EBV Elektronik, an Avnet company and the leading semiconductor specialist in EMEA, is one of the first companies in the European semiconductor distribution industry to offer customers access to a light laboratory. Here, they can perform all relevant photometric and radiometric light measurements in accordance with specifications from the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage, the international commission on light. From using spectroradiometers and goniophotometers to thermal imagers, the complete spectrum of products from individual LEDs right up to the complete luminaires are covered in the EBVLightLab.

Many luminaire manufacturers would like to make the leap from conventional filament and (C)FL lamps to LED lighting, but currently have neither the necessary design expertise nor the expensive measuring equipment. For many years now, EBV Elektronik has been helping these customers with their designs as part of its EBVLightSpeed activities.

Starting in February 2012, EBV Elektronik will offer its customers a new service at its headquarters in Poing, near Munich: the light laboratory known as EBVLightLab. EBV Elektronik is now one of the first companies in the European semiconductor distribution industry to allow its customers to perform radiometric and photometric measurements across the entire light chain: from measurements on individual LEDs or LED modules and comparative measurements of light sources (e.g. light bulbs versus CFL or LED solutions) right up to the complete measurement of entire luminaires. This will give even smaller companies access to exclusive, high-precision measuring technology.

EBV Elektronik will also hold training and customer seminars in the new EBVLightLab. In these training seminars, EBV will discuss the differences, advantages and disadvantages of the various light sources and give tips on optimum implementation of luminaires adapted to the relevant application. The LightLab has also proven to be of outstanding value in training the company's own FAE team. In the medium term, EBV also intends to develop dedicated reference designs for LED lighting.

"The EBVLightLab is a further milestone in the field of individual customer support. We are very proud to be leading the European semiconductor distribution industry by offering customers access to an ultra-modern light laboratory featuring state-of-the-art equipment," stated Bruce Lynch, vertical segment director at EBVLightSpeed. "The EBVLightLab allows customers to calculate and evaluate their lighting projects even more quickly and efficiently, thereby considerably shortening their time to market. A further key element in the EBVLightLab is the EBVLightAcadamy. In addition to on-site training in the EBVLightLab, the EBVLightAcadamy will also offer online training, thereby allowing all our EMEA customers to take part in these seminars live in the form of webinars," says Lynch.

Reference-class measurement devices
When selecting the equipment for the EBVLightLab, EBV made investments in the six-figure euro region and quite deliberately opted for an entire range of highly professional devices, most of which are manufactured in Germany. The list of the measuring devices includes two integrating spheres for 2