The lighting solution created by Zumtobel for Forming AG in Möhlin is extremely resilient and energy-efficient. For the company, a leading manufacturer of metal profiles, the Austrian lighting experts equipped two high-ceilinged industrial halls with the CRAFT II plus LED highbay luminaire. This powerhouse of a luminaire is extremely resistant to chemical and mechanical stresses and features a revolutionary thermal management system.
Dornbirn/Möhlin, June 2022 – Excellent resilience: the CRAFT II plus LED high-bay luminaire from Zumtobel’s portfolio is used in dusty, hot environments, such as that at Forming AG in Möhlin, in the Swiss canton of Aargau, for example. In the high-ceilinged industrial halls, the company produces cold-rolled metal profiles and slit strips for various applications and sectors. A hint of oil and metal dust hangs in the air. And to withstand the toughest environmental conditions, precisely formed, Swiss-made profiles need precise lighting.
Swiss industrial quality meets Austrian lighting expertise
As part of the renovation of two large assembly halls, Forming AG wanted to replace the existing 400-watt sodium-vapour lamps with a robust, future-proof lighting solution. The company worked with lighting experts Zumtobel to create a lighting solution that reduces power consumption by up to 50 per cent and also provides a much higher light output: “CRAFT II plus luminaires have a luminous efficacy of 134 lm/W, while the old sodium-vapour lamps only delivered 65 lm/W”, says Philipp Büchler, project manager at Zumtobel Switzerland. This makes the Zumtobel luminaires the perfect choice for production in industrial buildings with very high ceilings.
Resistant to oil, metal dust and fluctuating temperatures
Before installing more than 300 CRAFT II plus high-bay luminaires, the project partners first analysed the most important key data: “Forming AG uses a two-shift operation system. This meant our lighting solution had to enable long switch-on times”, remembers Philipp Büchler. In addition, the luminaires had to be resistant to an oily atmosphere as well as to significant temperature fluctuations. According to Philipp Büchler, “Forming AG’s productions halls are partially open, which can cause the operating temperature to drop dramatically in the winter”. This is no problem for CRAFT II plus, which is suitable for ambient temperatures from -40° to +70° Celsius.
Protective shield from a single mould
So that neither water nor chemicals can penetrate the luminaire from above, the CRAFT II plus has a Craft Protection Shield (CPS). The high-quality aluminium housing is made from a single mould and forms a kind of protective shield for demanding industrial environments. It completely covers sensitive components such as sensors and emergency and IoT technology. The housing is also extremely conductive and reliably dissipates heat.
Cools and cleans itself
“The intelligent design of the CRAFT II plus high-bay luminaire ensures that it can cool itself and clean even the smallest particles of metal dust from its surfaces”, says Philipp Büchler. To do this, the industrial luminaire uses two fundamental principles of physics, known as the Venturi and Coandă effects. In an intelligent interplay of air pressure, air speed and air temperature, LED drivers and boards are cooled and everyday dust is removed from the luminaire surface. The extremely robust nature of the CRAFT II plus also has a positive impact on maintenance intervals, according to Philipp Büchler: “The amount of service work has significantly reduced, ensuring that production can continue without interruption”.
Sustainability that pays off
To ensure that the environmental impact of the renovation of the two large assembly halls was taken into consideration and to significantly reduce CO2 consumption in the production, Forming AG brought in an external energy advisor. Thanks to the CRAFT II plus, Zumtobel is able to help the company achieve their ambitious sustainability goals: “Simply making the switch from old sodiumvapour lamps to modern LED technology has allowed Forming AG to make energy savings of 30 to 50 per cent”, says Philipp Büchler. This is not only good news for the company’s accounting department, but also makes the profile specialists eligible for various grants and incentives. In addition, Zumtobel offers Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which document the environmental impact of a lighting tool throughout its entire life cycle, making it possible to track how the lighting contributes to the company’s climate change targets.
Zumtobel-quality light
In addition to groundbreaking technologies, the CRAFT II plus also benefits from the Zumtobel Group’s lighting expertise. The optics engineers have replicated a natural phenomenon called TIR – total internal reflection. Transparent, laser-structured lenses with a micrometrically small, diagonal dome-like structure reflect the whole ray of light like a mirror. This allows the high-bay luminaire to offer excellent light distribution in the room – for perfect visibility during challenging activities.
Finding the perfect lighting solution doesn’t have to be hard work
The example of Forming AG shows that even in challenging industrial environments, the CRAFT II plus succeeds in combining excellent light quality, maximum robustness and energy efficiency. As Philipp Büchler puts it: “It takes a lot of effort and force to create the perfect Forming AG profile, but finding the perfect lighting solution from Zumtobel doesn’t have to be hard work”.
About Zumtobel
Our passion is to create quality lighting solutions that deliver total perfection. We are driven by a conviction that the right kind of light can create the right atmosphere in a building at any time of day or night. When tailored to people’s individual needs, light becomes something of an experience. We are always exploring new ways to come up with inimitable and timeless designs and are inspired by a unique creative ambition. When working on the lighting of tomorrow, we are driven by our innovative corporate philosophy of continuously improving the aesthetics of light. With passion, a sense of beauty and a forward-looking approach, we are constantly seeking to use light to help improve people’s quality of life. The Zumtobel brand is part of Zumtobel Group AG, based in Dornbirn in the Vorarlberg region of Austria.
Contact:
Zumtobel Lighting GmbH
