LED industrial lighting: benefits, types and example projects
LEDs provide the ideal solution for optimising costs and the quality of industrial lighting. Not only that, they are beneficial for health and safety – fundamental concepts in working environments – when used correctly, as we will explain.
This article addresses...
- CHALLENGES TO LIGHTING INDUSTRIAL UNITS
- BENEFITS OF PROPER INDUSTRIAL LIGHTING
- RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
- NOTABLE SECOM PROJECTS
Challenges to lighting industrial units
There are many challenges involved in industrial LED lighting. The following factors must be considered:
- Workplace risk prevention. These spaces exist for a specific purpose: industrial activity involving people.
- Possible glare. This affects comfort and performance.
- Location of the luminaires.
- The light tone.
- Energy efficiency.
- Light level regulation.
These are just some matters that need to be taken into account.
Adequate lighting in work areas
Work areas must have adequate lighting for the work carried out there. Regulations as regards minimum lighting criteria, lighting distribution, colour rendering and glare must be followed to ensure that the facility operates within the law.
Luminaire maintenance and degradation
Luminaires and the place they are installed must be maintained and checked to ensure the proper operation of any industrial unit. A series of tasks should be carried out encompassing precautionary actions, legal stipulations and prohibitive measures.
The tasks include the following:
- Inspection of access chambers, earth wires, switches on the main panel and differentials, etc.
- Cleaning of mechanisms and luminaires using dry cloths.
- Inspection of protection mechanisms.
- Checking of spaces to prevent possible obstruction of grates and of the meter room.
This topic is vitally important and encompasses several procedures and recommendations, from specific cleaning instructions to the use, maintenance and control of potentially dangerous access points.
Luminaires should be replaced once they have exceeded their average lifespan. Complete groups and lighting areas should ideally be replaced together.
Energy efficiency and savings
Energy consumption is one of the most important considerations when it comes to the profitability of an industrial facility. Hence, the widespread shift from traditional fluorescent discharge lighting systems to LEDs.
This change has required an initial investment in many industries. However, the more than 40% reduction in energy consumption compared with conventional luminaires soon balances out the cost.
Exploiting natural light
The use of natural light is crucial to achieving additional energy savings in a first-rate industrial lighting system. Work areas must be properly zoned at the project design stage with regard to the location of the light sensors and for deciding which sensors control which luminaires within the DALI system.
Dimming
Switches and dimming enable resource optimisation and lighting modulation in combination with optimal lighting quality and good energy efficiency.
Legal requirements
Any industrial lighting system must comply with the provisions of EN 12464-1:2012, the European standard on the lighting of indoor workplaces, which includes a section on industry.
Benefits of proper industrial lighting
When lighting is properly thought through, it results in several benefits for industrial spaces. Here are a few:
Reduced consumption
Proper use of LEDs can reduce energy consumption by around 40%, and when combined with light and presence detectors the savings can exceed 50%.
High performance and longer useful life
There has been a qualitative leap in the useful life and performance of LED technology compared with older systems. Industrial lighting is often in use for long hours. This means that, ideally, LEDs should have ceramic-based semiconductors and be used appropriately to ensure that the luminaire has a useful life of at least 100,000 hours or greater (according to L80B10) at the ambient temperature of the facility.
Improved safety
When quality LED devices are used in these types of facilities, in compliance with the relevant legal provisions, it results in comfortable and safe environments for the performance of industrial and other activity. This includes factors such as visual comfort and colour rendering.
Operational time and reactivation
LEDs provide instant lighting – huge progress with respect to older lighting systems. And, they can be turned on and off multiple times with no negative impact on their useful life.
Heat reduction
LED luminaires emit less light than other fixtures and have less of an effect on work areas.
Colour temperature
The choice of colour temperature can be a psychological or aesthetic matter. It depends on the light level, ambient colours, climate and use of the space. Industrial environments generally use neutral to cold colour temperatures.
Colour rendering
Most industrial activities require colour rendering over 80, though certain activities with low lighting requirements such as cement or concrete drying can be carried out further down the index to optimise lighting performance.
In such cases, colour rendering over 20 is acceptable provided safety colours are discernible.
Other, high-lighting activities require strict discernment of colours and colour rendering over 90.
Better human performance
All the aforementioned factors create pleasant working environments that enable people to conduct their work as efficiently and productively as possible.
Recommended products
Industrial luminaires have to be robust and should have a rating of at least IP65 and IK08. They also have high luminous flux.
Here are the main industrial luminaire models:
Bell lights
These industrial luminaires are designed to be hung. They are easy to install and most use symmetrical optics since the rotational position of the light has no effect once the fixture is suspended.
Floodlights
These are designed to fit inside a moveable housing unit. They must have an angle rule and be installed in accordance with the rotation angles specified in the lighting project.
Notable SECOM projects
SECOM supplies a range of exceptionally high quality industrial luminaires which are fully customisable to meet the specific requirements of each industrial facility.
Crown Food (Konak and Ecodut K2)
We used the Konak N2 LED inside the facility and the Ecodut K2 LED outside. The light output of the latter was programmed in accordance with the time of day.
Forged Tool logistical warehouse
An ambitious industrial lighting project for a logistical warehouse with DALI sensor system. We used the Konak N2 200W luminaire.
Our experience shows how appropriate LED industrial lighting can lead to greater profitability, comfort, safety and durability. All in all, an achievable and economical goal when the technology is used correctly.
