Common Light Guide Project Questions with Real Answers
I’ve learned that it can be difficult, or nearly impossible, for OEMs to find real, detailed answers to their device or project illumination questions. I feel this friction, too! While I share one FAQ in each of our monthly newsletters (Not subscribed? Sign up at the end of this article.), I’ve collected the most common questions below for quick reference.
I usually receive questions from prospects and customers at three distinct phases from OEMs when they:
- Are unsure of the possibilities for producing an illuminated solution.
- Need to know if GLT can design and manufacture a capable solution.
- Want to understand the unique steps GLT requires of our customers.
Below, I share common questions during each key stage. Some are asked more frequently than others, and some are surprising! Read on for answers to important OEM questions.
1. Common Light Guide Research & Vetting Questions
How do I know if a light guide is right for my project?
The short answer is: it depends! Whether your device or application needs a light guide is unique to each project, based on factors like optical performance, aesthetics, and mechanical design. If you think your project needs a light guide, it probably does. Contact our experts to assess your project and discuss our patented light extraction technology.
What’s the lead time for a light guide project?
Our team works with your timeline o navigate design, development, and tooling to meet your deadlines. We closely collaborate with all our customers to ensure on-time component delivery and to find solutions to tight deadlines.
What about the cost?
The cost of your light guide depends on many factors. No matter what, you can count on our engineers to seek out savings opportunities during development. From there, our US design and development teams collaborate with our global tooling and manufacturing teams to ensure a cost-effective, yet high-performance solution.
Can you help if my original supplier can’t fulfill what I need?
Yes! Customers have urgently approached us for light guide solutions due to another supplier’s failure to deliver. While some OEMs initially partner with other companies, they often encounter challenges with production volumes. Although we prefer early involvement in projects, GLT can be a reliable partner when plans falter, ensuring that we support you from design through mass production. If we supply a customer already in production, a redesign is necessary; the development phase is crucial to employing our technology, especially since competitors may struggle with production performance and volume.
Does GLT only supply light guides or can you provide additional components for our assembly?
We offer additional assembly components beyond light guides. Our project offerings range from light guides only to full module assembly, depending on your needs. We can supply optical films, PCBAs, housings and electrical components alongside our light guides. We fully test and validate our modules to ensure peak performance, form, and function.
What makes GLT the best option for me?
I believe that we stand out in the lighting solutions market because of our unique combination of expertise, commitment, and specialized manufacturing capabilities. Unlike generalist manufacturers who treat lighting as a secondary service, GLT is singularly focused on creating exceptional custom light guide assemblies.
Here’s what you can expect from us:
- Specialized Manufacturing: Our capabilities focus on high-volume, precision light guide production. Where other manufacturers might struggle or compromise, we excel.
- Uncompromising Performance: We prioritize creating the best products with no corners cut and ensure every custom assembly meets or exceeds customer expectations.
- Comprehensive In-House Capabilities: GLT manages all aspects of optical design, engineering, and manufacturing in-house, ensuring consistent quality and direct communication throughout development.
Why do customers keep coming back to GLT?
To sum it up in a few words: our process and our people. With us, our customers gain far more than a transactional relationship. For every engagement, we follow these tenets:
- Honest, Direct Communication: We pride ourselves on providing straight, honest answers. Even if our initial feedback isn’t what a customer wants to hear, we’re transparent about what is and isn’t achievable. We guide customers toward the most effective solutions.
- Collaborative Problem-Solving: Our approach isn’t about selling a product, but about solving challenges. We work closely with customers to understand their specific needs and find innovative solutions.
- Long-Term Relationship Focus: We value customer relationships so deeply that we’re willing to go above and beyond. It’s why many customers have worked with us for years or continue to rely on us for repeat projects.
GLT fills a special niche in the market for high-quality illumination technology, which many customers take advantage of for their unique concepts.
2. GLT Capability Discovery Questions
What information do I need to provide for GLT to design and implement a light guide module?
Our engineers and sales teams know the right questions to ask to gain relevant project information. They’ll ask about power, optical, and mechanical requirements and offer a solution that best meets your unique needs. We can also work with brand new or finished designs and make modification recommendations to incorporate a light guide module.
How do you ensure that my product is produced in light of supply chain risks, both historical and unknown?
We work with many suppliers and vendors to multi-source materials and components to ensure redundancy for sourcing. This helps to keep costs within budget and continue production in the face of supply chain risks. We’re also growing our manufacturing capabilities in Vietnam. This will expand our global presence and better support our customers around the world.
Do you provide prototypes, and why is this important?
Yes! Prototypes are a critical milestone in the product development process. Our proven prototype methodology offers customers a real, illuminated version of your vision before launching full production.
Prototypes serve multiple crucial purposes:
- Tangible Validation: It’s challenging to get a true sense for illumination and brightness only in simulation. Prototypes help you understand how devices look in their intended environment.
- Design Refinement: They often lead customers to rethink and refine their initial concepts. I’ve seen numerous instances where a prototype sparks new ideas or reveals design improvements that weren’t apparent in earlier stages.
- Stakeholder Communication: Engineers can showcase their progress to marketing teams, sales departments, and upper management, helping to gain critical project approvals.
In one memorable project with a medical device manufacturer, our prototype of a defibrillator design was met with extraordinary excitement. The customer, who had been working on the project for years, was thrilled to finally see a tangible, illuminated version of their concept!
Projects can be both green-lighted and halted based on prototype reviews. For some customers, the prototype is the moment of truth—the point where they can truly assess whether the design meets their expectations.
3. Pre-Production & Early Production Questions
Are there restrictions on the types of LEDs I can use in my light guide?
Light guides can work with various LED package sizes, but side-fire LEDs are particularly effective for edge-lighting solutions. Our team develops mechanical solutions to integrate different LED types, including rotating direct-fire LEDs to align with the light guide. This assembly method is feasible and commonly applied when necessary.
How does GLT determine ideal LED type and quantity for a system?
We evaluate power and mechanical fitting since LEDs require space and energy for optimal performance. Our team collaborates with customers and LED vendors to find the right size and fit for their applications. We assess LED quantity and performance through simulations and prototypes. Customers can suggest preferred LEDs, and we will accommodate them when possible, but we may recommend alternatives to achieve the desired brightness and uniformity.
Do you create light guides that illuminate in multiple different colors?
Yes! We are currently working with multiple customers to design light guides using RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LEDs as well as products using multiple discrete color LEDs. Recently, we assisted a device manufacturer in displaying product status with a single color-changing LED line, which enhanced their efficiency.
Can you eliminate bright spots in front of the LEDs on a light guide?
The short answer is yes! We use many tools during design to reduce bright spots like lens arrays, optical pattern adjustments and masking or film options. This is a priority in early design phases to ensure it’s not an issue by the time we go to design prototypes or move into production. We can evaluate designs ahead of time to ensure this is not an issue.
How will GLT manufacture my light guide?
We offer three robust manufacturing processes, each designed to meet unique design requirements:
- Injection Molding
- Uses a custom insert containing the optical extraction pattern
- Creates precise, complex light guide geometries
- Ideal for high-volume production
- Ensures consistent optical performance across large production runs
- Roll to Roll Embossing (thin film embossing)
- Starts with pre-rolled polycarbonate film
- Embosses a custom light extraction pattern directly onto the thin film
- Precise die-cutting to final size
- Excellent for creating ultra-thin light guide solutions
- Extruded Embossing
- Unique process that starts with raw material pellets
- Creates custom light guide profile and thickness through extrusion
- Offers a critical advantage: ability to taper the part
- Enables accommodation of LED height variations
A key innovation in our extruded embossing process is the ability to taper light guide edges. We can taper the light guide to accommodate thicker LEDs and with an overall thin light guide profile. This approach increases the efficiency of the LED by coupling more light, which is significantly more efficient than alternative methods.
Can you make a fully finished assembly for me?
We’ve advanced from basic light guide production to expert assembly. We integrate components like light guides, films, adhesives, reflectors, housings, and LEDs, leveraging strong vendor relationships in Taiwan and China. Our approach streamlines manufacturing, reduces handling and optical quality issues, and offers a complete solution to bring your lighting design from concept to product.
Smooth Your Path to Production
Whether you’re an engineer exploring initial concepts or a product manager seeking a reliable lighting solutions partner, Global Lighting Technologies is prepared to transform your vision into reality. I hope I’ve answered your top light guide questions! If not, please contact the GLT team here and we’ll be happy to provide you with the information you need.nd guide you through each step! Connect with my team here to share your bright idea!