Digimax consulting to create certified solutions for LED lighting

 

Digimax is capable of supporting the world of professional lighting and in particular of LED Lighting, together with a vast range of interconnected products within the Lighting supply chain. The proofs are successfully certified solutions for LED lighting indoor and outdoor environments. A brief guide on the main lighting regulations to know in Europe and Italy, for LED Lighting projects for companies and professionals. Modern LED Lighting technologies continue to evolve rapidly. The development of new products for LED lighting systems brings with it innovations and updates on certification requirements, to determine the quality of the products and the different applications in specific markets.

The certification of LED lighting products requires compliance with a series of reference lighting standards relating to the safety, conformity and design of lighting systems and appliances to allow them to be placed on the market. The certification process for LED lighting fixtures envisages an initial technical and construction evaluation, a series of tests and instrumental tests to verify the essential requirements for compliance with the regulations, and a final phase of issuing the certifications.

 

The main regulations for LED lighting in Europe and Italy

LED lighting systems, products and appliances used in Italy and in Europe must comply with the guidelines for CE marking and with the applicable European directives. The regulatory technical framework referring to LED lighting includes lighting standards from UNI, the Italian National Unification Body, and others from CEI, the Italian Electrotechnical Committee.

These are the main lighting regulations according to some areas:

• Standards relating to performance and requirements (for example ref. UNI 10840, UNI 11248, UNI 12464);
• Technical standards relating to lighting systems (ref. CEI 64-7 and CEI 64.8);
• Specific standards relating to lighting products (ref. CEI EN 60598).

Specifically, the regulatory standard for lighting fixtures is almost entirely made up of the CEI EN 60598:2015 standards – a set of lighting engineering standards divided into:

 

CEI EN 60598-1: Lighting fixtures, part 1: general requirements and tests

This first part of the standard specifies the general requirements that are applicable to most lighting fixtures, with supply voltages up to 1000V, together with the related electrical, thermal, mechanical and photobiological safety tests.

 

CEI EN 60598-2: Lighting fixtures, part 2: particular requirements

The second parts of the CEI lighting standard, on the other hand, indicate the specific requirements relating to a particular type of luminaire or group of luminaires, powered with voltages not exceeding 1000V, applied in specific contexts and conditions of use. We can mention, for example:

• standards relating to individual appliances: night lights, projectors, portable lamps, neon tubes, light chains, low voltage lamps, etc.
• rules relating to groups of luminaires: fixed, recessed, portable, emergency lighting products, with transformers or converters, with low temperatures, etc.
• standards for particular applications: lighting fixtures for photos and films, for swimming pools, for air treatment, for aquariums, etc.
• standards for specific contexts: street lighting fixtures, stage and cinema lighting, hospital and healthcare lighting, etc.

Among the other CEI lighting standards related to products for LED Lighting systems, we mention:

• EN 62504: standards on LED products and related equipment
• EN 62722: standards on LED lighting fixtures
• EN 61347, EN 62384: standards relating to power supplies for LEDs
• EN 62031: standards for general lighting LED modules

 

The importance how to choose certified products for LED Lighting applications and projects

In order to choose the LED Lighting products to be applied in lighting systems, there are some considerations to be taken into account one to vaoid possible safety risks: electric shock, fire and biological hazards. For example, regarding the danger of electric shock, class 2 certified LED drivers reduce the risk of shock and fire, thanks to their current and voltage limitation. Or again, given that the risk of fire is often due to the heat production inside the LEDs, it is possible to opt for LED heat sinks to avoid overheating of the electronic components.

An often underestimated risk concerns photobiological safety, i.e. exposure to ultraviolet wavelengths from LED lighting systems: the EN 62471 standard was introduced in Europe precisely to establish specific requirements and performances for photobiological risk. As LED technology progresses faster and faster, it becomes necessary for companies and professionals working in the LED Lighting sector to rely on experts in the sector, to keep up with the safety standards and performance of ever-evolving LED lighting products.

DIGIMAX as a group covers LED driver power supplies, dimmer control units, LED and COB LED strips, lenses and reflectors, LED heat sinks and many other accessories thanks to the structured collaboration with leading companies in the sector, such as Mean Well, Snappy, Colors, Citizen and Dalcnet, together with a customized design service for the most varied applications. An XLAB technical assembly and testing laboratory, the Digimax LAB functional and thematic area and the Digimax Showroom exhibition space are available to its customers

 

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