LRC Workshop Explores Potential of Using 3D Printing in the Lighting Industry

The Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, headquartered in Troy, NY, is dedicated to the study of lighting and education in associated applications. This is a multi-faceted realm, including everything from how light affects human health, to issues in transportation, and advances in big industry like aerospace and construction. Recently, scientists there have been exploring the uses of new technology for commercial lighting—and how it can affect businesses. A recent discovery workshop, offered in cooperation with Carbon Group Global, brought together a wide range of companies to discuss the potential for 3D printing in lighting and related industries.

Participating companies included:

• Acuity Brands Lighting
• Current by GE
• Desktop Metal
• DSM
• Eaton Corp.
• Finelite
• Focal Point
• Henkel
• HP
• Hubbell Lighting
• Lumileds
• Stratasys
• Tempo Lighting
• Ultimaker
• Carbon Group Global

“We are thrilled to host such a pioneering effort with industry leaders who have a shared vision of adopting 3D printing in the lighting and construction industries,” said LRC Director of Research Nadarajah Narendran, Ph.D., chief architect of the workshop.

According to a recent press release by LRC, this group plans to begin development on an ‘industry roadmap’ that will integrate 3D printing into multiple different areas, along with lighting, but with a strong focus on both building and construction

”We are steadily embarking on the fourth Industrial Revolution, which is enabling capabilities like additive manufacturing to be adopted rapidly, thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning and enhanced connectivity,” said industry veteran Govi Rao, leader of the workshop.

Customization is one of the most obvious benefits for 3D printing in the lighting industry, along with the ability to create affordable prototypes and parts that can be made quickly on-site and on demand. LRC and the associated businesses working with them now see the future of 3D printing in lighting positively affecting everyone involved in the supply chain, along with translating further into accompanying applications like heat sinks, electrical traces, and optics.

“We are excited that the lighting industry is taking a proactive approach to integrate 3D printing into their operations. I am extremely optimistic about the possibilities enabled by 3D printing, specifically for the various stakeholders in the lighting value chain,” said Hugo da Silva, VP of Additive Manufacturing at DSM, a pioneer in 3D printing materials for more than 25 years.

3D printing has steadily been making its entry into construction, both residential and commercial, with massive forays also into the development and expansion of materials like concrete. Lighting is an industry that allows designers to bring forth style, color, and a wide range of fixtures in different shapes and materials, making it ripe for further exploration into 3D printing and other technologies appealing to commercial companies and DIY’ers, from pendant lighting to impressive installations. Find out more about current projects at progressive companies like the Lighting Research Company here.

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