LumiSheet Technology:
Making LED Panels Dynamic
LumiSheet is the original integrated edge-lit LED light panel. It has proven itself for over a dozen years as a dynamic backlight with longevity, even light output, and endless design potential. Watch this video about what LumiSheet can do for a range of applications.
Several patented technologies work together to create LumiSheet. To begin, manufacturers custom etch a light guide plate made of optical grade PMMA acrylic. This ensures even light distribution. Next, they embed premium LED strips within the panel itself to allow custom shapes. Finally, they integrate a heat sink thermal management system directly into the panel to create a long lasting, frameless backlight.
Read more on these technologies:
Embedded LEDs: For Custom Shapes & Even Light
Manufacturers embed LumiSheet’s LEDs right into its acrylic, so there’s no need for a frame. Because of this patented technology, LumiSheet can be made in custom shapes while keeping light smooth and consistent.
Edge-lit panels feature LED strips at their edges, with light being re-directed across their surfaces. Ideally, these panels should look like a sheet of light. However, the way LEDs are housed can dramatically impact a panel’s adaptability. For instance, many edge-lit panels house their LEDs within an aluminum extrusion (or frame) that surrounds the panel. These rigid frames reduce design flexibility because straight frames don’t permit curved shapes.
Our Patented Solution
By contrast, LumiSheet’s LEDs are embedded inside the acrylic of the panel. This process creates a frameless panel, because there is no need for an extrusion to house the LEDs.
To create a custom shape, DLC’s precise CNC machines cut optical grade PMMA acrylic to the shape the client specifies. Then, DLC embeds LED strips right inside the cut acrylic. The LED strip curves to follow twists and turns of each cut, to make softly diffused LED panels in any shape.
Because of our embedded LEDs, LumiSheet can be cut into simple or intricate shapes based on your design requirements. This makes it an ideal solution for retail, signage, and architectural designs that involve curves. Custom-cut LumiSheet is available in any shape, size and color.
Integrated Heat Sink: For Custom Shapes With Longevity
With our patented integrated heat sink LumiSheet, LEDs can stay cool, providing a long life span and consistent light without a bulky metal frame.
While LEDs may seem cool to the touch, they build heat internally. Unfortunately, LEDs on their own cannot release this heat. The high temperatures can quickly accumulate, damaging the panel.
How does this damage happen? LEDs are coated in phosphor, which adjusts light to a specified color temperature. This phosphor degrades quickly in high heat. Consequently, LED color temperatures may change without heat management. Panels may also stop looking uniform.
Luckily, temperature can be managed by a heat sink, which is typically an aluminum component that conducts heat away from the panel. Heat sinks are vital to keep LEDs in an optimal state, thereby maximizing lifespan and minimizing degradation.
Many LED panel manufacturers use heat sinks to protect their panels. Unfortunately, these heat sinks are typically placed in frames that surround the panel. While the panel is preserved, the frame limits the adaptability of the panel.
Our Patented Solution
In contrast, DLC integrates our heat sink onto the LumiSheet panel, removing the need for a bulky frame. This means we can create custom, quality shapes while still ensuring the panel lasts long and shines evenly.
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LumiSheet’s heat sink is integrated with the panel, rather than placed on a frame surrounding the LED panel. Therefore, LumiSheet can be frameless, with a wide range of design options. Only LumiSheet has this feature.
3D V-Cutting: For Even Light
Only LumiSheet uses the 3D V-Cutting process for our light guide plate. This technology lets light disperse from the edges to center of LED panels, creating an even look.
Not all edge-lit LED panels provide truly even backlighting. Edge-lit light panels are on their own brighter around the perimeter of the panel, while being darker inside. However, the right technology can solve this problem and produce the look of a smooth light sheet.
To shine evenly, LED panels need to be engineered to let light travel from the edges to the center. LED manufacturers use a number of methods to achieve uniformity. However, these methods have various degrees of success. One method is to laser cut the panel to try to create light channels. Unfortunately, these laser cut grooves are shallow, creating less than optimal light distribution. Another method is silk screening for light dispersion, but the results diminish over time.
Our Patented Solution
On the other hand, LumiSheet’s 3D v-cutting process is able to properly disperse light from the LED panel’s edges to its center. Here’s how this superior method works: First, DLC etches grooves into the acrylic. In contrast to other methods, this v-cutting gets deep enough to create effective light channels. These channels run from one end of the LumiSheet panel to the other, making the grid pattern LumiSheet is known for. Second, DLC optimizes the v-cutting pattern for each panel. This means channels are widely spaced when close to the light source at the edges of the panel, and narrowly spaced when farther away from the light source (at the center). As a result, LumiSheet is a superior light guide plate. Every panel has bright, smooth light, no matter the size or shape.
LumiSheet is uniformly lit from its edges to the center, thanks to 3D v-cutting.
Comparing LED Panels:
Embedded LEDs
Patented by LumiSheet
Competitor Issues
LEDs placed in aluminum extrusion around panel
Reduced design flexibility
Our Difference
Embedded LEDs
Frameless panels
Custom shaped panels
Integrated Heat Sink
Patented by LumiSheet
Competitor Issues
Heat sink is an extrusion around panel
Reduced design flexibility
Our Difference
Heat sink is integrated with the panel
Panels are frameless
Custom shapes are possible
3D V-Cutting
Patented by LumiSheet
Competitor Issues
Edge-lit light panels are brighter outside, darker inside
Laser cutting grooves are too shallow
Silk screening doesn’t last
Our Difference
We etch grooves into acrylic
The result is light pathways that run across LumiSheet panels
We optimize the grid for each panel
