Kyocera Corporation today announced that it has developed a new type of light-emitting diode (LED) that produces a color spectrum very close to natural sunlight — making it ideal for color-inspection applications. The new products offer low power consumption and extremely long life in an array of lighting options, including fluorescent tubes, standing lights and compact handheld lamps — making them a perfect alternative to large, heat-producing xenon lamps in areas such as automotive paint inspection.
Kyocera’s LEDs render a wider and more evenly distributed spectrum of light than conventional LEDs or fluorescent lighting. In this way, they make a color rendering possible that approximating natural sunlight. These characteristics are highly desirable in any environment — and essential in applications requiring accurate color reproduction, such as paint manufacturing, commercial printing and automotive color inspection.
Kyocera’s unique material technologies are applied throughout the new LED modules to facilitate outstanding performance. The new LEDs are rated for 100,000 hours of service, equal to more than 11 years of continuous operation, with extremely low power consumption. Additionally, Kyocera’s proprietary material technology has yielded a ceramic package with higher reflectivity than conventional materials, resulting in brighter light output.
Kyocera is marketing the new LED products in multiple lighting options for diverse applications, including a handheld portable device for inspecting large objects, like automobiles; standing lights for inspection workstations; and fluorescent tubes for illuminating entire rooms or enclosed areas. Kyocera can supply LED modules individually or in finished products of the aforementioned configurations. The LEDs can also be supplied in battery-powered versions for enhanced portability.
The new products expand Kyocera’s line of high-quality, long-life and environment-friendly LED lighting solutions. Kyocera’s LEDs are designed for environments that demand the ultimate accuracy in color reproduction, and/or general aesthetics — ranging from fine-art museums and fashion retailing to hospital operating rooms and high-tech manufacturing.
About Kyocera
Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, Kyocera Corporation is one of the world's leading manufacturers of fine ceramic components for the technology industry. The strategically important divisions in the Kyocera Group, which is comprised of 230 subsidiaries (as of April 1, 2014), are information and communications technologies, products which increase quality of life, and environmentally friendly products. The technology group is also one of the largest producers of solar energy systems worldwide, with more than 4 gigawatts of solar power having been installed around the world to date.
The company is ranked #531 on Forbes magazine’s 2014 “Global 2000” listing of the world’s largest publicly traded companies.
With a global workforce of about 70,000 employees, Kyocera posted net sales of approximately €10.19 billion in fiscal year 2013/2014. The products marketed by the company in Europe include laser printers, digital copying systems, microelectronic components, fineceramic products and complete solar power systems. The Kyocera Group has two independent companies in the Federal Republic of Germany: Kyocera Fineceramics GmbH in Neuss and Esslingen and Kyocera Document Solutions in Meerbusch.
The company also takes an active interest in cultural affairs. The Kyoto Prize, a prominent international award, is presented each year by the Inamori Foundation — established by Kyocera founder Dr. Kazuo Inamori — to individuals and groups worldwide who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural, and spiritual betterment of humankind (converted at present €354,000 per prize category).
