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Light Pipes - Light Guides

Light pipes / light guides both equal light being “piped” or “guided” down the clear plastic from one end to the other. Acrylics and Polycarbonates are used due to high clarity properties; which reduces attenuation of the light. Attenuation means the gradual loss of intensity of light, or strength of a signal. The plastic “pipe” is designed in such a way that the light guided through it reflects back upon itself throughout the whole of the part. This inward reflection keeps the light “bouncing” back upon itself moving evenly towards the intended area of the design.

Their use has reduced the overall cost of manufacturing any type of component that requires backlighting. Most often they are used to light the instrument panel in an automobile. A display on a medical device or to show various indicator lights on an electrical component. The range of applications is limitless.

Another important property of light pipes is the lack of heat found in other lighting devices. This can be critical in a tight space with low air flow, or in a heat sensitive area such as a patient whose doctor is using a medical device upon them.

Previous to light pipes, LED lighting was exclusively used. This was a rather resource intensive task as each light had to be placed behind the object being back lit. Today the use of a light pipe is not only cost effective but practical because the lighting is more consistent through out the device and can be used to light up several devices per light pipe. Only a few LED’s need to be used and the light pipe can efficiently direct the light to the correct device without any loss of intensity.

Prisms / Fresnel Lens

A prism is based primarily upon the dispersion of light. T.I.R plays a part in this dispersion of light in a prism creating a sparkle of light. Plastic refracts light differently than glass; it separates the colors of the spectrum clearer. Because of the multi-faceted nature (much like a diamond) the reflective qualities make its use a natural choice in lighting.

Fresnel lens is a type of prism. Flat on one side and ridged on the other. They are constructed of multiple concentric circles to enhance light and image quality rather than focus light like other optical components.

Still reading? Don’t let me lose you as we continue.

You might remember seeing one way back when, as a device to help sharpen the TV screen… Grandma’s big screen Television and the grand kids were the remote control. As old fashioned as that giant magnifying glass on wheels was… the same technology is being used on giant screen TV’s today. They just look nicer and the grand kids don’t have to keep clicking the channel knob.

Almost all automobile lens… tail lights, head lights, etc are made as a plastic Fresnel lens made of Polycarbonate or Acrylic due to its durability. These types of lenses are showing up in medical imaging innovations where high resolution, optical quality, light weight, lack of heat and cost efficient production is desirable. In medical applications as well as consumer optical grade Acrylics and Polycarbonates are used. These types of lens are also being used for over head projectors, projection TV’s, and a multitude of other applications.

Lenses

Plastic lenses are used in construction products such as laser pointers, construction levels, and surveying devices. Protection devices like face shields and safety glasses. Consumer goods like sunglasses and various lighting applications from flood lights to flash lights.

Polycarbonate is generally used due to it’s strength yet flexibility, especially in products for safety or that need to stand up to hard daily usage. Its strength is why it’s often used for safety applications and bullet proof windows. Polycarbonates flexibility makes it a natural choice for sunglasses and eyeglasses because it will bend farther than any other plastic of the same thickness.

Preferred Materials for Optical Components

There is a difficulty level in working with translucent resins. Both Acrylic resins and Clear Polycarbonates have high melt points. Each has it's own process which can get tricky. Our IPP™ method follows Scientific Molding principals which allows not only for success with normally tricky resins, it also allows for lean manufacturing for extra cost savings and adheres to our 3 weeks concept to parts.

Acrylics have excellent transparency, optical clarity and hardness that are desirable in lenses, prisms, and other light guiding optical applications and is often used instead of glass due to it's ability to refract light and filter it.

The Acrylic family of resins are very heat resistant which make it a somewhat difficult plastic to run for desirable applications. Though when run correctly, it's properties make it  also make it very versatile and a practical choice for decorative plastic manufacturing.

Clear Polycarbonate is preferred due to it's high transparency that allows for complete light reflection. It's impact resistance and heat resistance qualities make it especially favorable to consumer and medical applications.  Adding that there are medical grade  ISO 10993-1 and USP Class VI standard Polycarbonate make it even more useful to medical applications.

Prototype molders generally do not favor Clear Polycarbonate due to its high mold temperatures. In order to create desirable parts the temperature has to remain at a constant in order to flow properly and overcome it's inherent nature. Which in rapid injection molding is a level of difficulty that often cannot be turned into an efficient enough process for quick turn around parts.



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