Thermoplastics: An Alternative For Building Better Led Housings

The fast-changing world of LED technology has spurred some new developments in LED light housings. Thermoplastics are now outperforming their metal counterparts in LED housing applications due to their enhanced properties, which were once thought to be unique to metals alone.

- Shruti Mishra

Ask any LED lighting designer or manufacturer, and you will discover what a key role the housing plays in any LED lighting system. The housing not only protects the LED modules, optical lenses, reflectors and drivers, but also prevents external damage from heat, moisture, etc. Beyond operating as a protective layer, housings also play a vital role in the thermal management of LED lights. They are considered the last level from which heat is finally transferred to the ambient environment through heat convection and thermal radiation.

Conventional types of LED housings

Earlier, aluminium was widely used for making LED housings because metals are considered the most reliable material when designing a part that needs to withstand the test of time. Also, its abundant availability and low cost made it a preferred choice for LED manufacturers. Despite such benefits, the demand for aluminium-based housing is gradually dropping because of its bulkiness and stiffness. With the LED lighting industry gravitating towards miniaturisation, it has become difficult to design sleek and attractive lights using aluminium.

The miniaturisation of LED lighting systems has also made thermal management a major challenge. Along with LEDs, housing technology has also had to continuously miniaturise, due to which the heat generated is now dissipated from smaller and smaller spaces. Therefore, LED lighting fixture manufacturers have started looking for new options to house the LED lights, which not only reduce costs but also offer better electrical insulation and design freedom, compared to the traditional aluminium housing.