Reliability

Building Reliability into LED Lighting

The LED is an inherently reliable device. It is a semiconductor just as are diodes, transistors, and micro-processors, whose reliability powers our computers, cars, the internet, and countless other products. Turning an LED device into an LED-based lighting platform is one of the critical points where the reliability and the longevity of the LED light is finally determined.

The designer of an LED-based lighting platform must be a master of all the elements:

  • The optical system (lens)
  • The electronic drive circuit that drives the LED from a standard voltage source
  • The thermal management system for LED-generated heat
  • The LED device

However, reliability is primarily the result of effective heat management and quality electronics that are designed to last as long as the LEDs themselves.