LED Strip Lights: How Are They Made?

Nov 30,2020

Did you know LED lighting systems have become so efficient that NASA used them for their space shuttle! LED lights are so versatile and flexible that they can be used in virtually any space and area. They provide an adequate lighting solution for several applications you can think of. Be it underneath your bed or sofa, as a backlit for your TV, for creating a virtual sky for your ceiling, and so on. Isn’t it amazing?

The LED strip lights itself are accessible in several lengths and depths and you can also cut the length according to your requirement. These strips come with an adhesive back so you don’t have to worry about how to place them under delicate areas such as in cabinets or around doorways etc. the durable tape at the back allows users to peel and stick the lights to various distinct surfaces without any hassle. Also, from single color to a multitude of a different color array and color/hues changing options you can create a wide range of different lighting effects, and if you use a suitable controller too, then your life will become super easy from then on you can dim the LED strip light or brighten them as per your mood and needed ambiance.

So, How Are These Lights Made?
As the use of LED strip lights is growing, their manufacturing process is also becoming more and more streamlined. These strips have printed circuit boards that are welded or soldered together to make the right length. Through surface, mount technology LEDs and related components are assembled onto the board. Let’s take an overview of how the process works;

Step 1 Production Of LED Reel:
The first step is to place the LEDs and components on the reel. LED wafers are fixed on the reel using wire bonds than a spectrophotometer automatically sort LEDs according to the current, voltage, and color. Once this is done and reels are ready, they are sealed in vacuum bags to protect from dust and humidity.

Step 2 Solder Paste Stenciling:
The next step is to get a printed circuit board ready for pasting the LED components on it. This process is called solder paste stenciling. This process was used to be done manually but due to advancements, now a specialized machine is used. It is very important to apply the solder paste to the exact mounting place of the component and in the right amount.

Step 3 Placement Of The Components:
After the application of paste, the machine then positions the components in their places on the printed circuit board. The LEDs http://ledstripsolution.us/ are placed on the reel using a robotic device the put each component where it belongs. These machines ensure quality and correct placement with almost no chances of error.

Step 4 Reflow Soldering and Welding:
Now that the components are in place on the printed board circuit, you need to make sure that they stay there. This is ensured using a process called reflow soldering. The PCB board is placed on the conveyer belt that takes it to the reflow oven, where it is heated and then cooled. The decrease in temperature solidifies the solder again then they are welded together, connecting one strip to another.

Step 5 Waterproofing and Aging:
The welded LED strips are put through a process named aging to check the performance whereby they are turned on for 12 hours continuously to check if they are working seamlessly. Then waterproofing is done to increase their longevity in which the LED is covered with silicone or plastic.

Step 6 Packaging:
The last step is to pass the LED strips through all quality checks and 3M tape is pasted on their back so that customers can easily install it wherever they want!

 
This article is from Robert Smith