LEDs power FuturLED 3 traffic signalling

Lumileds' Luxeon is strengthening its lead in European traffic signalling with the new generation FuturLED 3 signals from Swarco Futurit incorporating powerful Luxeon LEDs.

The FuturLED 3 is the world's first signal head to comply with the strict requirements of phantom signal class 5, as highlighted in European Standard EN 12368.

Luxeon's combination of high light output, low energy requirements, long life and low-maintenance were identified as key in the successful design of the new signal head, with the FuturLED 3 already in use in Sweden, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Poland and Malaysia.

Franz Silhengst, Managing Director Engineering of Swarco Futurit, said: "The crucial role in creating optimum LED signals such as our FuturLED 3 is played by the entire optical system of the signal heads. By basing our optical development on the high power and performance of Luxeon LEDs we have created an innovative solution that meets the requirements of EN12368 while providing an enhanced level of reliability."

Focused on optimising the light features:

To achieve the performance demanded by the new European Standard, Futurit focused on optimising the light features for the signal head. By using Luxeon in their optical development, Futurit was able to reduce the number of LEDs in the signal head while providing high light intensity and a very uniform light radiation pattern.

While Luxeon LEDs have a lamp life of many years, the Futurit design extends this further by operating the LEDs very smoothly below their nominal current. In addition, Futurit has designed the inside of the signal head to feature optimised thermal conditions, further supporting the signal's long-term performance.

The low energy requirements of Luxeon LEDs were also identified as key in the drive to enhance traffic signal performance. This provides the FuturLED 3 with an energy consumption level of between 8 to 17 Watts, dependent on the signal controller type.

The FuturLED 3 module can form either entire traffic lights or retrofit replacement units for existing 210 or 300mm signal heads with conventional light sources.

‘The leader in LED signalling’:

Mark van den Berg, European Marketing Manager for Lumileds, said: "The use of Luxeon in the new FuturLED 3 underlines Lumileds position as the leader in LED signalling. We are delighted that Futurit chose to work with Luxeon on such an innovative signalling solution and we are confident that a growing number of signal manufacturers will select our LED technology for their requirements."

A joint venture between Agilent Technologies and Voltimum Founder Member Philips Lighting, Lumileds is headquartered in San Jose, California, with operations in the Netherlands and Malaysia and sales offices throughout the world.

LumiLeds
Tel: (USA) 877 298 9455
Web: www.lumileds.com