Manufacturing plants include a wide range of industrial operations with demanding operating conditions that place extreme demands on safety, durability and lighting efficiency. Key areas include automotive manufacturing, electronic components, cement plants, glass factories, textile manufacturing, furniture manufacturing, paper mills and metal fabrication (steel, aluminium, copper, zinc).
Many of these operations involve explosive atmospheres of dust and gas, for example in metal, wood, paper or textile processing, requiring the use of EX luminaires certified for ZONE 1/21 and ZONE 2/22 according to ATEX and IECEx. In addition to the risk of explosion, these environments often have high dust and humidity levels that can affect the lifetime of conventional luminaires. Another key factor is resistance to extreme temperatures. High temperatures are common in cement works, glassworks, metallurgical plants and foundries where luminaires must withstand extreme heat and dust, while low temperatures are typical in warehousing and processing plants. Lighting also needs to be resistant to vibration and mechanical damage, which are common in car manufacturing, joinery or paper mills where there is intense machine movement and handling of heavy materials. Outdoor installations, for example in cement, steel or metalworking plants, face weathering, temperature changes and high UV radiation, which require resistance to corrosion, moisture and dust particles. In addition, in some applications, such as aluminium or zinc production, aggressive chemicals are present that can cause rapid degradation of materials, so luminaires with chemical resistance must be used. Another important factor is the difficulty of maintaining and replacing luminaires. Light sources tend to be located in high-rise structures, hard-to-reach process areas, or in dirty environments, which makes servicing difficult and increases the requirements for long life and minimal maintenance. Lighting in manufacturing plants must provide not only stable and efficient light, but also safety and comfort for workers. In the production of electronic components or in the textile industry, luminous flux uniformity and quality colour rendering (CRI) are crucial to enable precise work and quality control. Industrial luminaires in this sector must therefore meet the most stringent requirements for safety, mechanical and chemical resistance, long life and low energy consumption to ensure efficient operation in the most demanding conditions of the manufacturing industry.