Month: July 2017

Ready to see the light?

One of the best examples of modern technology revolutionizing an industry can be found with automotive auxiliary lighting. Sophisticated LED technology, advanced optics designs, and modern manufacturing techniques have created lighting that is brighter and projects farther than anything imagined just 10 years ago, all while consuming a small fraction of the power compared to traditional incandescent lighting. RIGID was a pioneer in bringing modern LED technology to the off-road world, and the company remains a leader in the industry today with continuous advancements and a steady stream of new products that are all geared toward lighting up the night.

But the company’s rapid advancements in technology and ever-expanding product lines have created a challenge for the consumer when it comes to choosing the best lighting solution for an individual need. Single- or double-row light bars? Cubes and pods with four LEDs or six? Or eight? Spot, flood, combo, or diffused optics? These are just a few examples of questions that a consumer must answer before they can pick the perfect lighting products for their uses, and it’s even more challenging when most RIGID products are available with a variety of configurations in a single fixture. With so many choices, it can all be a bit overwhelming.

Recognizing the challenges that a consumer faces when trying to make an educated buying decision, RIGID has introduced a game-changing new tool that enables consumers to see exactly how the company’s different lighting products will perform, and even compare different types of optics in the same fixture right from a computer screen. Called ViewPoint, this sophisticated software is far more than an approximation of how a light will look or a photographic example of an individual lighting configuration. Instead, the proprietary tool uses scientific data to create a realistic view of how every RIGID light performs in each of its configurations. The user can toggle among different optics in the same light, compare them side by side, and even combine different products.

ViewPoint starts with the beam analysis of each light on a goniophotometer. This sophisticated light-measuring instrument analyzes the light from all angles, and the data gathered is used to create an IES file. “IES” stands for the “Illuminating Engineering Society,” an internationally recognized group dedicated to improving the lighting industry. But that’s not their only role: much like the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in the automotive world, they establish uniform test criteria and standards that virtually everyone in the industry uses to analyze the output and color temperature of a lighting fixture. An IES file is a 3D model of the beam of light coming out of any fixture. This same data is also the basis for the lux diagrams that are commonly seen on RIGID’s website and in the catalog. The takeaway is that IES files are scientific data that don’t lie; indeed, they represent the true output of a light measured by standardized procedures.

RIGID ViewPoint takes the data from the IES files and uses custom software to create a more realistic representation of a light’s output than one would see on a one-dimensional lux graph. Because the software is extracting data directly from the IES files, it is able to create a highly accurate representation of how the light will appear in real life. And because the data is so accurate, differences in optics and beam patterns, for example, become striking. Using RIGID ViewPoint, it’s easy to understand the differences between optics, sizes, and shapes, as well as how those differences will affect the amount of light and distance that is projected from the vehicle. Because the software’s data is scientifically gathered and measured using standardized means, ViewPoint can create highly accurate examples of different light outputs, complete with how they illuminate objects in the foreground, middle distance, and far away.

Being able to see a realistic output of any specific light is impressive, but the software offers several extra features as well. Users can compare different optics in the same RIGID product side by side via the split-screen function; combine any two lights in RIGID’s product line to see how they would perform together; and even manipulate the view from the vehicle hood to behind the wheel. There’s even an overhead view (that looks surprisingly like a lux diagram!).

Quality LED lighting represents a substantial investment, so it’s important for buyers to understand the differences in optics, outputs, and configurations in order to make the best lighting choices for their specific needs. Before RIGID ViewPoint, that meant finding someone with the light you were considering in order to see it in person, or perhaps seeing a live product in a showroom that may or may not be functional. With this software, consumers can now see exactly how RIGID lights perform in a highly realistic virtual world, and even how two of the company’s products can work together. While it’s a powerful sales tool, its primary purpose is to be informative so that consumers can make educated buying decisions. It’s another industry first, and one that helps to ensure that RIGID stays at the forefront of the auxiliary off-road lighting market. Check it out for yourself at rigidindustries.com/viewpoint.

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Though this is not a paid review, this content has been produced by The AAM Group in support of manufacturers with whom it has a business relationship.