How to develop innovative components for LED lights

How an injection moulding specialist and light designer cooperate to develop innovative components for Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights.

Injection moulding specialist, Starlim//Sterner, together with light designer firm, Bartenbach, discusses the innovative new optical attachment for LED lights. This attachment will aim to ensure homogeneous distribution of light in every beam angle. It is thought that the mixing dome will create lasting and unique lighting effects on both public and private buildings.

Bartenbach has been developing lighting solutions for over 30 years. With a skilled team of 75 specialists the company are able to draw upon experts for every significant stage from light planning and design, to development of its own and customised lenses.

In addition to targeted illumination and lighting of spaces and surfaces, Bartenbach always considers the physiological and psychological impact of a lighting concept on behalf of its customers. This is because research and development are, of course, of paramount importance. Christian Reisecker, project manager at Bartenbach  comments: “We value our long cooperation with Starlim//Sterner, very highly. It's a perfect combination of silicone injection moulding experience with our light design expertise, continually producing unique, innovative product solutions.”

The latest product of the cooperation between Bartenbach and Starlim//Sterner is the RMJ mixing dome. This dome is a highly transparent silicone optical attachment which aims to offers multiple advantages. Silicone’s properties are able to be exploited to the maximum in the innovative RMJ mixing dome.

Lenses are light-diffusing elements that, as in this case, are positioned in front of LED chips to ensure light diffusion and homogenisation through reflection or refraction. In contrast to conventional solutions such as polymethylmethacrylate or polycarbonate elements, the adhesive force of the silicone lens means it clings to the LED module like a seal, simultaneously providing protection against all external influences.

Silicone also possesses electrically insulating properties that provide touch protection. The enormous ultraviolet and heat resistance of the material means that the proximity to the light source is completely uncritical in this regard. The silicone type selected for this special application is highly transparent, has transmission properties comparable to glass and does not yellow in the long term.

A high-end silicone optical attachment has been developed in cooperation with Bartenbach which is extremely thin and distinguished by undercuts and additional freeform surfaces of the highest quality and dimensional accuracy.

Thomas Setz, business area manager at Starlim//Sterner concludes: “Our core competencies include being a co-designer and developer for our customers and partners. Aside from jointly selecting the best material for the application, we also cooperate to develop an optimum component and mould geometry for mass production. We have also upgraded our machine technology to produce the polished microfacetted surface of the RMJ mixing dome which, in turn, ensures the desired lighting effect”.