Taiwan International Lighting Show 2015 organized by Taiwan’s Bureau of Foreign Trade, Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and Taiwan Lighting Fixture Export Association (TLFEA) successfully concluded on March 28, 2015 in Taipei, Taiwan.

The show attracted manufacturers from 10 countries, and a total of 337 manufacturers attended the show, and filled in 898 booths. The displays at the show were very diverse ranging from LED manufacturing equipment, material, and components to lighting equipment and luminaires. The show offers a one-stop solution, and is one of the most important annual show in Taiwan.

Below is LEDinside analyst team’s overview of some of the material, equipment and lighting products at the show, and trends observed at this year’s show.

Sapphire equipment and material: a war between currency exchange and costs

In both LED and none-LED applications, sapphire material and equipment manufacturers are shifting towards developing large sized crystals. Monocrystal launched a 140 kilogram grade crystal targeting mainstream applications and aims to raise luminous efficacy. Patterned Sapphire Substrate (PSS) manufacturers that are in better shape, such as Rigidtech, Crystalwise, Sino Nitride Semiconductor (Sino Nitride), and Huasen Quartek (Huasen) have all completed expansions from late 2014 to this year to meet LED chip market demands. Aside from LED application markets, the mobile device market has also become an important focus by manufacturers. Crystalwise and Rigidtech both displayed sapphire display products to meet smartphone manufacturer demands.

Sapphire products displayed at Monocrystal booth during TILS 2015. (LEDinside)

LEDinside team also saw Rubicon display sapphire-on-glass products, but the company kept a low profile. Mentioning it was only a prototype product for mobile application. The product might be mass produced sometime in 2016.

Other sapphire manufacturers at TILS 2015 included Hwashun Quartek (top) and Crystalwise Technology. (LEDinside)

Thermal dissipation glue: Dow Corning’s organic silicon compound material improves LED lighting design and function

New LED lighting design must be able to raise lumen density and luminaire features, so it can endure a wider temperature range, and simplify the luminaire assembly. This also significantly reduces the next generation lighting products weight and costs, while speeding its market penetration. As for LED package applications, Dow Corning has released phosphor sheets for Chip Scale Package (CSP) products. This greatly improves the design’s flexibility, raises phosphor powder’s uniformity, while reducing packaging costs. For luminaire assembly, Dow Corning has released a shatter resistant glaze to protect the luminaire outer shell from breaking and hurting people in cases external forces, such as an earthquake causes the luminaire to drop from its socket. The glaze also possesses light guide and transmittance functions, and can even be customized to meet special lighting distribution demands. Hence, the product can be applied in commercial lighting and automotive lighting applications. 

Dow Corning products at TILS 2015. (LEDinside)

Industrial lighting market to become a hotly contended market among LED package and lighting manufacturers 

The energy efficient LED can be used for long hours in industrial lighting applications, and has a more competitive Return of Investments (ROI) than residential lighting products. Thus, it the incentive is greater for factories to switch to LED high bay lights. In addition, LED lighting products prices have dropped as the features were improved. Additionally, industrial lighting products are much more profitable. Industrial lighting markets will become a major contended market from 2015-2016 among LED package and lighting manufacturers. Products can only be improved after they are used, said a representative from Nanya Photonics. 

After four years of accumulating user experiences from Nanya Group and other clients, and passing strict market inspection standards, the company products finally reached an affordable and good quality market position. Nanya has been planning to enter the industrial lighting market sector since 2012. Its high bay light products portfolio cover 140W-250W products, which provides different luminosity, and brightness to meet the lighting demands of parking lots and warehouses. Explosion proof luminaires are also pressure resilient, and can be applied in Nanya Plastic Corporation factories.

In Taiwan, Formosa Plastics Group investments throughout the island has also made LED applications widespread in petrochemical, textile, high tech electronics, power generation, steel, hospital, and retirement homes. Nanya has been the main lighting solution provider for Formosa Plastics factory production lines, offices, retail lighting, streetlights and outdoor lighting. After years of performance, and enduring the tests of time and climate trials, the company has received high C/P ratings. Nanya has insisted on the concept of total solution, and providing fully integrated services. In addition, Nanya’s light weight DLC bulbs have achieved ENERGY STAR label and are omnidirectional lights.

Top: Everlight booth at TILS 2015. Bottom: Delta Electronics industrial lighting products. (LEDinside)

Everlight and Delta Electronics display indoor commercial lighting products, outdoor parking and streetlight solutions.

Everlight displayed its next generation Dolphin and Victory series streetlight products that have aesthetic designs and great features. The streetlights were awarded the 2012 and 2013 Taiwan Excellence Awards, which insist on “Made in Taiwan” and introduces “smart streetlight system services”. The streetlights can monitor and upload data to a cloud server to achieve automated streetlight monitoring services. The streetlights also displays maintenance information and other statuses. All these are expected to shorten streetlight maintenance period and change the stereotype of passive reports from government or public. The smart LED streetlights can also change into different colors for celebration and environmental effects. The lighting can be programmed into different colors.

(Author: Joanne Wu, Manager, Research Division, LEDinside/ Translator: Judy Lin, Chief Editor, LEDinside)