Thursday, December 17, 2009

Industrial Lighting Systems

How do you define a lighting system?
An industrial lighting system is defined as a group of commercial electrical lighting equipment and controls that works together to perform a cohesive function.

What fixtures and accessories make up a typical industrial lighting system?
In factories and warehouses, high bay lights are used to provide general overhead lighting. Exit lighting is needed in every building to show where doorways are located. Operations that require assembly work require task lighting with higher visibility and minimized glare. Emergency lights also need to be installed over doorways in case the power goes out.

In office areas, call centers, and break rooms, HID lights or fluorescent lights represent the majority of the light fixtures used in interior industrial commercial lighting systems. Lighting equipment that is used indoors can only be used within the four walls of the building. This is because they are engineered to function only in humidity free environments. In moist air or heavy rain, they will not last for very long.

Outdoor light fixtures are far more durable. They are wet location rated, which means, in laymen’s terms, that they are designed to weather high humidity, rainfall, and even thunderstorms in places.

The diversity of fixture options available to a business is a clear indicator of how important it is to contract a lighting design specialist to plan and configure your industrial lighting system. Such a specialist will know exactly what type of equipment you need, and where it needs to be mounted.

What businesses require entire lighting systems?
All commercial entities, regardless of whether or not they carry the technical label of “industrial”, need industrial lighting systems. Retailers, office parks, warehouses, and factories all need both interior and exterior light fixtures. Corporate headquarters especially need the very best systems to reflect their brand and corporate culture.

How are these systems designed?
The design of indoor industrial lighting systems is accomplished through a series of specific steps. The first step is to figure out what type of task will be performed in a given area and how much light that particular task will require.

The nature of the task is very important. Office work, for example, requires general fluorescent lighting. Hallways require some light, but only enough for safety—not high visibility. Assembly work and machine work require the brightest light for maximum visibility, safety, and productivity.

Determination of lighting levels is based upon both general and specific factors. General factors are derived from general design guidelines that fall within IES codes. Specific parameters are customized to the environment and task at hand.

Each client is asked to send a plan view and an elevation view of the facility in AutoCAD format so the industrial lighting designer can feed this information into the software platform that in turn generates a photometric layout and 3D rendering of the new system.

How are different types of fixtures chosen and installed together in relationship to one another?
That depends on several factors. The size of the building and the type of industry are factors that weigh heavily on the number and intensity of fixtures. Furthermore, different areas within and around the building will need different levels of light that also have to be factored into the equation. Ceiling height is also a factor in lighting design.

RLLD Commercial Lighting carries a wide variety of industrial & commercial lighting fixtures. If you can not find what you are looking for contact us toll free at 1-866-654-3961 and we will find it for you.

Our professional lighting supply office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including New York NY, Los Angeles CA, Miami, FL. Chicago, IL. Denver CO., New Orleans, La., Cleveland, Ohio, Kansas City, Mo., Mesa, Arizona, Virginia Beach, Va., Omaha, Nebraska, Oakland, California, Miami, Florida, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Arlington, Texas, Beaumont, Texas, Denton, TX, McKinney, Texas, Midland, TX, Killeen, Texas, Dallas TX, San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, ALBQ, NYC, LA, MPLS.

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Industrial Lights & Lighting Products

What should I look for when buying industrial lighting products?
Always keep lighting energy efficiency, lumens output, the number of fixtures needed, and the best lamp types when you are investing in a new lighting system. You must make certain that everything you buy is reliable enough for long-term use in your business environment.

The many different fixture types and lamp options you can get in today’s industrial light products give you the ability to customize your lighting system to the specific applications that run your business. You will get the best results if you confer with an expert who can design a photometric layout of your new system that will act as a guideline for procurement and installation. will ensure the best possible outcome for your operation.

What are some examples of the industrial lighting products you sell?
Large warehouses with high ceilings over twenty feet normally invest in high bay lighting. For buildings with ceilings lower than twenty feet, low bay fixtures work better. Office areas are typically most cost effectively lit with halogen lamps or commercial fluorescent fixtures.

No matter what industrial metal halide high bay lighting products you ultimately decide to purchase, you must make certain that any bay lights or fluorescent fixtures you have installed are easy for maintenance personnel to access if low pressure sodium bulbs or ballasts so need repair or replacement. The quicker the replacement can be made, the lower the labor cost will be.

Keep in mind too that if you invest in lamps that have high-quality energy efficient light bulbs, your maintenance costs will already have been dramatically reduced.

The outside of your building can also benefit from industrial sign lighting products that highlight your company logo and brand. Flood lights controlled by timers or motion sensors can safeguard the perimeter of your property. New parking lot lights poles will increase visibility and safety for employees and guests. For other outdoor lighting needs, a multitude of high intensity discharge lamps, fluorescents, incandescents, and halogens exist as viable lamping options.

What price ranges should I look for?
It is not about money, it is about the integrity of the design and manufacture. When a person invests in commercial-grade products made only in the USA, brightness does not have to cost an arm and a leg. Energy efficient light bulbs & lamps can achieve both the brightness you need and the cost savings that you desire. These commercial lighting fixtures tend to pay for themselves by lowering electrical bills over a period of time.

Are there specific fixture types I should look into?
Newer industrial lighting products are intended to save you money on operations. Some may serve specific applications better than others.

If you need long lamp life and brightness, invest in halogen bulbs. These are incandescent lamps built with a special additive in the bulb that regenerates the filament every time it is lit. Halogens last much longer than traditional incandescents. Unfortunately, halogens create a great deal of heat. If lower your cooling costs is priority, use commercial HID lamps such as high pressure sodium, mercury vapor, or metal halide lights.

RLLD Commercial Lighting supply carries a wide variety of industrial & commercial lighting fixtures. If you can not find what you are looking for call us toll free at 1-866-654-3961 and we will find it for you.

Our industrial lighting design office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including New York NY, Los Angeles CA, Miami, FL. Chicago, IL. Denver CO., New Orleans, La., Cleveland, Ohio, Kansas City, Mo., Mesa, Arizona, Virginia Beach, Va., Omaha, Nebraska, Oakland, California, Miami, Florida, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Arlington, Texas, Beaumont, Texas, Denton, TX, McKinney, Texas, Midland, TX, Killeen, Texas, Dallas TX, San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, ALBQ, NYC, LA, MPLS.

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Thursday, December 10, 2009

Industrial Lighting Design

What are the benefits of industrial lighting design by RLLD Commercial Lighting?
Our commercial photometric plans develop both the functional and aesthetic aspects of your new lighting system. These aspects can be summarized in the following four points.

1. Determine exactly how much light you need in a given area.
2. Find the most energy efficient lamps to produce this light.
3. Find the most decorative fixtures to give your building maximum decorative appeal.
4. Determine where these lights need to be mounted.

How does your industrial lighting design process determine how much light we need?
We look at your building, its age, and its usage to calculate the number of foot candles you will need in specific locations using photometric software. These calculations are based upon blueprints and AutoCAD drawings you provide us with, along with answers to specific questions we ask about your operation.

This data, in turn, is fed into an advanced software platform that generates a point by point diagram of lumen output, showing the range and intensity of your new lighting. See our photometric lighting examples.

Can you be sure that the fixtures you provide are indeed the most energy efficient?
Yes. We use only American-made equipment that is made by the top commercial lighting fixture manufacturers in our industry. These fixtures are engineered for maximum lumens-watt efficiency ratios and feature a variety of new technologies that maximize power conservation, lamp life, and optimal beam spread.

The intention here is to get more light with less power, and, when possible, get more light with fewer fixtures.

What is the importance of decoration to industrial lighting design?
That depends entirely on your business type and facility needs. If you are operating a warehouse, you obviously do not need decorative commercial lighting inside. However, it does help to promote your corporate brand to have some aesthetic appeal on your sign or building frontage. Goosenecks are very good for this, as our a number of other architectural lighting fixtures we can provide you with.

If your facility is service-oriented, then your corporate image is vital to your marketing and sales initiatives. Commercial light systems should support your building architecture and provide an attractive face to the world that will enhance your appeal to investors and clients.

You also want your interior lighting to look good to employees who tend to work better when they are surrounding by an aesthetically pleasing environment.

How do you determine where lights need to be mounted?
Industrial parking lot lighting design software calculates the necessary foot candle plots for each specific work environment and outdoor area of your commercial property. It also calculates the optimal lighting angles that will be required to produce these foot candles. Once these angles are determined, we can show your electrical contractor exactly where to mount and position each fixture we sell you.

What if I want to buy my fixtures elsewhere?
You can do that. We will sell you the industrial office lighting design plan and a list of recommended light fixtures. You can then have your local electrical contractor obtain these lights (or their equivalents) through other channels. However, if you buy the equipment from us, we give you the photometric plans for free, and we can ensure that the fixtures you purchase are indeed the best lights for the job.

RLLD Commercial Lighting carries a wide variety of industrial & commercial lighting supplies. If you can not find what you are looking for call us toll free at 1-866-654-3961 and we will find it for you. Our home office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including like Ft. Lauderdale, FL (FLL), Orlando, Florida (MCO), Santa Monica, CA, (LAX) Columbus, Ohio (CMH) (LGA) New York, NY, (JKF), St. Louis, MO, Detroit, Michigan (DTW), Madison, WI (MSN), San Francisco, California (SFO), and Omaha, Nebraska (OMA)

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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Industrial Office Lighting Fixtures

No matter what type of facility you work in, you have office space of some kind in the building. Inside this space, your employees need optimal lighting for comfort and productivity.

If you purchase second-rate industrial office lighting fixtures, you could inadvertently create a negative workspace. To get the most out of your equipment, you will need to consult with experts who can a photometric plan that tell you what commercial lighting products will work best for your particular application. This plan will also show exactly how many fixtures you will need and where your electrician will have to install them.

In previous decades, people often got very tired in the workplace because of poor lighting conditions. Eye strain would cause fatigue because of the poor quality of older generation indoor fluorescent lights. These industrial lights had poor power due to older magnetic ballasts.

Also, the bulbs in those lamps contained a mixture of gases and metals that would shine a slightly yellowish glow on the room that would add to the stress of labor and task as employees work in an increasingly uncomfortable work environment.

If your industrial fluorescent lights are more than ten years in age, you may need to install a new industrial office lighting system for the betterment of your employees. Features that you need to look for in these fixtures are easy maintenance access to bulbs and ballasts.

Also, it is wise to spend a little extra money on the more energy efficient lamps. They will help you save money on operating costs by consuming less electricity, and their longer lamp life will mean fewer bulb replacements and correspondingly lower maintenance costs.

Some ceiling-mounted industrial office lighting fixtures still use the traditional tube shaped fluorescent lights. Wall mounted lights render color much better than their predecessors ever did. You no longer have to deal with that yellowish look to skin and clothing. With yellow light no longer present, eyestrain is gone as well. The brighter light these fixtures emit also helps them to work more productively.

If you choose something other than fluorescent lighting fixtures for your industrial commercial office lighting, but you still want the benefits offered by energy efficient of fluorescent bulbs, you can use traditional lights that require screw-in incandescent bulbs retrofitted with fluorescent replacements.

By replacing these incandescents with compact fluorescent light bulbs, you can lower your energy costs, and, depending upon the number of lights you replace, lower room temperatures in your office. This is due to incandescent lighting’s tendency to wastes so much energy in the form of excess heat. This can affect your air conditioner thermostat and cause your building cooling costs to rise.

Energy savings is the most important thing to think about when you are choosing your industrial office lights. You need the help of an industrial GSA lighting expert who can locate brightest of lights for the least amount of energy used. Call RLLD Commercial Lighting to get started with this process today.

RLLD Commercial Lighting carries a wide variety of industrial & commercial lighting fixtures. If you can not find what you are looking for contact us toll free at 1-866-654-3961 and we will find it for you. We welcome will work hard to educate you and provide a lighting design, establish a budget and provide the lighting goods to do the job!

Our photometric lighting design office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including San Juan, PR (SJU), Isla De Vieques, PR (VQS), Fajardo, PR (X95), Erie, PA (ERI), Killeen, TX (ILE), Sheridan, WY (SHR), Casper, WY (CPR), Parkersburg, WV (PKB), and Escanaba, MI (ESC). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America. ALBQ, NYC, LA, MPLS.

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Monday, December 7, 2009

Industrial Lights & Industrial Lighting

Why should a company work with someone like RLLD to get a photometric design? RLLD Commercial Lighting offers a combination of retail, design, and lighting photometric services.

We have a seasoned design team with over 50 combined years of experience. All of our support staff is domestically based, and all of our products are American made. We have access to the very best industrial light equipment. We can configure an entire system with a firm, total cost and handle shipment to your location as well.

When the equipment arrives, we can also partner and consult with your electrical contractor if any assistance is needed with the installation of our equipment.

What steps are involved in configuring an outdoor lighting system?
Outdoor industrial light must generate adequate lighting levels for safety and perimeter security. It must also be of an appropriate color to respect building architecture.

What steps are involved in configuring an indoor lighting system?
To create an appropriate level of indoor industrial light, we have to do several things. First, we have to determine the type of facility we are lighting. If it is a new facility, we need to get an idea of what the tenants will be using the facility for. If they will be incorporating skylights, we have to make adjustments for a certain amount of natural lighting in the building.

If the client is looking for lighting control, we need to know if they have already hired someone to install the commercial lighting controls, and it helps us to know what types of controls they will be using. If the client is looking to buy equipment first and then look to have industrial light controls installed with the new fixtures, we will help them find a contractor who specializes in this service.

If this is an older facility, then the project is technically classified as a retrofit. Our client will need to supply us with information on their current industrial light levels. A basic light meter can do this, and any local lighting or electrical contractor should be able to come out and provide this reading.

What other materials do you need?
Blueprints of the building are always helpful. If any overhead plans or AutoCAD drawings of the original lighting system are available, those should be sent to us as well.

What features should clients be looking for in terms of light output and energy efficiency?
Indoor industrial commercial light should provide your employees with a feeling of safety in all parts of the building. There should be no dark corridors or corners where a person may feel uncomfortable walking—particularly after sunset. In offices and cubicles, lighting should also be optimized for comfort so employees can perform their tasks without annoyance or eye strain.

For energy efficient lighting, always buy American made products and spend a little more on the newest technology. New technology, although sometimes more costly on the front end of a purchase, is designed to reduce a building’s carbon footprint by using less power consistently over a period of time. This reduction in power consumption means savings that go back into your operations budget.

RLLD Commercial Lighting carries a wide variety of industrial & commercial lighting fixtures. If you can not find what you are looking for contact us toll free at 1-866-654-3961 and we will find it for you. We welcome will work hard to educate you, provide a design, establish a budget and provide the lighting goods to do the job!

Our photometric lighting design office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including San Juan, PR (SJU), Isla De Vieques, PR (VQS), Fajardo, PR (X95), Erie, PA (ERI), Killeen, TX (ILE), Sheridan, WY (SHR), Casper, WY (CPR), Parkersburg, WV (PKB), and Escanaba, MI (ESC). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America. ALBQ, NYC, LA, MPLS.

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Friday, December 4, 2009

Industrial Task Lighting Fixtures

Many processes that involve machining and assembly require industrial task lighting. Some of these tasks require better lighting than others because of the level of detail that is involved. Building robots, for instance, takes far more foot candles you would need for the assembly of auto parts.

Many procedures also require optimal illumination for the sake of safety. Any type of manufacturing operation that requires people to use heavy machinery for metal or plastic casting will need a superior luminance and foot candle spread to see and monitor controls. Lighting here has to be very precise in order to strike a balance between shadow and glare.

Industrial task lights are needed in just about every form of industry. Auto makers, for instance, need them for assembly lines still manned by human employees. Manufacturers of robotics, computer boards, and microchips that go on computer boards need the very best industrial task lighting to create optimal lighting conditions that allow for small parts to be seen and assembled correctly.

Though prevalent in manufacturing and assembly, many shipping and receiving operations also need task lights to better maintain a safe and efficient process flow. Depending on the products being handled, packaging and inventory control may depend very heavily on clear lighting. Many larger warehouses will often invest in commercial light fixtures that will provide more optimal lighting in these parts of the building that is provided by the general warehouse lights themselves.

Task lights look like high bay and low bay, fixtures, but they operate at a higher level of performance. They have higher wattages and produce greater luminance.

Obviously a higher-wattage fixture is going to cost a bit more to run, so many clients often pause at this point to consider whether or not such an investment is truly worth the money. It is when one considers the benefits that a safer, more efficient production line will bring to a company. Improved time to market and reduced safety liability can generate increased profits that can offset operating expenditures.

Running our high bay light fixtures will not increase these expenditures more than 30%, so the improvements in process flow can easily offset the additional electrical operating costs.

There was a time where it was a hard fast rule of lighting that putting a higher wattage lamp in a fixture meant replacing it more often. Higher wattage in those days meant shorter lifespan and added costs for maintenance.

However, this is no longer true thanks to pulse start metal halide technology. Industrial task lighting engineered around this new energy efficient operating design can extend the life of the lamp. Longer warranties on the products also cover replacements in the event of lamp failure.

While fluorescent and LED lamps continue to evolve and develop into new industrial forms, neither can yet rival pulse start metal halide’s capability. For the time being, it is still the best choice for optimal luminance and lighting quality in industrial environments.

RLLD Commercial Lighting carries a wide variety of industrial & commercial lighting fixtures. If you can not find what you are looking for contact us toll free at 1-866-654-3961 and we will find it for you.

Our home office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including San Juan, PR (SJU), Isla De Vieques, PR (VQS), Fajardo, PR (X95), Erie, PA (ERI), Killeen, TX (ILE), Sheridan, WY (SHR), Casper, WY (CPR), Parkersburg, WV (PKB), and Escanaba, MI (ESC). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America. ALBQ, NYC, LA, MPLS.

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