Passive Light Guides feature software-optimized design.
Press Release Summary:
Designed with ray-trace software to ensure minimal light loss and consistent performance, Light Pipes carry light from board-mounted SMT or leaded LEDs to desired location. LED can be mounted according to dictates of circuit board layout, while light itself can appear in location, size, and/or shape that best suits design of product. Light Pipes include 50+ devices in 4 general categories: Light Bars, Vertical Arrays, Light Transporters, and Right Angle Light Pipes.
Original Press Release:
Lumex Passive Light Pipes and Guides Offer Unequaled Performance Thru Sophisticated Software Modeling
PALATINE, IL--Lumex is offering enhanced performance from its Light Pipes family of passive light guides. These devices, which carry light from board-mounted surface-mount or leaded LEDs to front panels, displays, switches, or virtually any desired location, now benefit from advanced design technologies such as ray-trace software. This ensures the lowest possible light loss and the most consistent performance. In addition, the use of software modeling for Light Pipes significantly reduces design time and expense, allowing Light Pipe users to get their product to market as quickly as possible.
Lumex Light Pipes give engineers additional packaging options and design freedom by allowing the LED to be mounted according to the dictates of the circuit board layout, while the light itself can appear in the location, size, and/or shape that best suits the ergonomic design of the product. These light guides can be used in a variety of applications such as front panel indicators, legend lighting, status or level indicators, and switch illumination.
While products comparable to Light Pipes have been available from other manufacturers, only Lumex can offer them with lower design and tooling costs-and with proven optical performance. These capabilities are due to Lumex's experience and their sophisticated design process in which the 3D CAD designs are subjected to ray tracing analysis. This powerful simulation software maximizes the intensity and uniformity of the transported light, while minimizing the amount of unwanted light loss. Controlling loss is essential for providing a clear, accurate visual indication where bends and angles are used.
Since the "trial-and-error" development of the Light Pipes is performed in software--instead of the more common prototyping--engineering time is minimized and up-front costs are significantly reduced. The quality and cost-effectiveness of the product is further ensured by the considerable expertise of the Lumex design team.
The Light Pipes family includes more than 50 different devices in four general categories: Light Bars, Vertical Arrays, Light Transporters, and Right Angle Light Pipes. Light Bars conduct and spread light from LEDs to provide a uniformly-lit square or rectangular area. Vertical Arrays transport light vertically up (or down), directly on the axis of the LEDs, or parallel to it. These arrays are available with any number of individual pipes, depending on the application. Light Transporters carry light from a single LED to a front panel or viewing location that's up to 25 meters (80 feet) away. The final category, Right Angle Light Pipes, allows light to 'turn corners' to get to front panels, or to provide fault indication. These devices contain from one to several individual pipes, and many can be ganged or stacked to create almost any configuration.
Samples of certain Light Pipe models are available from stock, with production quantities in 6-10 weeks. Pricing varies widely, depending on model ordered, options specified, and quantity requested. Light Pipes are available in low minimum quantities, and their special design allows many of the variants to be produced using existing tooling.
For more information on Lumex Light Pipes, visit www.lumex.com to see stock Light Pipe items in the Product Gallery. Or, to receive Lumex's Opto-Component Solutions Guide free of charge, contact Lumex, Sales Department, 290 E. Helen Rd., Palatine, IL 60067 USA. Phone: 1-800-278-5666. FAX: 1-847-359-8904. E-mail: lmxsales@lumex.com World Wide Web: www.lumex.com. In Asia, contact Lumex's Asian Pacific Headquarters at 3F, No. 972, Sec. 4, Chung Hsing Rd., Chu Dung, Hsin Chu County, Taiwan, ROC. Phone: +886-3-582-1124. FAX: +886-3-582-1154. World Wide Web (in Chinese): www.lumex.com.tw
Lumex is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of opto- and photo-electronic components, devices and displays. These products are used mostly in the man-to-machine interface, and in some cases, for the detection of motion, short-range signaling, and fiber communications. Lumex now offers over 4,000 items, with an emphasis on custom and application-specific parts for the North American, Asian and European markets.
The company is headquartered in Palatine, Illinois and Chu Dung, Hsin Chu County, Taiwan ROC, with manufacturing facilities in Illinois, Taiwan and China, and distributors throughout North America, Europe and the Pacific Rim. Since its inception in 1980, Lumex was established as a global organization offering application-specific solutions-but with the manufacturing efficiencies normally associated only with volume operations. Lumex received its initial ISO 9001 registration in 1996.
