The light fantastic: Perspex® Light

The lighting industry has evolved at breakneck speed over the past decade, with LED technology in particular emerging as the dominant light source on the market. As the performance of LEDs improves, the materials used to diffuse these direct light sources must keep pace. This has prompted the Perspex® brand team to develop a collection of innovative acrylic products that enhance the performance of LED luminaires used to illuminate rooms or spaces in either commercial, industrial or decorative areas.

At Frankfurt’s upcoming Light + Building trade fair, Lucite International will present its Perspex® Light range of cell-cast acrylic sheet products optimised for LED lighting applications. Lucite International is part of the Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, and is the global leader in the design, development and manufacture of acrylic-based products. By applying its expert knowledge of acrylic to the field of lighting design, it has developed a solution that surpasses all existing products on the market.

The Perspex® brand has been a reliable presence in the lighting industry for decades, having predominantly been associated with illuminated advertising, and over the past 15-20 years it has focused on lighting products using more traditional lamp sources. More recently it has concentrated on the light-guide panels and diffusers used in combination with LEDs to create a new generation of luminaires. These panels are an essential part of LED lighting designs, as they help to achieve or maintain the desired light transmission, distribution and colour temperature. The key benefit of the Perspex® Light range in this context is its unrivalled optical clarity, which results in higher light output and more even illumination than other thermoplastics. “Our in-house research and development team focused on creating products that provide optimal light transmission and maximum diffusion,” explains Perspex® Light Product Manager, Beccy Jepson, “which allows lighting manufacturers to produce more efficient luminaires.”

The Perspex® Light range helps to improve the performance of either back- or edge-illuminated light panels. Back-lit panels feature LEDs arranged across the back of the panel, projecting light through a diffuser placed on the front. Edge-lit panels are slimmer, with the LEDs positioned along two sides of an acrylic sheet that guides the light across its width to create an illuminated surface, with a diffuser placed in front giving evenness. The type and quality of acrylic used in both options impacts the performance and ultimately the overall cost of the luminaire.

Perspex® Edge is an optimised light-guide panel for edge illumination. Various grade options in different thicknesses ensure best performance in panels of different widths. The latest particulate filled technology of Perspex® Edge, along with the excellent long path light transmission of acrylic achieve superior, brightness and evenness in thinner units. Perspex® Diffuse’s unique technology also features a matt surface designed to enhance the diffusion when used in both back-lit and edge-lit panels for lighting, as well as for illuminated advertising and display applications. Its advanced diffusion technology reduces hotspots and provides excellent colour correlation to maintain the correct tone of light, from warm white to natural daylight. Both of these products have been designed to give the light unit optimal performance and efficiency.

With over 80 years of manufacturing experience to call on, Perspex® provides all the options lighting engineers might need to achieve their desired effect. In-house product development and flexible manufacturing capabilities mean that bespoke items can be produced, while technical specialists are on hand to assist with specific requests. “Our cell-cast manufacturing process means we are very flexible in terms of what we can offer,” adds Jepson, “Every luminaire variant or light-box panel is designed differently, and we understand how essential it is that our Perspex® acrylic sheet within the luminaire can be sampled by light panel engineers in their own products. To this end, we have a comprehensive standard and custom sampling process which is supported by our manufacturing and R&D flexibility.”

Visitors to the Light + Building show will be able to witness firsthand the enhanced performance of the Perspex® Light range. “We’ll be focusing on demonstrating the products, because seeing really is believing when it comes to the difference in quality,” says Jepson. For engineers or product developers working on the next generation of LED luminaires, it could be a bright idea to stop by and learn more about how the Perspex® brand is improving light transmission for all sorts of illumination applications.

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