Lighting Solution Simplifies LED Design

A new design platform aims tohelp engineers select LEDs, drivers, wiring, heat sinks and virtually everyother component that's need in an LED-based lighting system.

Known as the Nevalo SSL system, the new platform purportsto speed the LED (light-emitting diode) design process and help engineers gettheir products to market faster. The maker of the platform, TE Connectivity(formerly known as Tyco Electronics), says it is making a special effort totarget mechanical engineers who aren't yet familiar with the controls, opticsand heat transfer issues associated with LED-based systems.

"We're trying to make thissimple, so that non-electrical engineers can match up their drivers to theright light modules," notes Rob Rix, vice president of lighting communicationsand industrial solutions for TE Connectivity. "With this, you don't have tolearn the electronics, you don't have to learn how to source an LED, and youdon't have to learn all the thermal management aspects of it."          

The Nevalo system includes morethan 60 LED light module options ranging from 300 to 3,400 lumens, along withoptics, drivers, dimmer controls, temperature monitoring, wiring and heat sinksfor thermal management. Printed circuit boards are stamped with forward voltagenumbers to help designers match them to the proper drivers, and are color-codedto enable engineers to choose the right module for their application's inputcurrent.           

TE Connectivity also developed athermal test instrument for the system. "They can take the thermal board, putit in a fixture, plug it to their PC through a USB (port), and instantly get areadout of the thermal performance of their system," Rix says. The testinstrument uses green, yellow and red lights to let users know if their systemincludes sufficient heat dissipation capabilities.

"It normally takes a designer along time to figure out an LED lighting system," Rix says. "We're trying tosimplify that and speed their time to market by giving them the right tools."