LED technology Past:

In the past, LEDs were low output, inefficient, monochromatic devices. With power levels in the milliwatt range, clusters of devices were needed to give any appreciable light output. Although the unit cost of the individual elements was low, it still meant their use as a light source was expensive.

 

Being rugged is a major advantage, but the main reason for using LEDs was, and still is, their relative longevity (see figure 1). Indicators

and instrument lighting have used LEDs for many years, their low power being less of a disadvantage in these applications. Other aspects

of LED technology have changed, making solid-state light sources more suited to general use in emergency luminaires.

 

Early LEDs were available only in red, green and amber. In North America, red or green have found a use in exit signs, as the legislation allows the “Exit” legend itself to be the illuminated colour element. With current European regulations, such products use a green and white pictogram, which needs at least some illumination from a white light source.

 

The advent of white LEDs with a reasonable brightness completes the requirements for European signage. LEDs are now available as single devices with a power rating of several watts and a luminous flux in excess of 100 lm. They are easy to implement in multiples or clusters, making them an attractive alternative to traditional fluorescent light sources today.

 

Future:

Led's have allowed the Edge lit sign industry to flourish with the super bright leds now made in asia. It's only been a decade that industry has been implementing leds and making developments within their own industry. You can see vehicles have applied this technology along with the acceptance of edge lit technology used in exit signs due to their longevity of life. A fluorescent lamp lasts in the order of 10,000 hours, whereas a white LED can last 50,000  to 100,000 hours when correctly used. This increase in life makes the unit cost of the light source begin to look attractive, but again the wider picture must be taken into consideration in short it versatility for many applications.

 

Incorporating edge lit lighting with new types of light diffusing within acrylic is a recent technological innovation in the last 5 years allowing a trend of ultra-slim illuminated signage. An alternative to the standard backlit sign (which requires the use of deep sign cabinets to house the lamp fixtures and electronics) Edge-lit signage minimizes heat build-up and surface hot spots. Illuminating signs from the edge—with a single 1/4" strip enabling the construction of significantly slimmer and more versatile designs for signs that are barrier-free and easier to install. By moving away from the deep sign cabinets of backlit signage, Edge lit has incorporated lighting within the framed edge of the acrylic sheet to construct ultra slim, illuminated signage that offers improved flexibility.

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