By Patrick Durand - Worldwide Technical Director, Future Lighting Solutions (a division of Future Electronics)
The technical intricacies of an LED lighting system design can be quite complicated.
The interdependencies of design parameters such as light source flux, efficacy, lumen maintenance, drive current, series/parallel light source layout, compatible optics, compatible drivers, thermal dissipation and others make the calculation of system performance a laborious process if performed manually. One simple change in one parameter could potentially force the lighting designer to consult the datasheet for every other component considered in the design in order to calculate the impact on the system as a whole.
Furthermore, the lighting components market is not static or mature. In fact, solid state lighting technology continues to develop at a phenomenal rate, and thousands of new LEDs, light engines, drivers, optics, connectors and heat sinks are introduced to the market every year.