Infinity Lighting of Carthage, Missouri, the challenge was daunting because the market demanded the flexibility to increase bulb size.
When Hydro Aluminum sales engineer Scott Condreay saw the lighting fixture, he immediately began to think about how Hydro has extruded heat sinks for electronic components. If an aluminum heat sink can work for delicate electronic componentry, why not for a light fixture? Scott sketched out a possible solution and the Infinity Lighting design engineers liked the concept. But would it work?
Modular design adds flexibility
The original lighting fixture was 12" x 8" x 20". The sheet metal box included a channel, two sheet metal end caps and a sheet metal divider that functioned as a heat barrier.
Infinity Lighting agreed to replace the sheet metal with extruded aluminum components with flanges to act as a heat sink and holes to further dissipate heat. Rather than extrude the entire 12" wide lighting fixture as a single component, Hydro recommended a modular design.
“This approach would minimize design costs when changes to extrusion and fabrication tooling become necessary to accommodate future revisions to the design,” said Condreay. “The modular design also provides the opportunity for size differences without retooling. For example, one option might be to extend the length of the extrusion to further reduce heat or to allow room to house two lights and/or ballasts.”
The new design also reduced assembly and service labor through the adoption of screw slots, hanger flanges and details to retain the light ballast.
The design included three profiles to make up the sides, top and divider of the lighting fixture. The side members and top member are extruded on the 10" press at Hydro’s North Liberty, Indiana facility and the divider member is extruded on the 7" press at the Hydro Monett, Missouri plant. The design allows for the use of 6063-T5 alloy, which provides a durable, cost-efficient extrusion.
Fabrication is key to effective production activities
Once the parts are extruded, they are shipped to Hydro’s Cassville, MO plant for fabrication, including cutting, punching, drilling and notching. The components are then shipped to Infinity Lighting for finishing and assembly.
An unusual application for lighting
The lighting fixtures are being used initially in an unusual application. They replace conventional lighting in "The Underground" in Carthage, Missouri. The Underground was created through limestone mining; a process that left behind immense underground tunnels. The tunnels were then finished and leased for office, manufacturing and food storage space. Among the tenants benefiting from the new lights — Infinity Lighting!
