Sapphire scores reveal innovation in LEDs and SSL development

April 2, 2019
Despite the need for end-user simplicity, the Sapphire Awards judging process revealed the complexity of emerging design implications that place stricter demands on SSL products, writes Carrie Meadows.

As reported in our March issue of LEDs Magazine, the annual Sapphire Awards program came to a close with the winners being announced on Feb. 28, 2019 during an evening Gala of networking and entertainment at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas. The lead-up to the announcement of the Sapphire Awards winners remains an exciting time for our team even in this fifth year. The judges and staff continue to anticipate the inclusion of emerging features and priorities in the products submitted into the technology categories, such as tunable capabilities, flexible controls for both wired and wireless topologies, and enabling technologies that enhance light quality, deliver precision beam distribution, and minimize disruption to outdoor environments as well as indoor glare and over-lighting.

Although the Illumineer of the Year award is not handed off by scoring alone, we touch on that here because the the process was altered slightly in 2019 — when we opened a poll to our audience and allowed voting to factor into the final selection of this year’s Illumineer. You’ll find an insightful interview with Tigran Galstian in this issue, in which he discusses the innovative dynamic beam-shaping technology that won him recognition.

Sapphire scoring

The judging panel evaluated more than 140 submissions to determine the shortlist of technology finalists, announced in January and compiled into our February issue. The panelists represent the LED and solid-state lighting (SSL) supply chain, from product development to manufacturing to lighting specification and design. In this article, we will list the submissions that achieved a score of 3.25–4.5 Sapphires.

In our article on the 2018 Sapphire Awards scores, we observed that the materials submitted with entries can make or break the evaluation. Technical specifications from datasheets and test documentation pave the way for a higher score, but additional visual and explanatory material about the development process and design details provide context as to what constitutes originality of innovation, flexibility of application, and commercial value that is brought to the LED and SSL market. While we understand that there will inevitably be some crossover of product design and even some repetition of form factor due to the nature of the luminaire categories especially, what sets a product apart is a combination of factors: commercial viability, ease of use, demonstrated reliability, and return on investment in many instances.

Insider thoughts

One of the recurring themes across the years of Sapphire Awards has been “ease” — of installation and of operation. This continues to show in our judges’ comments on the products and was given much consideration within the review process. A product that is extremely complex to understand or integrate into a project will not likely yield significant commercial value, after all. There is some level of complexity expected with components or with architectural luminaires that are intended to be integrated within a structure, for instance. But if the end result is that only a specialist can understand the product’s features and operation, the end user will not find it appealing.

Another commonly expressed comment was concern regarding the health and environmental impacts of various SSL luminaires. Judges were quick to pick up on the lumen output for certain use cases, correlated color temperature (CCT), and in some instances the spectral power distribution (SPD), noting that some products appeared to require further engineering consideration with regard to various guidelines on blue-light levels or lumen output that results in over-lighting.

Comments on specific submissions will be available privately to entrants upon request. Contact us at [email protected] for inquiries. Continue to watch ledsmagazine.com/sapphireawards for updates on the Sapphire Awards program.

JUDGES PANEL

Maury Wright

LEDs Magazine

Jim Benya

Benya Burnett Consultancy

Deborah Burnett

Benya Burnett Consultancy

Carl Bloomfield

Intertek

Chris Brown

Nextgen Lighting

Daryl DeJean

Emerging Technologies Associates

Rachel Gibney

Available Light

Monica Hansen

LED Lighting Advisors

Eric Haugaard

Cree

Dawn Hollingsworth

Darkhorse Lightworks

Duncan Jackson

Billings Jackson Design

Brad Koerner

Industry Consultant

Clifton Stanley Lemon

Clifton Lemon Associates

Dave Neal

Seoul Semiconductor

Steve Paolini

Telelumen

Kris Sandheinrich

KGM Lighting

Jared Saunders

Strategies Unlimited

Willem Sillevis-Smitt

Lumileds

Milena Simeonova

LiteHeal

Philip Smallwood

Strategies Unlimited

Aaron Smith

Finelite

Robert Steele

Strategies in Light

3.25
Elemental LED

AlphaTech Linear LED Lighting Solutions – Industrial SSL Luminaire Design

Elemental LED

Neon Blaze Flexible LED Lighting – Indoor Flex SSL for Coves, Cabinets, and Cases

Environmental Lights

Performance 160° Modular LED Light Sheets – Specialty SSL Design

Environmental Lights

PowerPro 6 Channel DMX Decoder – Smart and Connected SSL Systems

Environmental Lights

Universal Phase Dimming LED Drivers –
LED Drivers

ERP Power LLC

JVLM Series LED Driver – LED Drivers

Espen Technology

VersaDim System – Smart and Connected SSL Enabling Technologies

LG Electronics USA

LG ‘Safe Blue’ Technology for LED Lighting – Lighting for Health and Wellbeing

Myers Emergency Power Systems

Battery Thermal Runaway System (Model: PCB) – Emergency SSL Luminaires, Modules, and Drivers

Optic Arts

Focus Optics Technology (F.O.T.™) – Modular LED Light Engines

TCP Lighting

The Good Life LED – SSL Lamp Design

3.50
Agnetix

A3 – Horticultural Lighting

Carclo Optics

Silicone S1 Range – SSL Enabling Technologies – Optics, thermal, interconnect, etc.

Cree, Inc.

Flex Series LED Troffer – Indoor Troffer, Track, and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

Elemental LED

ENVI-Light Color Tunable Mirror (DI-120V-ENV-MIR) – Specialty SSL Design

Environmental Lights

6-in-1 ColorPlus 5050 LED Strip Light – Indoor Flex SSL for Coves, Cabinets, and Cases

Environmental Lights

LED Magnetic Channel System – Modular LED Light Engines

Environmental Lights

Performance 160° Cuttable LED Lattice – Specialty SSL Design

ERP Power LLC

PHB Series Programmable LED Driver –
LED Drivers

ERP Power LLC

VGM Series Constant Voltage LED Driver –
LED Drivers

Fluxwerx

Loop – Indoor Decorative Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

Fulham

EZ Exit EM T-Grid – Emergency SSL Luminaires, Modules, and Drivers

Gamma Scientific

GS-Wavemon – Tools and Tests in SSL Design

Green Creative

SpecFit Series – Indoor Troffer, Track and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

Hubbell Control Solutions

NX Distributed Intelligence – Smart and Connected SSL Systems

Igor, Inc.

Nexos – Smart and Connected SSL Systems

Inventronics

Ultrahigh-Powered LED Drivers – LED Drivers

Kim Lighting, a Hubbell Lighting brand

Wall Director – Outdoor Street and Area SSL Luminaire Design

LEDvance

Sylvania Area Light Luminaire Portfolio – Outdoor Street and Area SSL Luminaire Design

LTF, LLC.

SunLight2 True Color Optimized MR-16 LED Bulb – SSL Lamp Design

Lux Illuminaire

Lux Pendant Direct/Indirect – Indoor Decorative Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

McWong International, Inc.

Bluetooth-enabled Smart Outdoor Lighting Control Platform – Smart and Connected SSL Enabling Technologies

Nulite Lighting

QuB – Indoor Decorative Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

PureEdge Lighting

Pipeline LED Modular Suspension – Indoor Decorative Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

Samsung Electronics

Samsung Full Spectrum Horticultural LEDs – Horticultural Lighting

Signify

Philips EvoKit CLKE 2×4 – Indoor Troffer, Track and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

Thomas Research Products, a Hubbell Lighting Components brand

Color Tuning Controller – ICs and Electronic Components for SSL

Wagner Architectural

Lumenpod 28 – LULR – Outdoor Landscape and Architectural SSL Design

3.75
ALW USA

Superplane 2.5 – Indoor Troffer, Track and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

Axis Lighting

Stencil Surface – Indoor Decorative Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

The Dow Chemical Company –
Performance Silicones

DOWSIL MS-40XX Series Moldable Optical Silicone Elastomers – SSL Enabling Technologies – Optics, thermal, interconnect, etc.

eldoLED B.V.

LEDcode BLE radio, Atrius-ready – Smart and Connected SSL Enabling Technologies

Environmental Lights

HyperFlex 2835 LED Strip Light – Indoor Flex SSL for Coves, Cabinets, and Cases

ERP Power LLC

CDB Series Constant Current LED Driver – LED Drivers

Focal Point

Skydome Edge – Indoor Decorative Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

Gaggione SAS

LLC79 45-mm Silicone Collimator Range – SSL Enabling Technologies – Optics, thermal, interconnect, etc.

Green Creative

ThinFit EXT Family – Indoor Troffer, Track and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

Hubbell Healthcare Solutions

Remedi – Lighting for Health and Wellbeing

iGuzzini North America

Palco Low Voltage – Indoor Troffer, Track and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

Kenall Manufacturing

EnviroPro EPHB – Industrial SSL
Luminaire Design

Keystone Technologies

Sign Hero 360° LED Sign Tube –
SSL Lamp Design

Kim Lighting, a Hubbell Lighting brand

Pavilion – Outdoor Landscape and Architectural SSL Design

Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.

MAX20092 matrix manager IC – ICs and Electronic Components for SSL

Optic Arts

VintageDim 2 – LED Drivers

PureEdge Lighting

Pipeline 1 LED Suspension – Indoor Decorative Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

Samsung Electronics

Samsung SSM-U – Smart and Connected SSL Enabling Technologies

Thomas Research Products, a Hubbell Lighting Components brand

LBU10-P Series Emergency Driver – Emergency SSL Luminaires, Modules, and Drivers

Tridonic USA

Module LLE FLEX G1 IP67 Excite – Modular LED Light Engines

Tridonic USA

net4more IP-connected Lighting System – Smart and Connected SSL Systems

4.0
Architectural Area Lighting, a Hubbell Lighting brand

Pursuit – Outdoor Landscape and Architectural SSL Design

Crystal IS

Klaran – Lighting for Health and Wellbeing

Dialight

Vigilant High Output High Bay – Industrial SSL Luminaire Design

Elemental LED

AlphaTECH Linear LED Lighting Solutions – Industrial SSL Luminaire Design

ERP Power LLC

CNB Series Programmable LED Driver with Wireless Lighting Controls – LED Drivers

Focal Point

Seem 1 Acoustic FSM1 – Lighting for Health and Wellbeing

Fluxwerx

Aperture – Indoor Decorative Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

Hubbell Control Solutions

PowerHUBB – Smart and Connected
SSL Systems

Igor

Igor PoE Emergency Network Node – Emergency SSL Luminaires, Modules, and Drivers

Khatod Optoelectronic Srl

Nactus 6×2 SIL Silicone Optical Systems – SSL Enabling Technologies – Optics, thermal, interconnect, etc.

Kim Lighting, a Hubbell Lighting brand

Ouro – Outdoor Street and Area SSL Luminaire Design

LED Linear

Mars Nano – Indoor Troffer, Track and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

LED Linear

Xoolux Nano – Outdoor Landscape and Architectural SSL Design

Litecontrol, a Hubbell Lighting Brand

Vora – Indoor Troffer, Track and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

Lumenpulse

Lumenquad – Outdoor Landscape and Architectural SSL Design

Lumileds

Luxeon V2 – Packaged LEDs and OLEDs

Lutron Electronics

Enterprise Vue – Smart and Connected
SSL Systems

Luxtech

LN-X Linear Cuttable White – Modular LED Light Engines

Nichia Corporation

Direct Mountable Chip Colors – Packaged LEDs and OLEDs

OLEDWorks LLC

Brite 3 FL300 Family, including Brite 3 LumiCurve Wave – Packaged LEDs
and OLEDs

Osram Digital Systems

Optotronic Programmable Compact LED Driver – LED Drivers

Osram Digital Systems

SensiLUM Wireless Integrated Sensor –
Smart and Connected SSL Enabling Technologies

Plessey Semiconductors Ltd

Hyperion LED Grow Light – Horticultural Lighting

Saco Technologies Inc.

Shockwave V-Stick S + S2 – Specialty
SSL Design

Seoul Semiconductor

NanoDriver – ICs and Electronic Components for SSL

Sunoptics Skylights and Daylighting Systems

LightFlex LED (SLFTL) Tubular Daylighting System with Tunable-White LED – Lighting for Health and Wellbeing

Telelumen LLC

Octa 8-channel Light Player – Lighting for Health and Wellbeing

Tempo

CLiP 4X – Outdoor Landscape and Architectural SSL Design

United Power Research Technology Corp.

UPRtek MK350S Premium Spectrometer – Tools and Tests in SSL Design

Vital Vio

VioSafe Antibacterial White Light LED – Lighting for Health and Wellbeing

4.25
Axis Lighting

Sculpt Mikrolite – Indoor Troffer, Track and Downlight SSL Luminaire Design

Circadian Light

DynamicBlu NightSafe Troffer Series – Lighting for Health and Wellbeing

Enlighted

Enlighted 5th Generation Smart Sensor –
Smart and Connected SSL Enabling Technologies

Fulham

eliteControl PoE 2-Channel LED Driver – LED Drivers

LED Engin

LZ7 Plus 50W 7-Die Multicolor LED
Emitter – Packaged LEDs and OLEDs

LED Linear

VarioLED Flex Venus 3D True Color – Modular LED Light Engines

Lumenpulse

Lumenfaçade Nano – Outdoor Landscape and Architectural SSL Design

Lumileds

Luxeon CZ Color Line – Packaged LEDs
and OLEDs

Nichia Corporation

Nichia Optisolis – Packaged LEDs
and OLEDs

Osram Digital Systems

Encelium Extend – Smart and Connected SSL Systems

Osram Opto Semiconductors

Oslon Pure 1010 – Packaged LEDs and OLEDs

Seoul Semiconductor

SunLike Series LEDs – Lighting for Health and Wellbeing

4.50
BIOS Lighting

BIOS Bio-dimming – Lighting for Health and Wellbeing

Columbia Lighting, a Hubbell Lighting brand

Peloton High Performance High Bay – Industrial SSL Luminaire Design

Cree, Inc.

XLamp eTone COB LEDs – Packaged LEDs and OLEDs

Hubbell Outdoor Lighting

Intercept – Outdoor Street and Area SSL Luminaire Design

Lumenpulse

Lumenbeam Inground – Outdoor Landscape and Architectural SSL Design

Nulite Lighting

Sero – Indoor Decorative Pendant SSL Luminaire Design

About the Author

Carrie Meadows | Editor-in-Chief, LEDs Magazine

Carrie Meadows has more than 20 years of experience in the publishing and media industry. She worked with the PennWell Technology Group for more than 17 years, having been part of the editorial staff at Solid State Technology, Microlithography World, Lightwave, Portable Design, CleanRooms, Laser Focus World, and Vision Systems Design before the group was acquired by current parent company Endeavor Business Media.

Meadows has received finalist recognition for LEDs Magazine in the FOLIO Eddie Awards, and has volunteered as a judge on several B2B editorial awards committees. She received a BA in English literature from Saint Anselm College, and earned thesis honors in the college's Geisel Library. Without the patience to sit down and write a book of her own, she has gladly undertaken the role of editor for the writings of friends and family.

Meadows enjoys living in the beautiful but sometimes unpredictable four seasons of the New England region, volunteering with an animal shelter, reading (of course), and walking with friends and extended "dog family" in her spare time.