Can EMP Build it? High Output Light Panel: 200W of Light in a Very Small Space
At EMP Designs, a lot of the lighting projects we work on involve pixel control, animation and individually controllable LEDs.
But sometimes, the requirement is much simpler:
Produce a lot of high-quality light in a very small space.
That can present an equally interesting engineering challenge.
A Large Amount of Light. A Very Flat Package.
For this particular project, we were asked to create a high-output light source within a circular area, while keeping the overall assembly as flat and compact as possible.
There wasn't an off-the-shelf LED panel that suited the application, so the solution was to design a completely custom PCB specifically around the available space.
By controlling the PCB shape, LED positioning and electrical design, we could make maximum use of the circular area rather than trying to adapt a conventional rectangular lighting product.
High Output Without Compromising Light Quality
Output was important, but so was the quality of the light.
We work with a number of specialist LED manufacturers, including companies producing exceptionally high-CRI LEDs for applications where colour reproduction really matters.
For this project, we selected high-output, high-CRI five-colour LED packages.
Using multiple LED colours gives far greater control over the characteristics of the resulting white light than a conventional single-colour white LED source, while the high CRI helps ensure colours appear natural and accurate.
200 Watts in a Circular PCB
The result was a compact circular lighting assembly capable of accommodating approximately 200W of LED power within a surprisingly small area.
Achieving that kind of power density isn't simply a case of placing more LEDs onto a PCB.
The complete design has to consider:
LED spacing and distribution
PCB current handling
Thermal management
Power distribution
LED efficiency
Colour quality
Mechanical mounting
The available space within the final product
All of those factors influence the PCB design.
Sometimes the PCB Is the Product
This is a good example of why we design our own electronics rather than trying to build every project from existing modules.
When space, shape, output or performance become critical, designing the PCB around the application can completely change what is possible.
Instead of asking:
“What lighting product will fit?”
We can start with:
“What does the light source actually need to do?”
And then design the electronics to fit the requirement.
For this project, that meant a purpose-built circular PCB, specialist high-CRI LEDs and a very high level of light output from an extremely compact package.
When the lighting product you need doesn't exist, sometimes the answer is simply to build it.
