Taking Lighting to Extremes

Die-casting plants are hot, dirty environments that require frequent cleaning with high-power water jets to produce quality castings. The combination can take its toll on lighting systems.

At the Abeco die-casting plant in Lewisburg, Tenn., low-bay luminaires were not tolerating the harsh and demanding environment and could not withstand the heavy cleaning-water spray without breach or ingress. In addition, constant dirt, dust and contaminants collecting on the lamps and internal surfaces of the optical assembly began to degrade output.

"Our lighting system was not conducive to our rigorous cleaning processes and we were progressively losing light output," says Wendall Pigg, quality control manager and tooling coordinator. "We were faced with a decision to either add more fixtures or replace the current ones with new more efficient fixtures."

Rather than install more standard low-bay luminaires, Abeco replaced existing low-bays with fixtures that are expected to reduce lumen depreciation. The system's reflector and lens are mechanically sealed to the enclosure to keep dirt, dust, liquid and moisture outside the optical assembly. The system is also said to significantly reduce the rate of air exchanged by respiration, preventing the rapid suction of outside air.

Abeco installed new 400-watt metal-halide pendant-mounted luminaires in the dirtiest section of the plant, and company officials are pleased with the results so far.

For more information about luminaires from Day-Brite Lighting, circle 103 on the Reader Service Card.