The biggest factor that LEDs have added to the lighting industry is the aesthetic value. LED light manufacturers are now trying to add glamour quotient to the lighting industry
By Shweta Sengar
Tuesday, November 11, 2014: The LED segment is growing rapidly and proving profitable to manufacturers of LED lights. Usage of clean and green energy has become an important consideration for the government and manufacturers, and drastic measures are being undertaken in this regard. At the EFY seminar: ‘The A to Z about manufacturing LED products in India,’ Piyush Gahalaut, vice president, technology, Surya Roshni Ltd, emphasised the need to adopt LED products, and the benefits they come with. He spoke on ‘LED lighting: Role of innovation and IP in boosting manufacturing of LED products.’
Indian industry has been witnessing a healthy demand for energy efficient and eco-friendly lighting products, and there has been a steady increase in the use of LED products. According Piyush Gahalaut “Lighting is evolving from conventional systems to hardcore electronics.”
Aesthetics—the biggest area for innovation
Apart from being energy efficient, LEDs have redefined decorative lighting. Mentioning the elements that LEDs have added to the lighting industry, Piyush Gahalaut said, “The biggest factor that LEDs have added to the lighting industry is the aesthetic value. Manufacturers like Philips, Osram, etc lay more focus on aesthetics. They are trying to add the glamour quotient to the lighting industry, something that has not been witnessed before.” Colour contrast and richness are the decisive factors in LED lighting. Lighting not only makes up a chunk of the energy bill but is now also an element that creates value, whether it is in retail stores, offices or households.
Perceived as design, development and technology oriented segment
According to Piyush Gahalaut, “In India, only 40 per cent of the LED lighting market is mature.” This market is still growing in India and will take time to fully mature. Growth in demand and supply, government initiatives and increasing awareness are the factors behind the LED market’s development in India. He also asserted that the LED segment in India will remain a design, development and technology oriented sector. He stated that in the current scenario, LEDs are not merely commodity products. The manufacturers cash in on the developments in this sector and try to innovate as much as possible.
LED drivers to be the focus area
Driver design is evolving rapidly to keep up with fresh usage patterns and new demands, such as better power factor correction and sophisticated dimming for improved regularity and reliability. For a country like India, where there is a lot of voltage fluctuation, LED drivers will act as the game changer. Piyush Gahalaut highlighted the evolution and usage of LED drivers. He said the biggest challenge that the LED lighting segment will face in the coming years will be in relation to LED drivers. He also spoke about the parameters taken into consideration in the LED segment, saying, “Optical design is the first factor that users should be taking care of, followed by the electronics design of the LED and finally, the thermal design of LED products.”
The importance of local manufacturing in the LED segment
The LED industry shows tremendous promise as the growth in this segment is fast paced. In India, manufacturing of LED products should become a key focus area. “One cannot simply outsource drivers from China and North America. The need of the hour is to set up manufacturing facilities in India and decrease our dependence on imported products. A lot of resources are being utilised in the optic and thermal designs for the LED products,” shares Piyush Gahalaut.
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