CREE XLamp MH-BXlamp MH-B by CREE
CREE's Xlamp MH-B series address two of the biggest issues in LED product development over the last couple of years.
The Xlamp MH-B series, are high powered LEDs, optimized for low system manufacturing costs.
In solid state lighting products, more and more often we see manufacturs choosing the higher performing mid-powered leds in their system design, because of their competitive pricing and economic power consumption.
The reponse of LED manufacturing companies has been to release high voltage versions of mid-powered LEDs, such as philips lumiled's LUXEON series.
However, mid-powered leds of course have their limits, and even though they suffice for a great variety of applications. In the more demaning product ranges such as high bay emitters, and streetlighting, mid-powered LEDs might simply lose the battle on sheer lumen output.
Introducing CREE's high power, low system cost, LED package. The Xlamp MH-B series
Cree addresses the said problem by releasing the very first high power, low system cost LED package. The MH-B series.
In many cases, within the total costs of a LED lighting product, the LED components comprises around 30%. With the eye on cutting LED component expenses, many manufacturers replace more expensive high power LEDs with a larger amount of low cost, mid power leds, in order to push down total system costs.
The problem with this, according to CREE's head of marketing, is that the other components, such as circuitboard costs, optics and assembleys, are prone to becomming much higher.
One example given, is a printed circuitboard, for an application such as a 1200 lumen downlight. For such an application up to 40 mid powered LEDs would be needed, where just 3 of the new MH-B LEDs could do the job. The printed circuit board, needed for the former would because of the sheer size of fitting 40 components be much more expensive. The same goes for optical components. Having to direct 40 LED light sources, will increase the costs for secundairy optics drastically in comparisson to just 3 high powered light sources.
Another problem that is addressed when choosing a high powered product over a mid powered one for high lumen output systems, is that mid powered led systems, who are not originally designed for theses tasks, are plagued with problems regarding color consistency and lumen maintainence.
Applications for the new high power, lowe costs LED system Xlamp MH-B
The applications mostly envisioned with the development of this new LED package, are high bay and low bay lighting solutions, as well as outdoor streetlighting.
These are the areas in which manufacturers are trying to lower system design costs, by replacing the quality high power LEDs with cheaper mid power ones.
It is in this are that CREE wants to cater to the needs of designers and solve the issue.
Examples of the Xlamp MH-B in use
In the following video some imagery is shown of the MH-B series in running use. What is noticable is it's preferred choice in said high bay and low bay system designs, where we van clearly see the compactness of the complete product.
Customizing using 3D printed optics to lower system design costs even further
The Xlamp MH-B was designed by CREE to lower high power system design costs. As can be read in this article, the problem with choosing mid power leds, is that other component costs such as secundairy optics can be much higher.
When choosing a high power solution, the optical component can, along with the entire system, stay more compact.
LUXeXceL strives, to go even further, and as CREE introduced compact low costs high power LEDs, LUXeXceL offers customizable quality optics.
The optical component in some cases is responsible for up to 30% of the complete lighting product.
These costs include prototyping the optic to reach the desired end result in lighting imagery.
It's for this specific part of the BOM (Bill of materials) that LUXeXceL can make a diference
Rapid prototyping optics using 3D printed optics
The patented Printoptical process, allows for rapid manufacturing of optical parts such as secondairy lenses for LED lighting applications.
Using LUXeXceL's service, manufacturers are able to cut their prototyping costs, or cut expenses on other development steps for custom optical components in a lighting project.
www.luxexcel.com