LED light diffusing profiles and linear lenses
Primo provides market leading manufacturers of lighting solutions with cover and insulation profiles, designed for optimum protection and easy installation.
Developing efficient and economical solutions and following market trends is what Primo is all about. In the lighting industry, this is done in a close and open relationship with Primo's partners and customers.
Also, continuous investments in automatisation, such as packing machines and quality measurement devices, are essential in that process. Through automatisation, Primo secures competitiveness and products that fulfil all quality requirements.
"New solutions, applications and raw materials are continuously developed. We have to work closely together with our customers to help them reach their goals, but also to secure our competence proactively. We want to be part of the customer's development as early as possible and act in a "consultant role" from an extrusion standpoint. This way, the profile is optimised for production and, priority number one, meets all customer requirements," says Group Commercial Director, Jaakko Salo, Primo.
We design and develop profiles for linear lenses according to each customer’s specific requirements
Thermoplastics components offer a wide range of advantages such as insulating ability, heat and corrosion resistance and design flexibility.
We are a world leader on combining metals (copper & aluminum) with plastic used in applications such as halogen-free profiles for lighting tracks and electrical connections.
Furthermore, we are leading experts in optic properties of polymer materials with a dedicated business area and production facility, including polycarbonate (PC) and acrylic (PMMA).
Polymer busbar for superior insulation in lighting products
For decades, Primo has produced busbars for customers in the lighting industry. The development started together with Nokia, known as Nordic Aluminium today.
The major benefit of using extruded polymer profiles for lighting are insulation. Furthermore, the limited weight of plastics allows for lighter structure designs. Also, polymers such as acrylics (PMMA), have superior optical qualities that are better than glass, while polycarbonate (PC) has superior impact resistance and flammability values.
Another benefit is that it is possible to enhance raw material features such as UV-resistance, light diffusion, haze, chemical resistance – and even to combine different materials into a single profile that can substitute several components and fulfil multiple purposes.
Product portfolio
.. and any lighting article that needs a competitive polymer solution!
FAQ: Questions and answers about about polymer use in the lighting industry
Can you make halogen free busbars?
Yes! Thermoplastic busbars for lighting tracks have been a primary area for Primo for decades. Traditionally all busbars have been made from Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) because of its strength and other material properties. However, PVC contains halogens, that might be released under the stress of fire. The solutions is Primo's HF busbar solutions.PVC is still the proven industry standard, but for some specific areas, we see a growing demand for materials that are halogen-free and have low flammability. This is something we can deliver on thanks to our HF busbar solution.
Read more here: Thermoplastic materials for busbars
How much heat can plastic withstand?
Different plastic types have different insulation values. They can stand heat differently; some plastics can lose their properties at high temperatures, and this is crucial information when building new products. What sets us apart is that we understand and can document the limits and possibilities of the plastic materials. We can supply the documented plastic properties to the customers. Also, our suppliers can help and share information about the rawmaterials' properties.
Read more here: Busbar production for the lighting industry
How is plastic used in lighting products?
The lighting industry is a driver for plastic innovation. Limited space, heat, electrical networking and the need for insulation constantly moves the boundaries of what is technically possible. Plastic is first of all used because it is a lightweight material, a superior insulator of electric current and in lighting products tranparant plastic profiles are used as diffusers of light.
Is it possible to extrude non-plastic materials into a plastic profile?
Yes. We insert materials including copper, aluminium, and steel into our plastic profiles. This allows, for example, the conduction and insulation of electric current, among other uses.
Do you extrude busbars for lighting tracks?
Yes. In fact, we have dedicated production lines for extruding busbars for lighting tracks. Raw materials, tooling, packaging, and quality control are of the highest order.
Copper conductors of different diameters and designs can be inserted into the plastic profile.
We manufacture busbars from our own PVC recipe and from halogen-free materials. Both solutions fulfil electrical industry-specific flammability and insulation requirements.
Can you extrude transparent and translucent profiles?
Yes. We extrude transparent or translucent profiles from many plastic materials.
Each plastic material has unique transparency, endurance, and diffusion properties. Depending on how you plan to use the profile, we'll recommend the right plastic material.
When extruding translucent profiles, we can change their colour or optical qualities. Light still transmits through the profile.
Examples of transparent and translucent profiles we've produced include:
- pricing rails for supermarket shelves
- gaskets for sealing
- tubes for medical applications
- slatted covers for swimming pools
- LED lighting and PMMA for LED lighting
What is the best material for profiles such as LED lighting covers, diffusers, and lenses?
It depends on where you plan to use the profile.
There are two popular plastic types in lighting profiles. One is polycarbonate (PC). The other is polymethylmethacrylate, also known as PMMA.
PC profiles are most suitable for warehouse, car park, and transportation vehicle lighting. PC is a tough, flame-retardant plastic that handles mechanical stress and high temperatures. It's approved for industry specific standards such as UL94 V0, EN 45545 and ECE R118.
PMMA profiles are most suitable for the linear lenses and diffusers used in offices, retail stores, and public spaces. PMMA transmits light up to 97% better than glass, which is good for positive human experiences. PMMA is a surface-hard plastic resistant to ultra-violet radiation.
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Our process
Our team of specialists and project managers are here to support you from the beginning of the project to the final delivery.
As one of the leading plastics manufacturers, we support your project with the latest material science, production technology, market knowledge and advanced expertise in plastics extrusion.
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