Testers accelerate LED development projects (MAGAZINE)

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This article was published in the June 2012 issue of LEDs Magazine.

View the Table of Contents and download the PDF file of the complete June 2012 issue, or view the E-zine version in your browser.

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Orb Optronix LM-80 testerWe’ve seen a lot of recent activity in the area of test & measurement instruments for LEDs and lighting. And while there isn’t a common theme in the announcements, each is significant in spaces ranging from LED manufacturing to luminaire design. Let’s examine recent products from Orb Optronix, Gigahertz-Optik, Instrument Systems, and Labsphere.

LM-80 testing is vital in the LED manufacturing space to document component performance. Moreover, LM-80 underlies the TM-21 method for predicting lumen maintenance. Orb Optronix recently announced the LM-80 Active Control Lifetime Test Chamber for what the company calls desktop testing of LEDs.

Gigahertz-Optik LED measurement system The test chamber can handle automated photometric tests and push the LEDs through temperature-controlled operational scenarios. The system automatically tracks the components under test from the start of the process through the generation of an LM-80 report. The compact unit allows even small LED makers to perform their own LM-80 testing on hundreds to thousands of LEDs.

Gigahertz-Optik, meanwhile, announced a single-pulse LED measurement system that can be used for binning of components for light output and color. The BTS256-LED tester and companion LPS-20-1500 power supply rely on a photodiode for accurate characterization of packaged or unpacked emitters. The device also includes a spectrometer for color measurement.

Instrument Systems goniophotometer You can connect the unit to a PC via USB to automate the collection of data. The power supply can output as much as 1500 mA of current with 30 µA resolution. The unit includes a 16-bit A/D converter to monitor test voltage or current. The device can operate in continuous wave or pulse mode.

Moving to luminaire testing, Instrument Systems recently announced a new goniophotometer designed specifically for SSL applications. The LGS 250 was designed to analyze angle-dependent special radiation, and is suited for use with small to medium size LED retrofit lamps, luminaires, and modules.

The LGS 250 can take measurements in a range of +/- 160˚ on test units with a maximum diameter of 480 mm. You can combine the unit with a spectroradiometer to capture all spectral properties including chromaticity and color temperature. Moreover, Instrument Systems supplies the SpecWin Pro software to automate the collection and presentation of test data.

Labsphere Illumia spherical tester To measure thermal, optical, and electrical properties of LEDs, LED arrays, and finished SSL products, you can turn to the Illumia and Illumia Pro spherical light measurement systems from Labsphere. The systems are designed for lighting manufacturers that want to move testing in house to accelerate the product-development cycle. The company also earned accreditation from National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) and NIST-traceable calibrated lamp standards adds to the accuracy of the Illumia systems.