Flexible LED strips

Widening adoption in outdoor applications spurs China suppliers of flexible LED strips to enhance waterproofing techniques and improve product performance further. Companies are looking to switch fully to silicone tubing, especially in IP67 and IP68-rated releases, for its advantages of better protection and flexibility. At present, makers such as Zhongshan General Photoelectric combine it with adhesive as outlay for the former material is still high. The manufacturer offers IP68-rated units for the lighting, advertising and decoration sectors.

Based on sales, the local outdoor flexible LED strip category has grown at a rate surpassing 20 percent in the past one or two years. Such products are projected to garner a 60 percent share of revenue for the line in the coming year from 50 percent.

To achieve a range of lighting effects and meet advertising and decoration requirements, suppliers are improving LED controller programming. They have so far realized more than 80 kinds, including flashing, glowing, chasing, hopping and changing. Companies use ICs such as HL1606, LPD6803, UCS1903 and HL1606. Red Star has a model whose individual diodes can be controlled to deliver up to 144 patterns. The unit integrates 32 LEDs per meter, each with 18 to 20 lumens luminous flux.

China makers are boosting the release of multicolor flexible LED strips to take advantage of the type’s rising popularity.

Encouraging product initiatives is the government’s inclusion of a special objective for semiconductor lighting development in the 12th Five-Year Plan. It involves the localization of the production of up to 80 percent of LED chips by 2015. The scheme also extends to large MOCVD equipment and key raw materials. The goal is to reduce dependence on foreign technology and help local suppliers sharpen their competitive edge.

Additional impetus comes from the steady advancement of China’s flexible LED strips sector. Sales climbed by 5 to 10 percent and export shipments by 5 percent in the past 12 months. The uptick is expected to persist in the next two years. Companies are eyeing more opportunities in emerging markets such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

There are more than 300 manufacturers of flexible LED strips in China. The majority of the companies also turn out related products, including rigid versions, and high-power and SMD diodes. Based on output, the category has a 20 to 60 percent share.

Ford Escape

Accurate as it is, calling the 2013 Escape all new seems like a massive understatement; this is the very definition of an extreme makeover. Aside from the obvious styling update, key highlights are a pair of turbocharged EcoBoost engines, the larger of which replaces the old top-trim V6. The 1.6L is the one to choose, though, for its great power delivery and good fuel economy. It plays well with the automatic transmission, too. The Escape’s suspension is fantastic, toeing the delicate line between ride comfort and nimble handling, and helping to make this little crossover feel expensive. That’s good, because the Escape gets pricey fast when popular options are added.

Three engines are available in the new Escape: a base 2.5L Duratec four-cylinder producing 168 hp and 170 lb.-ft. of torque does duty in the base S trim; a 1.6L EcoBoost four-cylinder, good for 178 hp (or 173 hp on regular gas) and 184 lb.-ft. of torque, is standard on SE and SEL trims; and a range-topping 2.0L EcoBoost four-cylinder, with 240 hp (or 231 hp on regular gas) and 270 lb.-ft. of torque, is optional on SE and SEL trims and standard on Titanium models. All engines are mated to a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission powering the front wheels or all four corners (with the exception of S trim, which is only available in front-wheel drive).

In S trim, features include 2.5L Duratec four-cylinder engine, six-speed automatic transmission, 17-inch steel wheels, six-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo with auxiliary input, air conditioning, overhead console, centre floor console with armrest, floor mats, message centre and trip computer, map lights, rear cargo lamp, tilt/telescopic steering wheel with cruise and audio controls, power windows with driver’s one-touch down, cloth seating, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, body colour rear spoiler, integrated blind spot power mirrors, manual liftgate, privacy glass, engine block heater, airbags (front, front side, driver’s knee, side curtain), emergency brake assist, LATCH, SOS post crash alert system, TPMS, keyless entry, and Ford MyKey.

SE trim adds 1.6L EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, 17-inch alloy wheels, rear seat armrest with cupholders, compass and outside temperature display, additional 110V outlet, body colour door handles, automatic headlamps, Ford SYNC, satellite radio, 6-way manual driver’s seat, heated front seats, black upper grille with chrome bar, chrome beltline molding, fog lights, dual chrome exhaust tips, and SecuriCode keyless entry keypad. Intelligent 4WD is available on this trim.

SEL trim adds 18-inch alloy wheels, dual zone automatic climate control, cargo cover, auto-dimming rear view mirror, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, illuminated vanity mirrors, power windows with one-touch up/down, ambient lighting, 9-speaker audio, SYNC with MyFord Touch, leather trimmed heated front seats with 10-way power driver’s seat, driver’s seat and mirror position memory, gloss black upper grille with chrome bar and surround, gloss black lower grille, integrated turn signals in body colour heated mirrors, chrome liftgate garnish, black roof rack rails, power liftgate, and perimeter alarm. Intelligent 4WD is available on this trim.

Titanium trim adds intelligent 4WD, 19-inch wheels, push button start, Sony audio, partial leather-trimmed sport seats, body colour liftgate garnish, HID headlights, silver roof rack rails, foot activated liftgate, and reverse sensing system.More information about the program is available on the web site at www.hmhid.com.

Join the throng in a crossover

You can have it all these days.

When the boundaries between one car and another were once as sharply defined as the creases in your dad’s trousers, the options were very simple; small hatchback, medium and large saloons and big estates. And funnily enough that was enough for everyone.

But these days it’s a very different story and if you just choose a regular hatch then you’ll be seen as some kind of dullard at the next dinner party. What you need is a crossover. Peugeot’s 2008 is the latest to join the throng, and as it replaces the 207 SW which was essentially a small estate and nothing more, it shows how the crossover is taking over the world.

The 2008 mixes various elements of exterior design from other Peugeots and a variety of sectors. Clearly based on the 208 hatchback, the 2008 has much more in the way of presence, however, largely thanks to the increased dimensions; it’s 20cm longer and 9.6cm taller than a 208 hatch as well as the five-door layout.

There’s more to it than that, as the 2008 also provides a slice of ‘soft-roader’ style. The sills and the bottom edges of the bumpers are finished matt black, the alloy wheels are finished matt silver and of course there is the obligatory raised ride height – 25mm higher here. It’s a successful blend too, and although the 2008 is clearly still a relatively small car it carries itself with more authority than its hatchback sibling. And although there’s no four-wheel drive system churning away beneath the 2008’s chunky exterior, it can lay claim to at least a modest off-road capability. 2008s are offered with Grip Control, the electronic system that first appeared on the 3008 and gives a number of traction modes to deal with varying conditions. Standard on Allure and Feline models, Grip Control also works hand-in-hand with mud and snow tyres to offer a traction advantage on mud, snow, sand or a mix of surfaces.

But there’s nothing to intimidate once you climb aboard the 2008. The cabin that greets you is largely carried over from the 208 hatchback, although there are trim packs that give a bit of extra sparkle including LED strip lighting , smarter seat fabrics and a panoramic glass roof.

The 2008 also inherits the 208’s unusual steering wheel to instrument panel relationship – you view the dials over the top of the smaller than usual wheel rather than through it – but a bit of time behind the wheel quickly gets you used to the idea.

Under the bonnet there’s a choice of five engines, but unsurprisingly in a car like this with a practical bent it is the diesels that offer the best compromise.

The 1.6-litre e-HDi unit comes in two outputs – 92bhp and 115bhp – but the higher of the two only costs a little more money rather than a major penalty in economy. Petrol fans will want to hang on for the turbocharged three-cylinder 1.2-litre unit that is still to come.

But with the diesel you get exactly what you want; a nice slug of torque from low engine revs and getting up to speed requires a brief squeeze of the accelerator rather than waiting for the upper reaches of the engine’s rev range. The six-speed gearbox fitted as standard to the diesel has a sweeter action than the five-speed too, and the extra ratio makes life that bit more relaxing. You and your passengers will be happy with the way the 2008 rides too. The increased height of the suspension doesn’t do any harm at all, allowing it to better soak up poor road surfaces but without turning it into a roly-poly come the first bend.

Differing requirements

The basic function and interchangeability of filament and discharge lamps for road vehicles differ from those of LED light sources. The former types must comply with the IEC 60809 International Standard that defines the dimensional, electrical, and luminous requirements of lamps for road vehicles. In particular, this standard defines the markings, bulbs, dimensions, colors, caps, and bases.

LED light sources, which are based on modules (LED components used by the industry), are not covered by IEC 60809 but by other IEC standards specific to LED modules. However, another International Standard, IEC 60810, which sets out the performance requirements of lamps for road vehicles, applies to the three types of lamps.

LED light sources must meet conditions that do not necessarily apply to filament and discharge lamps, in regard to UV radiation, color maintenance, and electromagnetic compatibility. As LED light sources have a longer rated lifetime than filament or discharge lamps, their lumen maintenance is assessed differently.

Another issue that manufacturers have had to deal with is thermal management, and LED modules and light sources often come with integrated heat sinks. Unlike their filament and discharge counterparts, LED light sources are mainly of the non-replaceable type and are usually intended as components for integration into the luminaire or lighting device by manufacturers. They are designed and meant to be indivisible parts of a lighting or light signaling device, or to be elements of a module or light engine. The auto industry has developed replaceable LED modular sources, usually intended for sale to the general public as a replacement part.

LED light sources can replace all other types of automotive lamps

. They are available for headlamps (high and low beam), brake lights, rear combination lamps, center high-mount stop lamps, daytime running lamps (DRLs), turn signals, interior reading lights (map lights), dome lights, accent lights, fog lamps, and position and marker lamps. Moreover, LEDs are being used for ambient lighting and in dashboard and instrument lighting.

In addition to enhanced driving safety and comfort, LED light sources offer many other benefits:

Lighting flexibility: Lighting requirements and limitations vary greatly according to traffic conditions. LED lighting solutions allow the optimal use of environmental and traffic-related dynamically controllable light distribution patterns such as dynamic bending of light or adaptive front lighting systems (AFSs), already used for other types of automotive lamps. Such adaptive lighting is particularly important to avoid blinding other drivers when crossing or following other vehicles, especially in curves, or to better see fixed or moving obstacles on road sides. LED lighting sources are also dimmable.

Durability and efficiency: LEDs for automotive lighting have a much longer rated lifetime and use less energy than filament or discharge lamps. LEDs are up to 40% more energy efficient than the former sources. Since less energy for lighting translates into lower fuel consumption, this is a significant feature at a time when tighter consumption and emission rules are introduced in all countries even though road vehicles are required now to use DRLs.

Design flexibility: A very important benefit of LED lighting solutions for car manufacturers is the design flexibility they offer. Car design bureaus have much greater freedom to come up with innovative designs using lighting to accentuate or attenuate certain shapes and give cars a common brand signature. LEDs were first fitted to vehicles from the exclusive segment of the market, but they are found now in all classes of cars.

Lumma CLR X5 RS

She Who Must be Obeyed is of the (frequently stated) opinion that while Hugh Jackman's toned torso as Wolverine is a thing of beauty and a joy forever, most of the time Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnston looks like he's been blown up with a bicycle pump.

Maybe somebody should make the same point to customising specialist Lumma Design, particularly after taking a long, hard look at the CLR X 5 RS, Lumma's take on the F15-series BMW X5.

At this stage, the X5 programme is purely cosmetic, although Lumma assures us that performance upgrades (including carbon-fibre engine covers!) for both petrol and diesel X5 models are in preparation.

For now, however, it's all about dramatically flared wheel-arches (complete with cool-air intakes for the rear brakes) behind a deep front bumper with one-piece splitter, gaping air intakes and built-in daytime running lights. The side skirts are custom-made, as is the power-bulged and deeply vented composite bonnet, "designed for hot countries and powerful engines".

The special rear trim sports a full-width diffuser between huge oval tailpipes - and yes, Cyril, a special Lumma exhaust system with a driver-operated 'sound flap' is on the menu. The tailgate wears a lip spoiler and even the tail light clusters have been 'frenched' with little add-on panels to reinforce the 'low and wide' look of the rear treatment.

But perhaps the most eye-catching elements of this oeuvre-le-taupe bling suit are the 23" CLR GT rims in matte black with decorative strips, shod with 315/25 low-profile rubber. One wonders why they bothered - why not just glue a rubber tread on the rims?

Pret-a-porter interior upgrades include an ergonomically-shaped sports steering wheel trimmed in your choice of leather, alcantara or carbon-fibre, velour floor-mats with leather trim and embroidered Lumma logo, and aluminium pedals with non-slip rubber studs.

Alternatively, Lumma will custom-craft the entire cabin trim for you in solid colour or two-tone, in your desired combination of alcantara, nappa leather and ostrich skin, either on your existing X5 or on a brand new ex-factory vehicle. More information about the program is available on the web site at www.hmhid.com.

Luxury sedan now offered as a hybrid

The best-selling Lexus car, the ES entry-luxury sedan, now comes as a gasoline-electric hybrid, and what a fine hybrid it is.

The 2013 ES 300h has an impressive government fuel economy rating of 40 miles per gallon in city driving and 39 mpg on the highway; it earned an overall five-out-of-five-stars safety rating in federal government crash tests; it's a recommended buy of Consumer Reports magazine, with predicted reliability of above average.

And it comes with the improvements made for 2013 in the non-hybrid, sixth-generation ES. So, the 300h rides on a longer, front-wheel drive platform than the previous ES had, and it has upscale styling that makes it look more like the pricier Lexus LS 460 flagship. The ES 300h even has the striking "spindle" grille that appears on sportier Lexus cars.

The 2013 ES 300h also has 41.9 inches in the front-seat legroom and a whopping 40 inches of legroom in the back seat.

Still, the ES 300h and its gasoline-only sibling, the 2013 ES 350, remain mid-size sedans that are comfortable and refined to drive and ride in.

The 200-horsepower hybrid ES 300h has a luxury car starting retail price of $40,145.

This is $2,880 more than the starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, of $37,265 for a base, 2013 ES 350 with 268-horsepower V-6 and no hybrid system.

But since the ES 300h's city fuel mileage rating is roughly double the 21 mpg of the 2013 ES 350's, and the hybrid is estimated to get 8 more miles per gallon on the highway than the ES 350 does, the $2,880 difference in base price can be recouped after fewer than 45,000 miles, given today's gasoline prices.

Competitors include the 188-horsepower, 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, whose starting MSRP, including destination charge, is much lower: $36,820. The MKZ Hybrid has the top federal government fuel economy rating among luxury-branded, gasoline-electric hybrid sedans: 45/45 mpg; the ES 300h ranks second.

The 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, which uses the same hybrid drive system as the ES 300h and has the same underlying platform, has a starting retail price of $36,350.

The base ES 300h comes with standard eight-speaker sound system, 10-way, power-adjustable front seats, unique, small "puddle"-illuminating lights under the outside mirrors that light the ground as driver and front-passenger exit, 17-inch wheels, light-emitting diode (LED) turn signals, halogen headlamps with LED daytime running lamps, power moonroof and a high-grade, vinyl NuLuxe material on the seats.

But the feeling inside the new ES is more upscale than in the previous model, in part because there's luxury-imbuing stitching atop the dashboard and the dashboard is modernized with a layout that almost looks serene. This is not an easy accomplishment, given the number of buttons and knobs and displays in today's cars.

Passengers didn't sense that this ES has only a 2.5-liter, dual cam, four-cylinder engine operating with a fuel-thrifty Atkinson cycle. The car accelerated strong and steadily and power felt more like that from a V-6, though there were no V-6 engine sounds.

Dialight Plc

The innovative global leader in LED lighting technology, today unveiled its next-generation LED Linear fixture, the most efficient solution of its kind for Class I Div 2 certified hazardous applications such as on- and offshore drilling rigs, platforms and other oil, gas, chemical, petrochemical and hazardous location facilities.  The fixture is intended to replace traditional fluorescent and HID lighting fixtures, and is also available for non-classified general purpose industrial applications.

Delivering an ultra-efficient 106 lumens per Watt

, the new SafeSite LED Linear fixture is available in 2-foot (33W) and 4-foot (66W) models and is less than an inch in height and 11 lbs. making installation and maintenance simpler, safer and less cumbersome. The 100-277VAC linear fixtures also feature an integrated wiring box to provide easy access for making electrical connections in a separate compartment.

"Once again, we've successfully responded to the needs of our hazardous area customers," said Roy Burton, Dialight's Group Chief Executive. "With substantially reduced fixture weight and energy consumption, this new fixture is the most efficient Class 1 Div 2 fixture of its kind and signifies a major advancement for our portfolio of LED hazardous location certified lighting products."

The 3,500-7,000 lumen fixture emits a cool white light at 5,000K CCT with a standard 70 CRI for crisp and clear illumination. With 80 CRI models also available, the new SafeSite linear provides optimum visibility for process, testing and inspection areas.

Featuring a T4a temperature rating for use in ambient conditions ranging from -40?C to 65?C (-40oF to 149oF), the new SafeSite Linear is L70 rated for more than 100,000 hours of continuous performance even in the harshest conditions. With the entire fixture backed by Dialight's 5-year full-performance warranty, hazardous facilities receive a decade or more of worry-free and maintenance-free reliable lighting. The product is UL-1598/A, UL-8750 and IP66 rated, resistant to salt, dust and moisture, including up to 20 PSI of direct water spray. With a general purpose UL1598/A version in development, the SafeSite Linear fixture is also tested to UL-844 for 35 hours at 2,000 CPM for superior resistance to shock and vibration and boasts 6kV surge protection.

Dialight's SafeSite Linear line is proven to deliver a rapid return on investment with significant maintenance and energy cost savings in existing installations. In just one instance, Horizontal Well Drillers realized a  60 percent fuel savings on diesel power generation after retrofitting its drilling rig with Dialight SafeSite LEDs in place of high-maintenance, high-energy T8 fluorescents.

"The Dialight LEDs are definitely paying for themselves," said Grizzly Kristian, lead electrician at HWD. "Avoiding the changeout of just one of the T8s pays for one of the LED fixtures - no question." More information about the program is available on the web site at www.hmhid.com.