LpS 2014 Conference & Expo Review
LpS 2014: THE DEFINITION OF FUTURE SSL TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
The 2014 LED professional Symposium + Expo (LpS 2014) took place from September 30th to October 2nd in Bregenz, Austria. Being held for the 4th time this year, the event has established itself meanwhile as an international meeting place for technical lighting professionals dealing with (O)LED lighting components, modules and systems. Innovations and new products were explored, and a lot of in-depth discussions and informal talks took place on the latest lighting trends and technologies.
LpS 2014 – Facts and Figures
LpS 2014 once again proved itself to be an internationally relevant event in the area of design and engineering for future LED lighting systems. This year the LpS attracted over 1,100 partakers from 43 countries. 45% of the attendees came from technical areas like Research and Development, Engineering and Project Management, Product System Design and Manufacturing and Application Engineering. A further 15% were from the Executive and Corporate management level. In total, 60% of the participants can be deemed as decision makers, responsible for the technologies and products used for future LED lighting modules and systems. Attendees, authors and exhibitors alike commended the high quality and technological focus of the event.
“Participants described the event as ‘unique in its kind’ and especially stressed the quality and strong technical focus of the symposium and exhibition”
Lighting & Technology Inspiration
The initiation of new ideas was brought about by discussions generated by the 58 lectures, five workshops and two tech panels. The conference program covered topics dedicated to integrated designs of LED and OLED lighting systems: Trends and visions in future LED lighting systems, materials and manufacturing, light sources, reliability and lifetime, engineering of LED optics, electronics and smart lighting as well as design with LEDs and OLEDs.
New Product Inspiration
Close to 100 exhibitors from all over the world used the LpS as a platform to introduce their latest products, services and innovations to the technically adept audience. At least 10 companies decided to use the LpS as a platform for their European or global product launches, including LEDs, LED Optics, thermal management products and measurement equipment.
Technical Highlights
The ‘Scientific Award’ was presented at the LpS this year for the first time. Dr. Peter Bodrogi, TU of Darmstadt, Germany was awarded for his paper titled: “New binning strategy for white LEDs to improve the color quality of interior lighting”. In addition, three major trend areas were highlighted in the keynotes setting the cornerstones of the three symposium days: “Intelligent Lighting”, “SSL Value Chain” and “SSL Quality Issues”.
(1) Intelligent Lighting for People
The first keynote explained why the LED applications have only made use of a minor part of the possible added user value and business development potential, so far. The platform, “Lighting for People”, will help to enhance the added values by promoting improved solutions which are better for people’s health and well-being. Customized lighting for individual projects. Here, companies such as Dutch Luxexcel, contribute to smart and intelligent lighting, based on the flexibility of their digital optics manufacturing approach, possible with their unique 3D printing process. At LpS, the next generation 3D printers for LED Optics and the renewed opportunities arising from that were introduced in Bregenz, during an interactive Technology & Application Workshop session.
(2) The Changing Role of Components in SSL Systems
The second corner stone of the symposium was given by Mark McClear. He explained the influences on the Solid State Lighting market and technology and showed how improved LED quality, power and efficiency allow for the reduction of the number of LEDs in applications and the lowering of costs. Nevertheless, he remarked that the “free Epi era” is over and therefore future cost reduction has to be mainly carried by other components.
(3) Color quality of high-end LED products
The third keynote speech was by Prof. Tran Quoc Khan, Technical University Darmstadt. He discussed the topic “Color quality of high-end LED products” and explained the V-Lambda function and how the human visual signal processing works. He showed that perception is individually different and mentioned different parameters, which should be taken into account for future regulations. Color quality affects several technology fields, whereby measurement and testing is one of them.
LpS2015 Bregenz
The LED professional Symposium + Expo will be further developed in order to become the most relevant trend-setting event for future LED lighting systems covering new technologies, products and services all around solid-state lighting.
The next LpS event will be held again in Bregenz during the IYL2015 from September 22nd until 24th.