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EBV Elektronik, an Avnet company and the leading semiconductor specialist in EMEA, is one of the first companies in the European semiconductor distribution industry to offer customers access to a light laboratory. Here, they can perform all relevant photometric and radiometric light measurements in accordance with specifications from the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage, the international commission on light. From using spectroradiometers and goniophotometers to thermal imagers, the complete spectrum of products from individual LEDs right up to the complete luminaires are covered in the EBVLightLab.
Many luminaire manufacturers would like to make the leap from conventional filament and (C)FL lamps to LED lighting, but currently have neither the necessary design expertise nor the expensive measuring equipment. For many years now, EBV Elektronik has been helping these customers with their designs as part of its EBVLightSpeed activities.
Starting in February 2012, EBV Elektronik will offer its customers a new service at its headquarters in Poing, near Munich: the light laboratory known as EBVLightLab. EBV Elektronik is now one of the first companies in the European semiconductor distribution industry to allow its customers to perform radiometric and photometric measurements across the entire light chain: from measurements on individual LEDs or LED modules and comparative measurements of light sources (e.g. light bulbs versus CFL or LED solutions) right up to the complete measurement of entire luminaires. This will give even smaller companies access to exclusive, high-precision measuring technology.
EBV Elektronik will also hold training and customer seminars in the new EBVLightLab. In these training seminars, EBV will discuss the differences, advantages and disadvantages of the various light sources and give tips on optimum implementation of luminaires adapted to the relevant application. The LightLab has also proven to be of outstanding value in training the company's own FAE team. In the medium term, EBV also intends to develop dedicated reference designs for LED lighting.
"The EBVLightLab is a further milestone in the field of individual customer support. We are very proud to be leading the European semiconductor distribution industry by offering customers access to an ultra-modern light laboratory featuring state-of-the-art equipment," stated Bruce Lynch, vertical segment director at EBVLightSpeed. "The EBVLightLab allows customers to calculate and evaluate their lighting projects even more quickly and efficiently, thereby considerably shortening their time to market. A further key element in the EBVLightLab is the EBVLightAcadamy. In addition to on-site training in the EBVLightLab, the EBVLightAcadamy will also offer online training, thereby allowing all our EMEA customers to take part in these seminars live in the form of webinars," says Lynch.
Reference-class measurement devices
When selecting the equipment for the EBVLightLab, EBV made investments in the six-figure euro region and quite deliberately opted for an entire range of highly professional devices, most of which are manufactured in Germany. The list of the measuring devices includes two integrating spheres for 2Π (half-space) and 4Π (full-space) measurements, a spectroradiometer for reference measurements, a goniophotometer, a luminance spotmeter and a luxmeter. This product range is complemented by special measurement/evaluation and control software, universal multimetres, a thermal camera and supplementary tools.
Integrating spheres with a diameter of 250 mm and 1,000 mm
At first glance, the most noticeable elements in the EBVLightLab are the two integrating spheres, where the luminous flux and radiant power are measured. These measurements are necessary for determining the luminous efficiency (measured in lumen per watt). In addition, the colourimetry measurements of the quantitative spectral distribution are performed and the colour temperature and colour rendering index determined. The EBVLightLab contains two integrating spheres: a 2Π sphere with a diameter of 250 mm and a 4Π sphere with a diameter of 1,000 mm.
For example, the small integrating sphere is where individual LEDs are measured or selected. The 250 mm integrating sphere allows the engineers to measure the semi-spherical space (steradian: 2Π) above a small circuit board, and hence an LED.
However, an appropriately sized 4Π sphere is required for measuring light in all directions . For this reason, EBV has also acquired an integrating sphere with an internal diameter of 1,000 mm (steradian: 4Π) for 'circular measurements', in addition to the 250 mm sphere. This large 4Π integrating sphere is also very well suited for comparative measurements or for the CIE-compliant measurement of high-power LEDs and of entire light sources with an edge length of up to 90 cm.
Spectroradiometer
A core element in the entire measuring technology in the EBVLightLab is the spectroradiometer CAS 140CT-156 from Instrument Systems, the market leader in the field of LED measuring technology. This precision device has been designed for reference measurements in industry in 24-hour continuous operation. It measures the spectral power distribution of a light source of 1,100 nm (infra red) with millisecond accuracy via the visible light right up into the UV area at 300 nm – with a data point interval of 0.8 nm over a very high intensity measuring range of nine decades, which corresponds to a dynamic range of 1:1,000,000,000.
The entire measuring value output takes place via the USB bus on a PC / laptop / notebook, after which the SpecWin PRO software processes the values in Windows (XP and higher). Not only does this software deliver the measurement data in the form of individual items of data in a table, it also displays the spectral distribution and position in the colour diagram in graphic form. In this way, the software also calculates the colour temperature, the colour rendering index and the lighting current in Lumen units on the basis of the measuring values.
Using a plug-in, the SpecWinPRO software controls a Keithley source metre. This means that the entire measurement process can be controlled by software – from the electrical activation of the LED to the details of the data output and data preparation. The light to be measured reaches the analysis device via CIE-compliant optical probes and a fibre-optic cable.
Goniophotometer
With the aid of a goniophotometer of type LEDGON 100 from Instrument Systems, EBV is able to determine the angle-dependent directional characteristics of individual LEDs and smaller LED modules – and this with an angular resolution of 0.1°
throughout the entire half-space in the beam direction of the LED. In combination with the spectroradiometer CAS 140CT already mentioned above, this will also enable EBV to measure various spectral parameters such as colour co-ordinates or colour temperature as a function of angle. Since a number of different parameters of white LEDs – such as the colour temperature – vary significantly with the beam angle, goniophotometric measurements play a very important role.
The SpecWin Pro software is again used on the goniophotometer for the processing and presentation of the measurements, which are then available in the export formats IES and EULUMDAT for further processing. These data formats represent the characteristic beam data for an LED, and they can then be used as the starting data for the simulation of a complete lamp.
Additional measuring instruments
EBV has added the TI25 infrared camera from Fluke, the Mavo-Spot 2 luminance spotmeter and the Mavolux 5032B USB luxmeter from Gossen to its range of measuring instruments. In addition, a number of universal multimeters that can be used to measure effective power values are also available in the EBVLightLab. Equipment for PC-based temperature measuring and monitoring is also available.
Various pieces of equipment ranging from small tools through miniature drills to stations for soldering LEDs onto a star board ensure that users can carry out small modifications or repairs directly in the EBVLightLab themselves.
EBV representatives are available For more information, please visit the EBVLightLab website or contact your EBV representative..
About EBV Elektronik
EBV Elektronik, an Avnet (NYSE: AVT) company, was founded in 1969 and is the leading specialist in European semiconductor distribution. EBV maintains its successful strategy of personal commitment to customers and excellent services. 250 Technical Sales Specialists provide a strong focus on a selected group of long-term manufacturing partners. 120 continuously trained Application Specialists offer extensive application know-how and design expertise. Warehouse operations, complete logistics solutions and value-added services such as programming, taping & reeling and laser marking are fulfilled by Avnet Logistics, EBV's logistical backbone and Europe's largest service centre. EBV operates from 60 offices in 28 countries throughout EMEA (Europe – Middle East – Africa). For more information about EBV Elektronik, please visit www.ebv.com.
Editor Contact EBV Elektronik:
Bernd Schlemmer
Director Communications
Im Technologiepark 2-8
85586 Poing
bernd.schlemmer@ebv.com
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