Interview - E-Line LED, Klaas Keur

Mr Keur, as Product Manager in the industrial sector you have responsibility for continuous line luminaires for which the E-Line LED was also developed. Which application demands exist in the industrial sector and how are these fulfilled by the E-Line LED?

Klaas Keur: “The special requirements for industrial lighting also include guaranteeing occupational safety and optimal production conditions for employees at all times and in all conditions. High ceilings for example are often found in industrial halls and it’s here that E-Line LED is very flexible and completely reliable: various optics, light colours and a luminous flux of between 4,000 and 20,000 lumens enable flexible applications in warehouses and production halls and this in turn allows production areas to be illuminated according to needs, as well as narrow aisles between shelf racking for example.

For operators of industrial buildings it’s also important that lighting costs are kept to a minimum. The E-Line LED is especially cost-efficient here: purchase prices are low, while energy efficiency with a luminous efficiency of up to 148 lm/W* is high. This reduces operating costs so that the pay-back period of the luminaire is very short. Also, E-Line is really good in terms of the low maintenance that is typical for LED lighting and this also keeps costs low.”

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What makes this product an optimum lighting solution for both the industrial and shop/retail sectors?

Klaas Keur: “Fundamentally, the E-Line LED features harmonious, low-contrast light and outstanding lighting quality within the complete range of industrial and retail applications. In sales spaces for example, the luminaires can be equipped with a special, double asymmetric distribution optic to display goods in exactly the right light. Spotlights can also be fitted into the trunking system for accent lighting purposes.

The continuous line is also very easy to install, which saves both time and money with refurbishments: installers can install the system without tools, simply and quickly in existing E-Line T5 and T8 trunking. We can even provide customers with a solution for the X-Line predecessor model upon request. In upgrading situations when corresponding trunking already exist, savings are then also possible in terms of material use.

And a further advantage: with E-Line LED, various components such as gear trays, LEDs and optics are already integrated into a finished, compact unit. The low spatial requirements simplifies storage and transport, reduces packaging material and also makes the complete solution more environmentally friendly. In addition to this, the use of LED technology also achieves significant energy savings compared to standard lamps.”

The special conditions for use in industry often place tough demands on the robustness and operating life of lighting installations – for example due to high dust and soiling levels. How does E-Line LED cope with that?

Klaas Keur: “Fundamentally, the effort for maintenance is pretty low anyway with the use of LED. Even with extreme temperature differences between -15 °C and +50 °C that are often found in industrial halls, LEDs guarantee a service life of 50,000 operating hours.

E-Line LED has been designed to keep maintenance effort extremely low, even with high levels of dirt and dust. We’ve achieved this with the flat, sealed surface of the optic and this makes the continuous line less sensitive to soiling and dust and makes it perform for longer.

Even if the optic does get dirty, it can be easily cleaned. We also offer complete IP50/IP54 versions, to also be used in applications demanding high hygiene standards such as the food industry.”

Which accessories are needed for E-Line LED?

Klaas Keur: “The light sources and the optical system are already integrated into the gear tray, so that E-Line LED does not require any further accessories. This means the system can be simply and rapidly installed and it can also be stored and transported with low space requirements. Even with new installations, only trunking and corresponding mounting hardware is needed.”

The topic of light management in the industrial sector has now become much more important. How does this effect energy savings?

Klaas Keur: “In the industrial environment the theme of lighting is somewhat challenging because the requirements for different areas often vary greatly: in production areas for example, wide light distribution systems are needed, whereas in storage areas narrow distribution luminaires make it easier to work. Custom light management systems make lighting even more efficient and suitable for individual needs. Warehouses for example are often without windows and are characterised by a high level of “through-transport” and areas that are frequented to varying degrees. These are ideal conditions to drastically cut energy costs with presence detection.

With the use of presence detection, only those areas are illuminated where work actually takes place, while light in the unused zones is consistently inactive. Production halls on the other hand are usually used from wall to wall and throughout the complete work time. These also usually have windows to allow a certain level of daylight. Here it makes sense to install daylight-dependent control to reduce energy costs. In such situations, special sensors register the ingress and the level of natural light and add only that component of light which is required to reach the desired lighting level again. It’s often sensible to combine both systems – meaning a light management system with presence detection and daylight-dependent control – to fully exploit existing cost saving potential, whether this concerns warehouses, production halls or office areas and for this reason we’ve developed specific light management gear trays for the complete range of applications.”