Type and Structure of Led Panel Lights

LED panel lights are increasingly popular due to their characteristics of good uniformity of illumination, higher color render index, comfort and soft light, making them ideal for a variety of settings. Here are some of the most common applications for LED flat panel lights: commercial offices, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, retail stores, conference rooms, industrial settings, and residential spaces.

Types of LED panel light

From the outset of their development, Panel lights have been categorized into two types based on their illumination method: Edge-lit and Back-lit Panel lights. The primary difference between the two lies in the location of the LEDs and the use of a light guide plate (LGP). Typically, Back-lit Panel lights do not require an LGP as they utilize a direct illumination method.

Edge-lit panel lights offer a thin light body, easy installation, and convenient transport, among other benefits. However, they have a tendency to produce uneven lighting. In contrast, back-lit panel lights provide ample brightness and cost control advantages. Despite these benefits, they are prone to glare and dark areas, and their heavy light bodies make transportation and installation more cumbersome.

The price of edge-lit LED panel lights is higher in comparison to their back-lit counterparts due to the relative complexity of the technology involved. This is largely due to the intricate structure of the edge-lit product, which necessitates more complex manufacturing processes. Consequently, product yield and uniformity can be more difficult to control, adding to the cost of production.

The structure of LED panel light

The structure of Edge-lit LED panel lights primarily comprises a frame, LED light source, a LGP (light guide plate), a diffuser plate, reflective film, a driver power supply, a back plate, and other related components.

1. Frame

The frame of an LED panel light serves two important purposes: it enhances the overall aesthetic appeal while also facilitating heat dissipation. In fact, a robust frame is a crucial component of a quality LED panel light, as it contributes significantly to its durability and longevity. However, it's worth noting that different materials used to craft the side frame of an LED panel light will yield varying thermal performance. From the latest statistics available, the most common materials used for panel light frames are aluminum, steel, PC, A6063, and aluminum plastic, among others.

2. LED light source

The quality of LED chips, including type, brand and quantity, greatly impacts the resulting light effect, as well as the achieved luminous flux and price of the product. In the case of panel lights, SMD2835 and SMD3014 are commonly used as LED chips. Additionally, back-lit panel lights generally require fewer lamp beads than edge-lit panel lights due to the scattering of light emitted from the beads by the optical lens.

3. LGP (Light Guide Plate)

The light guide plate is a crucial component of edge-lit panel lights. Its function is to refract the light in the direction parallel to the light guide plate and perpendicular to the light guide plate, and the light reflected by the light guide plate to the back of the panel lamp is reflected by the reflective film or reflective paper. To optimize the process, it's crucial to minimize light attenuation. Typically, the light guide plate's effectiveness heavily relies on the dot design, with the choice of light guide plate following closely after.

4. Diffuser plate

The function of the diffuser plate is to evenly disperse the light of the light guide plate, and it can also play the role of blurring the dots. Commonly used materials for its construction include PC (polycarbonate plastic), acrylic, PS (polystyrene plastic), and PP (polypropylene plastic). Among them, PS and PP are frequently utilized, owing to their lower cost compared to other materials.

5. Reflective film or paper

Its primary function is to reflect residual light at the back of the light guide plate, thereby improving light efficiency.

6. Driver power supply

The brand, voltage, isolation, non-isolation, stroboscopic capabilities, functional requirements, and certification requirements all affect the quality and price of an LED panel light power supply. Isolation is generally considered safer than non-isolation, while stroboscopic capabilities impact whether images taken with a mobile phone will be affected. Additionally, functional requirements like dimming and color grading may vary, as will certification requirements. Ultimately, the combination of these factors will determine the overall quality and price of the LED panel light power supply.

7. Back plate

The most commonly used back plate for panel lights is typically made of iron. The thickness and weight can vary, as well as its strength.

In comparison to the edge-lit panel light, the back-lit panel light has a different style, and the back cover is thicker, and the direct-type back cover will be spray-coated, in addition to coloring for better reflection.

The end

As we wrap up the discussion on the structure of edge-lit LED panel lights, it's important to note that back-lit LED panel lights have a simpler design. Unlike edge-lit lights, back-lit panel lights do not require a light guide plate (LGP).

As one of the leading LED panel light manufacturers in China, Realshine Lighting provides quality LED panel lights for sale. Feel free to contact us for further info at any time.