James Prietzel, Product Manager at Intelligent LED Solutions (ILS)
James is the ILS Product Manager for everything related to LEDs and has been with ILS since 2012. He is dedicated to understanding the latest technologies and innovations from leading suppliers in the OptoElectronics world, from optics, to LEDs and to Intelligent LED Drivers.
Increasingly we are hearing about sustainability and the importance of lowering wastage. To that effect, remanufacturing luminaires has become an effective and viable option for system upgrades. Inventronics (OSRAM DS) has become a market leading expert in adapting pre-existing fluorescent lighting systems as well as older LED fixtures, to newer more efficient versions.
Reduce, Refurbish, Reuse, Restore
Remanufacturing refers to the process of taking older products and modifying them into new upgraded products by reutilising existing luminaire carcasses. Remanufacturing lighting systems will enable increased functionalities and increased performance levels than the original system. In this way, customer technologies can be updated to improve capabilities and performance, whilst also ensuring lower upgrade costs.
What Does the Process Involve?
Initial assessments and surveys of existing products or systems are conducted to determine the best and most suitable way to remanufacture. The quality and usability of the existing products will be assessed, and any components or carcasses intended to be retained and reused are then extracted and cleaned. Whilst any damaged or outdated components are replaced. Often these processes can be carried out on-site helping to reduce carbon emission and transport costs and additional carbon savings. Once the product is reworked, the final results are quality and safety tested. The new system is then functional and in-use.
So Why Choose Remanufacturing?
By refurbishing existing fixtures and utilising the existing carcasses, environmental impacts are reduced and lowering production costs. The amount spent on raw materials purchased for new products can be drastically reduced, as well as minimising energy and water used in manufacturing facilities. By remanufacturing old products, waste disposal and scrapping fees can also be cut.
Negative environmental impacts are also cut through reduced wastage and increased decarbonisation resulting from lower production emissions. Helping businesses to be considerate of their social responsibility and improve their sustainability. Remanufacturing has a higher safety record than the recycling industry. Additionally, it encourages problem solving and utilises traditional industry skills.
- Reduce recycling and waste.
- Increase reuse.
- Reuse and refurbish existing product carcasses.
- Reduce material consumption.
- Reduce carbon use.
- Restore and refurbish classic lighting systems.
Plus, by upgrading outdated technologies such as fluorescent lighting to LED, users can benefit from decreased ongoing energy running costs. As on average switching to LED can allow for almost a 50% reduction in energy usage, further resulting in a saving of about 936 tonnes of carbon over 5 years. With LED longer lifetimes also less maintenance and repair costs. Remanufacturing these outdated fixtures will future-proof lighting within buildings.
How Does It Differ From Recycling?
Recycling is the process of breaking down undesirable products into components and melting, smelting, and reprocessing them into new versions. Whereas the remanufacturing process works to preserve the entire form of a product, minimising any wastage and simplifying the creation of new products.
Distrelec stocks a comprehensive range of OSRAM LED drivers and controllers from Inventronics, take a look at the range.
About Inventronics
NB: In May 2023, OSRAM sold its LED Drivers, Lighting Controls, LED Flex and LED Modules business to Inventronics. These products continue to be branded OSRAM but are now owned, designed, manufactured, and developed by Inventronics.
