Lumitex, Inc. announces the establishment of its West Coast R&D Center in Irvine, California, and Asian manufacturing center in Taipei, Taiwan to help develop, apply and produce illumination solutions using patented LED and fiber optic technologies for electronics applications on the West Coast and in Asia.

“Lumitex West, formerly Poly-Optical Products, provides strategically-located design of engineered lighting solutions with volume manufacturing from Lumitex Asia’s new production facility in Taipei,” according to Scott Diestel, Western Regional Manager for Lumitex.  “This design and production capacity rounds out our domestic resources in Cleveland, Ohio.”

Diestel added that the West Coast center can provide backlighting designs using the full range of fiber optic technology, including UniGlo® and other innovative fiber optic panels to light cell phone keypads, computer keyboards and a variety of membrane switch applications that require tight space tolerances and minimal thicknesses. Using SMT LED light sources, Lumitex panels provide exceptional thinness (to 0.2 mm), uniform brightness and low power, with no heat or EMI, outstanding design flexibility, quick turn-around and low NRE, unit, assembly and maintenance costs.

Lumitex West also offers a broad range of plastic optical fiber (POF) solutions for virtually any application. Applying a 40-year history of POF expertise, Lumitex West offers multiple technologies to provide multiple solutions. Lumitex POF products include:
•    High volume solutions designed to couple with SMT LEDs.
•    Custom fiber optic accent lighting and control panel backlighting for pools and spas, with excellent color mixing and low power consumption using inexpensive LED light sources.
•    A wide range of products and technologies for instrumentation, dashboard and control panel illumination and exterior accent lighting for truck and bus lighting.
•    Lumileen® acrylic optical fibers in various grades and diameters, including commercial grade (for displays, decorative and clothing items, toys and games); industrial grade (for membrane switch and LCD backlights, sensors, scanners, cables and medical devices), and optical grade (for LAN and optical data links). Lumileen optical fibers are available by the meter or the spool and can be shipped from stock.
•    OptiBright® scintillating fibers, consisting of a Polymethyl Mathacrylate (PMMA) cladding, for light transmission, illumination, radiation detection and decoration. These fluorescent, light-collecting fibers absorb UV and emit visible light to create a glowing effect.
•    Special optical-grade acrylic plastic rod-shaped light guides in machined, extruded or molded versions to meet a broad variety of custom applications, including illumination, backlighting or accent lighting, in low, medium or high volumes.
•    A large selection of light sources, technologies and products for the design and manufacture virtually any type of custom optical fiber device.

Pricing for Lumitex POF products varies with type, application and quantity.  Pricing for commercial grade monofiber with a diameter of 0.020” (0.50 mm) in lengths of 19,685 ft. (6,000 m) per spool is available at $357.14 per spool in quantities under 50. For additional pricing information, contact Lumitex.

For more information, contact Lumitex West, 1929 Main Street, Suite 102, Irvine, CA 92614. Tel: 949-250-8557; Fax: 949-250-1840; or contact Lumitex Inc., 8443 Dow Circle, Strongsville, OH, 44136. Tel: 440-243-8401; Fax: 440-243-8402. E-Mail: info@lumitex.com. Web site: www.lumitex.com.