An innovative resin solution for an LED lens issue

Electrochemical manufacturer Electrolube recently provided an innovative solution for a complex LED assembly issue.

The customer, a manufacturer of street lighting and high-bay luminaires in India, had been experiencing problems with the attachment of individual lenses to the elements of multiple LED arrays. The function of these lenses is to scatter or focus light from the arrays, as required, and while some of them are held in position by fasteners, most are secured in place with a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is adequate when the luminaire is placed in situ but it tends to loosen during transportation, leading to the lenses becoming detached and causing damage to the array.

The use of cynoacrylate adhesives was considered as an alternative means of attaching the lenses, but this solution was rejected on the grounds that this caused fumes during adhesive application, which posed a health hazard to the workforce. The customer then decided to try a clear adhesive that it had been using in other areas of production but this took too long to cure, ultimately delaying the tight production schedule.

A fast-curing, clear adhesive was deemed the only solution and, aware of Electrolube’s reputation for solving manufacturing problems for a variety of electronics manufacturing clients, the customer approached Electrolube India, hopeful that it would be able to suggest a suitable product.

Following an assessment of the customer’s needs, which specified manual mixing and dispensing, Electrolube India’s technical team decided that Electrolube’s UR5634 polyurethane resin would more than meet the requirements of this application, particularly as it offered a fast cure time when manually mixed and had the required stable optical clarity that is vital for LED applications.

UR5634 is a two-part, semi-rigid polyurethane resin specifically formulated to be optically clear, ensuring its suitability for LED encapsulation and potting applications. It has a water-white transparency, which makes it suitable for both aesthetically decorative LED luminaires and those that must have effective protection against adverse environmental conditions.

When used as a potting medium or encapsulant, UR5634 performs in all weather conditions and offers good acid and alkali resistance. Importantly, the resin is resistant to yellowing when exposed to UV light, making it useful as an outdoor LED encapsulant or for use in other applications where it may be exposed to direct sunlight.

Offering a fully bespoke solution for its customer, Electrolube delivered the UR5634 resin in 50 mL twin cartridges for easy manual mixing and fast cure, along with a suitable dispensing gun. The solution also provides complete flexibility for the customer should they embark on future design changes.

Electrolube India’s Sales Manager, Padmanabha Shaktivelu, said, “We are beginning to earn quite a reputation for our problem-solving capabilities in addition to being able to offer some of the world’s best electrochemical products. For a dynamic and growing electronics industry that we now have in India, this value-added service is vital, particularly as the industry seeks guidance to develop its specialist skills base.”

Electrolube’s Managing Director, Ron Jakeman, added, “Our LED customer was delighted with the solution that we offered them and we are confident that our problem-solving capabilities and commitment to excellent customer relations will ultimately secure our growing position as the leading provider of electrochemical products and applications expertise in the LED industry.”

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