Stadium lighting, stage lighting, flashlights and retail spotlights; these are all applications that require high intensity light sources and that could benefit from the energy saving characteristics of LED technology.
The keys to achieving a high intensity light source are for the luminaire to possess all of the following characteristics:
Until now this is where LEDs have required the acceptance of a certain degree of compromise. Delivering a small apparent optical source meant limiting the overall area of the LED die at the heart of the device. This in turn limited the amount of light that could be generated within the package and resulted in a lower lumen output.
The following table outlines the typical performance differences between smaller die components such as the XP-E2, and larger die components, based on their use with an off-the-shelf 20mm diameter TIR optic. Note how the XP-E2 emits less than 25% of the lumens of an XP-L but delivers a maximum intensity (Cd) that is 28% higher than the more powerful component.
| XP-E2 | XP-G2 | XP-L | |
| Beam Angle | 8° | 11° | 17° |
| Cd/Im | 40.3 | 20.5 | 7.8 |
| Max Im | 309 Im | 590 Im | 1250 Im |
| Max Cd | 12,450 cd | 12,095 cd | 10.4W |
| Power @ Max Im | 3.3W | 4.9W | 10.4W |
| Cd/W | 3,772 | 2,468 | 937 |
As a result, Cree has gone back to the drawing board and developed a range of new High Intensity LED components, coupling small apparent optical sources with a highly efficient primary lens system that is designed to maximise light extraction.
The high intensity primary optic design is available as part of the XP-L High Intensity and XHP35 High Intensity components, with the planned addition of further new high intensity devices in the coming months.
So how can you maximise the benefits of this new technology? As a fully integrated LED solutions provider Forge can not only help you design and manufacture a high intensity LED light engine, but also go further and help you develop a custom LED optic to extract the maximum performance of the LED technology. We can tune the custom lens solution it to the exact photometric requirements of your application, whilst considering and wherever possible accommodating the mechanical and aesthetic demands of your finished lighting product.
