Case study
Thermal management in demanding LED applications
Achieving optimal performance with LED luminaires in harsh industrial environments requires durable materials that meet the most stringent design standards. Shat-R-Shield combined the advantages of Makrolon® polycarbonate and Makroblend® resins to address to the challenge.
Many industrial facilities require lighting fixtures that will continue to perform well under the most demanding of circumstances. With this opportunity in mind, our customers at Shat-R-Shield tasked us with helping them develop a new LED Hybrid for flood- and wall pack-lighting as an extension of their existing line of lightweight and corrosion-resistant LED fixtures.
The Incoplas™ LED Hybrid design developed by Shat-R-Shield required a material that could handle extremely challenging thermal and environmental conditions. Aluminum, which is often used for industrial lighting housing, corrodes in some environments, and this is why Shat-R-Shield asked us to help them find a more durable thermally-conductive material.
We recommended thermally conductive Makrolon® polycarbonate as a heat sink for the main luminaire housing. It’s ability to withstand prolonged exposure to moisture, dust and chemicals – while allowing lightweight, versatile design - made it the natural choice. Additionally, we proposed Makroblend® resin as a complementary material due to its chemical resistance, dimensional stability and impact strength. Flame-resistant Makrolon® diffusion sheet for the luminaire lens rounded off the solution.
Why Makrolon® and Makroblend® were the right solution for Shat-R-Shield
- Thermally conductive (TC): Makrolon® TC polycarbonate (PC) is outstanding for heat dissipation.
- Design-friendly: Makrolon® PC makes versatile, lightweight design possible.
- Flame retardant: Makroblend® resin is flame retardant and retains its shape when exposed to heat.
- Heat resistant: Makrolon® withstands heat and has a wide service temperature range.
- Chemical resistant: Both Makrolon® and Makroblend® offer excellent chemical resistance.
