Intrinsically Safe LED Torch Electronics

A leading manufacturer of intrinsically safe lamps and torches required the design and development of the electronics for a rechargeable ATEX approved torch. This had to be able to work with traditional bulbs or new high-powered LED technology.

The design also had to be lightweight, have a long operational life on one charge and also be approved in line with the automotive directive EC 95/2004.

The Northern Hi-Tec design team met the challenge and produced a design that combined a wide range of in-house skills, including the design of a compact Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS) to work on either 12-Volt or 24-Volt automotive electrical systems.

Lithium-Ion battery technology protection / charge / discharge requirements with the added requirement of intrinsic safety provided an interesting, but not an impossible, challenge.

An embedded processor based control and indication system also provided a level of flexibility to allow product variation as well as future product enhancement.

Services provided included:

Electronic Hardware Design
Embedded Software Design and Implementation
Consultation with BASEEFA to meet ATEX Approvals
PCB Layout
Prototype Production
EMC and Automotive Type Approvals
Liaison with Industrial Design House for Mechanical Constraints
ATE and Functional Test Development
Full Scale Cell-Based Production
Full Supply Chain Management

Manufacturing facilities employed:

Surface Mount Assembly
Through Hole Assembly
ATE Testing for Full Manufacturing Defects Analysis
Comprehensive Full Functional Testing
Conformal Coating

Northern Hi-Tec
Wasco House
Willow Lane
Lancaster
LA1 5NA
Tel: 01524 67833
Fax: 01524 67544
Email: enquiry@nht.co.uk