Poor energy efficiency and a high replacement rate has made traditional lighting options less attractive over time. LED assemblies have steadily become the go-to alternative lighting source to help streamline the green initiatives that have become ubiquitous in today’s greener world.
LEDs emit light when electric current flows through them. The difference comes down to how the electric current works to cause light to emit. Incandescent bulbs heat a filament to create the glow we’ve come to know quite well. Fluorescent bulbs work by current exciting gas vapor within the bulb. Short-wave UV light is produced, which is then turned into visible light by the fluorescent coating on the inside of the bulb.
LEDs use a semiconductor material that combines with particles in the current being passed through it to emit light. How the light is perceived in terms of color and brightness depends on what kind of semiconductor material is present.
Diverse industries such as consumer electronics, automotive fabrication, aviation, and public works have made the long-term transition to LEDs simply because the technology works so well. But as with any new technology, there will be questions to ask. Some of the more prominent queries about LED assemblies include:
How efficient are LEDs compared to traditional lighting options? Per some sources, LEDs can be 5-6 times more efficient than incandescent counterparts. They also have a longer lifespan. Using less energy and needing to replace LEDs less means saving quite a bit on energy costs as a whole. Even if there is a higher upfront cost to LED as compared with traditional lighting options, the savings more than make-up for it in a short amount of time.
Do LED assemblies pose an issue when it comes to heat that is emitted? Heat dissipation is a major concern when working with LEDs. While they prove to have tremendous energy efficiency that saves money, they can still put off a lot of heat. Attention in designing optimal LED assemblies starts with things like spacing & arrangement of LEDs on PCBs, type of LED module, and heat sink consideration.
Are LEDs durable enough to handle tougher, more strenuous working environments? As LED assemblies become more commonplace, there is an evolution of industry standards that is more stringent than before. While LEDs & their assemblies can showcase some fragility, the same can be said of most electronic components. That said, LED assemblies are quite capable of handling the environment for which they are built.
Probably the most surprising thing about LED assemblies is that they can vary quite a bit from each other. Everything from size to whether the end user is trying to determine indication/illumination make each LED assembly, by default, a ‘custom’ item. That said, there are instances when thorough customization is required. This is especially the case as more companies begin to integrate LED assemblies into their existing infrastructure. Knowing whether retrofitting or replacement is the better path may not always be easy to determine without critical expertise. It’s here that it becomes crucial to work with an electronics manufacturer/supplier who knows their way around the technology. The ideal partner will have a design/engineering team that can bring 2D renderings & all pertinent specifications to life.
LoDan Electronics, Inc. has been a pioneer in electronics technology for nearly six decades. Our work in LED assemblies takes into consideration the immediate impact of the new tech while also designing & building to meet possible shifts in technology in the future. Contact us today.