Optimizing Lamp Design with IoT: A Philips Case Study

Technology Category

Sensors - Gas Sensors
Sensors - Utility Meters

Applicable Industries

Electronics
Oil & Gas

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Smart Lighting

The Challenge

Royal Philips Electronics, a global leader in the electronics industry, faced a significant challenge in the development of its Ceramic Discharge Metal-halide (CDM) lamps. The primary challenge was to create a lamp design that was both thermally and mechanically robust, capable of lasting a specified lifetime. To achieve this, accurate simulation of the gas discharge, wall temperature, and mechanical stresses were required. The complexity of these factors made it difficult to develop a lamp that could meet the high standards of durability and longevity that Philips aimed for. The challenge was not only to create a lamp that could withstand the rigors of use but also to understand the intricate interplay of various physical factors that could affect the lamp's performance.

About The Customer

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is one of the world's largest electronics companies and Europe's biggest, with sales of EUR 29 billion in 2003. The company operates in three interlocking domains: healthcare, lifestyle, and technology, employing 166,800 individuals in over 60 countries. Philips is the global leader in the lighting market, a position it maintains through a combination of innovative leadership and a systematic approach to identifying new market opportunities. This case study focuses on the Lighting division of Philips and their use of ANSYS Multiphysics in the design of high-pressure gas discharge lamps.

The Solution

To address this challenge, Philips turned to ANSYS Multiphysics, a powerful tool that allowed them to perform a comprehensive thermo-mechanical analysis of the CDM-lamp. The gas discharge was treated as a fluid with electric conductivity, a process made possible by the coupled field ability of ANSYS Multiphysics. Philips employed a total of four coupled physics fields to simulate the lamp: fluid (temperatures and velocities in gas discharge), electric (heat generation in gas discharge), thermal (temperatures in lamp wall and electrical feed through), and mechanical (stresses in ceramic wall). This multi-faceted approach allowed Philips to gain a thorough understanding of the design performance at an early stage, thereby speeding up new lamp development and optimizing the lamp design.

Operational Impact

The use of ANSYS Multiphysics has brought significant operational benefits to Philips. The tool has enabled the company to speed up the development of new lamps, reducing the time to market and allowing for quicker innovation. Additionally, it has allowed Philips to optimize the design of their lamps, ensuring that they are both thermally and mechanically robust. This has likely led to improved product quality and reliability, enhancing customer satisfaction and potentially reducing warranty claims. Furthermore, by gaining a thorough understanding of the design performance at an early stage, Philips can make informed decisions about design modifications, potentially saving costs and resources associated with late-stage design changes.