cost and space savings with superior color performance.

“AstraLED RGB is well suited for a wide variety of kitchen appliance, communications equipment, medical device, automotive and sign applications that require bright, intense light with low power consumption,” said Jeff Oliveros, director of Engineering for Lumex. “High-power LEDs are a rapidly growing market and innovative RGB high-power LEDs represent the latest generation of technology designed to enhance efficiencies and provide design engineers with greater opportunities for color innovation.”

The use of an AstraLED RGB can result in up to a 30 percent cost savings, as well as 67 percent real estate package savings when compared to the use of individual high power red, green and blue packages. The use of a single RGB package also enhances production efficiencies as a single part number eliminates the need for three separate LED part numbers.

The high-power AstraLED RGB provides color rendering performance that is superior to traditional phosphor converted high-power white LED technologies. This feature offers enhanced color consistency and is especially beneficial in both consumer and commercial appliance lighting applications that require warm white that closely matches incandescent lighting, such as accent lighting or landscape lighting.
The RoHS compliant AstraLED RGB provides ultra-bright, full-color output in a 3-watt high-power package. AstraLED RGBs deliver light intensity of 8/25/20 lumens respectively at 300 mA (red), 350 mA (green) and 350 mA (blue) of current with an operating temperature of -30˚C to 85˚C.

AstraLED RGBs have an off-the-board height of 3.3 mm (0.13 inches) and occupy a circuit board footprint which is 10 mm by 16 mm (0.39 inches by 0.63 inches). They are available in tubes for automatic insertion.
The new units can withstand standard lead-free reflow soldering temperatures up to 260˚C.

Samples of these devices are available from stock, with production quantities in 6 to 8 weeks. Pricing is dependent on quantity ordered, and is approximately $4.00 per unit in production quantities.

Family of UV LEDs Provide Uniform Optical Light Patterns in Environmentally Friendly Packages
Providing design engineers with devices capable of uniform optical light patterns over an extended temperature range, TT electronics Optek Technology has developed a family of ultraviolet LEDs in the UV-A spectrum. Designated the OUE8A series, the UV LEDs are offered in a variety of wavelengths and housed in hermetic TO-46 metal can packages.

“The OUE8A Series UV LEDs eliminate any environmental concerns associated with the disposal of traditional mercury UV lamps,” said Alan Bennett, vice president of sales for Optek Technology. “Not only do these devices allow customers to target specific applications with the narrow wavelength emission, but they are able to do so while eliminating any mercury hazard.”

The UV LEDs are well suited for medical and industrial applications including phototherapy treatment, dental applications, fluorescence and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy; photo-catalyst curing of inks, coatings and adhesives; as well as paper currency and document validation.

Additional applications for the OUE8A series UV LEDs include aircraft coatings and biohazard detection equipment/systems, skin dermatology, forensics, and automotive oil, A/C, and fluid detection.

All of Optek's UV LED devices have an 18º typical half-power emission angle and a pulsed forward current of 1.6 A. Operating temperature ranges from -40ºC to 85ºC. The OUE8A series UV LEDs are RoHS compliant and ESD protected for reliable operation.

Typical pricing for the OUE8A series UV LEDs is approximately $11.40 each in quantities of 100 pieces. Lead time, if stock is not available, is from 6 to 8 weeks.

Elma Offers LED Assemblies with Custom Brightness Options
Elma Electronic, a designer and manufacturer of rotary components and electronic packaging products, offers LEDs in customizable configurations. These include versions with custom brightness options.

Elma’s LED assemblies and arrays can be customized to include different levels of indicating brightness for each LED within the same unit to meet a specific indicating goal. For example, a dual LED assembly may have one continuously lit dimly to indicate normal conditions. When triggered, the second LED within that assembly would not only illuminate a different color, but also a different brightness to indicate the severity and urgency of this problem.

The injection molding system used by Elma allows quick and cost-effective modification of their LED and lightpipe products. Therefore, a wide range of sizes, colors, brightness and options are available, even in small quantities. Standard color options include blue, red and green. Customized colors are also available such as orange, amber and white. Most LED designs are available in surface-mount or through-hole styles. The lead-time is 4 weeks ARO.

AnalogicTech's LED Driver Provides Lower Dropout Voltage, Extending Battery Life for Low Cost Mobile Products
Advanced Analogic Technologies, Inc. (AnalogicTech), a developer of power management integrated circuits, has released the AHK3292, a two-channel LED driver for LED indicators and LCD or keyboard backlighting in entry level mobile products. Featuring low resistance current sinks capable of supporting a low dropout voltage, the new LED driver reduces power dissipation and extends battery life. The device’s dropout voltage of 36 mV typical is at least 20 percent lower than competitive products.

“As LED manufacturers improve their technology and reduce the voltage drop of their LEDs, in some applications a boost converter is no longer necessary,” said Phil Dewsbury, product line director. “By driving LEDs directly from the battery using a low dropout current sink, the AHK3292 offers designers of entry-level phones and other mobile products a lighting solution that improves power efficiency and extends battery life while reducing cost.”

Operating directly off a 2.7 V to 5.5 V input supply, the AHK3292 drives up to two LEDs. This 1X driver IC is well suited for driving LEDs with a low forward voltage drop. Low resistance, low dropout voltage current sinks allow the LEDs to operate close to the input supply voltage eliminating the need for an additional boost converter and extending battery life.

Maximum LED current is set by an external resistor (Rset) that enables designers to optimize linearity and provide smoother control. Fullscale LED current can be set to an upper limit of 30.2 mA.

The output current for each LED is enabled, disabled and controlled by AnalogicTech’s Simple Serial Control (S2Cwire) interface. By replacing PWM control circuitry, this 32-step single-wire bus reduces the overhead on the system microcontroller, minimizes LED flicker through constant-current digital control, and reduces noise.

LED output current accuracy is +/- 10 percent. LED output current matching is +/-3 percent. The AHK3292 also features a low current shutdown mode.

Qualified over a –40°C to 85°C temperature range, the AHK3292 is available in a Pb-free 6-pin SOT23 package. It sells for $0.39 in 1,000 quantities.

New Integrating Sphere for Testing High-Power LED Modules and SSL Light Sources
The ISP 1000 Integrating Sphere from Instrument Systems is the latest development by the leading global manufacturer of LED Test & Measurement systems. The ISP 1000 has been specially designed with a diameter of one meter for precise measurement of the total radiant power and luminous flux of lamps. It is particularly suitable for larger and more powerful LED modules with applications in solid-state lighting.

Test samples can be placed inside the integrating sphere on a height-adjustable sample stage or in a lamp post with suspended or upright configuration. These setups enable the total luminous flux to be determined in 4π. Alternatively, the light radiation can also be launched from outside through a side port, allowing the heat dissipated from large high-power LED modules to be kept out of the sphere. This is why launching light from the side is ideal for testing light engines with applications in solid-state lighting if they have a forward radiation pattern.

Advanced design and low measurement uncertainty are integral to the ISP 1000. It’s innovative design reduces the effect of compromising influences caused by baffles and ports to a minimum and thereby permits more accurate measuring results than previous designs.

Green LED-MR16 bulbs from GlacialLight
LED light manufacturer GlacialLight, a sub-division of the experienced technology manufacturer GlacialTech, Inc. is launching a brand new LED-MR16 light bulb. The green LED light is an enhanced version of current LED MR16 models available in markets today. The GlacialLight high brightness LED bulb has a dedicated power source, which is Energy Star Certified with a power rating of more than 80 percent energy to light conversion ratio. Rated at 3 watts at 12 VDC/AC, the luminaries overall power consumption is extremely economical. LED-MR16 light bulbs are the latest trend in LED technology, which is set to replace traditional MR16 halogen bulbs. GlacialLight is at the forefront when it comes to supplying clean, green LED technology.

The light bulbs come in two models, with the 3WW model having a Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) of 3,000 K, and the 3CW model having a CCT of 6,000 K. The former displays a LUX of 155 (1m), while the latter is brighter with 227 lux (1m). Both display between an angle of 10°/30° and fall under a 2-year warranty. The best operating temperatures are between -20°C to 40°C. The LED lights are rated at 35,000 hrs lifetime and can fit in a standard GX5.3 base socket. The MR16 LED lights can fit most halogen MR16 bulb sockets without the need for a converter or adapter.

Carmanah Partners with Shine Micro to Combine Solar-Powered Marine Lanterns with AIS Technology
Solar technology provider Carmanah Technologies Corp. has partnered with Shine Micro, Inc. to add an automatic identification system (AIS) capability to its line of stand-alone solar-powered LED marine lanterns.

Widely used by ships and vessel traffic services (VTS) to identify and locate vessels, AIS technology enables ships to automatically exchange a range of navigational data including position, course, speed and proximity to other nearby ships, VTS stations and AIS-equipped navigational buoys. According to Ted Lattimore, CEO, Carmanah Technologies, this partnership presents a valuable opportunity for both businesses and their customers.

“As a manufacturer of solar-powered marine lanterns, Carmanah is well positioned to incorporate Shine Micro's AIS capability as part of an enhanced solar-powered solution,” said Lattimore. “An integrated solar-LED lantern offers many benefits – it’s compact, reliable, low maintenance, and built to endure some of the most challenging environments on Earth – there's no reason why we can't extend these benefits to accommodate Shine Micro's powerful AIS technology as well. We look forward to working with Shine Micro to develop some exciting new technology for the marine industry – something to help our customers increase safety and security more efficiently and affordably than ever before.”

“It has always been of paramount importance at Shine Micro to produce rugged, high performance AIS equipment with the lowest power consumption in the industry,” said Mark Johnson, president, Shine Micro, Inc. “This makes the integration with Carmanah's solar LED light technology an excellent fit.”

US National Park Service Selects the Lotus LED Luminaire
The National Park Service selected Journée Lighting’s Lotus LED track system to illuminate their new LEED Platinum Visitor Center at the Lassen Volcanic National Park. As the primary light source for the 1,500 square foot exhibit, 50 Lotus LED luminaires illuminate interactive displays, kiosks, historic photos and much more.

“The Lassen Volcanic Visitor Center is utilizing the latest in Green exhibit lighting technology with a state-of-the-art LED-powered lighting system from Journée,” said Ric Alesch, project manager for the US National Park Service. “Through the use of this new LED-based track lighting system, the visitor center exhibit will be using less than half of the energy required by similar halogen-based lighting systems.” In addition, Journée's LED-based light fixtures comply with California's energy conscious Title 24 code as well as US Green Building Council LEED standards being adopted across the country.

The Lotus LED track light system is controlled by a high-tech digital dimming system that adjusts the light levels in the exhibit based on the amount of natural daylight that enters the space through several large picturesque windows on the north side of the building.

Before the Lotus LED track light system was selected for this project, it was put to the test by an exhibit lighting specialist at the National Park Service’s Harpers Ferry Center in West Virginia, in order to verify its performance. After passing the product evaluation, it was determined that the Journée system would help the Visitor Center meet or exceed platinum LEED certification.

Drawing 16 watts and producing a beam of light equivalent to 40 watts of an incandescent bulb, Journée Lighting’s LED-based fixtures make energy-efficient track lighting a reality. Unlike other high-efficiency light sources, such as compact fluorescent and metal halide, Journée’s LED luminaires boast a lamp life of 40,000 hours and contain no mercury and no lead, which make them exceptionally friendly to the environment.

DOE Releases Summary Results from Round 7 of SSL Product Testing
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has completed Round 7 of product testing through the DOE Solid-State Lighting (SSL) CALiPER program. A Summary Report containing the results from Round 7 testing is now available for download on the DOE SSL website at: www.ssl.energy.gov/reports.html. Products tested in Round 7 represent a range of products for three application areas: outdoor lighting, downlights, and replacement lamps.

The Department allows detailed test results from CALiPER testing to be distributed in the public interest for noncommercial, educational purposes only. Detailed test reports for Round 7 will be available soon through the searchable on-line CALiPER system: www.ssl.energy.gov/search.html.

Energy Savings Using Series Drive in LED and Laser Diode Burn-in and Stress Systems
High volume LED and laser diode applications often employ a parallel circuit configuration in which each device is powered individually using a simple linear regulator and a common low voltage bulk power source. For low power devices where current drive requirements are simple enough to be met with a resistor or monolithic regulator IC, this method is sufficient. Considering higher power devices, the parallel drive scheme suffers from high losses in the regulators and other system components resulting in high costs.

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Thermal Management of Electronic/Telecommunications Systems and Components
This webinar will provide an understanding of the issues involved in the thermal management of electronic and telecommunication systems. Attendees will learn techniques in the design, specification and management of electronics and telecommunication systems that will be effective in the dissipation of heat.

Read more about this webinar!

Thermal Management of Outdoor Enclosures/Shelters for All Applications
This webinar will provide an understanding of the issues involved in the thermal management of outdoor systems including solar loads. Attendees will learn techniques in the design, specification and management of outdoor shelters, enclosures, boxes and pedestals that will be effective for the dissipation of heat generated by electronic systems and external conditions. Particular attention will be paid to the calculation, importance and mitigation of solar loads.

Read more about this webinar!

March 2009

3/11
LEDucation III
New York City, NY

3/13
LED Lighting Today: Tales or Facts?
University of Naples "Federico II" - Conference Centre, Italy 

3/24 - 3/26
International Green Lighting Event (GL)
Jahrhunderthalle Frankfurt a/m Germany

3/31 - 4/2
LEDs Asia 2009
Hong Kong, China

ISA International Sign Expo 2009
April 15 – 18
Las Vegas, Nevada

Register now for ISA International Sign Expo 2009, the largest sign show in the world. April 15 – 18, 2009 • Las Vegas, Nevada. The industry’s signature event is where you’ll learn about important industry issues and trends, find the latest sign products, services and technologies. It’s that simple.

Not convinced yet? We can point out a few more reasons to attend. There are great educational sessions designed to grow your business and boost your bottom line. Chances to network abound. More than 500 exhibiting companies will be on-site ready to meet you and make deals.

Contact ISA at (703) 836-4012 or expo@signs.org

EDS
May 12 - 14
Las Vegas

EDS is the premier BtoB event that focuses on the electronics distribution supply chain and is the single most important annual conference, show and networking event for manufacturers, distributors, and manufacturers’ representatives.

At EDS 2009, May 12- May 14 at the Paris/Bally’s Hotel complex in Las Vegas, a number of new programs will increase the value of your participation in the electronic industry’s most connected conference. EDS will also feature a Solid-State Lighting Technology Conference to spotlight this emerging technology.

EDS allows companies to do business in their own style and at their own pace, with meetings occurring both in personal suites and at the traditional show floor conference units. Business gets done at EDS. 

For more information visit www.edsc.org.

SEMICON West 2009
July 14 - 16
San Francisco, CA

Extreme Electronics brings leaders of cutting-edge technologies, like solid-state lighting, to SEMICON West 2009, July 14-16, Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA

Register Now!