R&D efforts are geared toward cost-efficient alternatives to incandescent lamps.

China suppliers of LED bulbs and tubes are rolling out models that can directly replace incandescent lamps. Makers are riding surging demand for diode-based solutions as bans on certain filament bulbs are implemented in more countries.

	Xiamen Leedarson’s A470S-A4 model can replace 40W incandescent bulbs

Aiming for general lighting applications, most companies are designing products to fit lamp holders meant originally for filament counterparts. Suppliers are also modifying structures to enable light distribution similar to that of incandescent units.

New 2W LED bulbs are being marketed as substitutes for 7W incandescents. Recent 6W releases generate light equivalent to that of 35 to 40W filament models.

Xiamen Leedarson Import & Export Co. Ltd is among the enterprises that have come out with diode-based alternatives to incandescent lamps. The company’s selection includes variants designed to take the place of G9 halogen bulbs.

To encourage further adoption of LED systems, makers are working to improve heat dissipation, which in turn extends service life and boosts lighting performance. Under this effort, new materials are being explored to replace aluminum in heat sinks.

Xiamen Leedarson is using an LNP Konduit compound from Sabic in its new 2W bulbs. The thermally conductive composite has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than aluminum, helping reduce stress from differential expansion.

In addition, the material weighs less than the latter and allows greater design flexibility. Complex shapes can be formed via injection molding, which is simpler than the three-step process currently employed for metal versions.

At Firefly Lighting Co. Ltd, efforts to boost lighting performance have yielded a LED candle bulb with a reflector inside. This structure is meant to increase the beam angle of the unit to at least 300 degrees, almost double that of traditional models. Already patented, the product is also designed to offer more energy savings than CFLs and incandescents.

Releases in coming months will target areas where bans on filament bulbs are already in place. These include Brazil, Russia, Argentina, the US and several EU members. The Middle East is likewise considered an attractive market, especially for low-end and midrange lines.

To enhance long-term competitiveness, suppliers are investing more in R&D. In addition, some are partnering with research facilities or academic institutions for product development.

Fujisunwah Electronic Technology Co. Ltd, for instance, is working with the Ocean University of China.

Product gallery

	Fujisunwah offers LED tubes with SMD diodes

Products & prices

Mainland China offers LED bulbs and tubes for various applications.

In the former, the selection includes A, globe, flare and reflector types with iron or aluminum alloy bases. Prices depend mainly on the specifications of the chips adopted.

Units between $5 and $10 often employ 1 to 5W LEDs from Taiwan, South Korea or the US. Designs that use locally made diodes are also on hand.

For the cover, models adopt PC with a transmittance rate exceeding 80 percent. The heat sink is 50 to 80 percent aluminum.

In more expensive bulbs, the PC cover has a transmittance rate of more than 90 percent. The heat sink may be made of ceramic, 80 percent aluminum or an LNP Konduit compound.

For LED tubes, T5, T8 and T10 types dominate selections. These come in lengths of 600, 900 and 1,200mm, respectively.

Designs have 75 to 130 lm/W efficiency ratings. Color temperatures reach 10,000K.

Quotes range from $0.90 to $3 per watt, depending mainly on the chips adopted. A unit fitted with domestic LEDs can be priced $2 to $30 lower than one using imported ICs.

Most LED tubes are offered between $23 and $30. In coming months, quotes of low-end and midrange designs are expected to be slashed by up to $3 as the growing number of suppliers push component costs down. High-end variants will be 20 to 30 percent less expensive.

Product gallery Bluesea Lighting (HK) Co. Ltd Model: S-5X1WG MOQ: 10 units Delivery: 3 days Description: LED spotlight bulb; five 1W diodes; 380 to 430 lumens; 25 to 35-degree beam angle; GU10 base; 3-year warranty; CE, RoHS Bluesea Lighting (HK) Co. Ltd Model: T4F20W MOQ: 10 units Delivery: 3 days Description: LED tube; 220 0.09W SMD diodes; 1,900 lumens; aluminum housing; 1,200x65mm Firefly Lighting Co. Ltd Model: FLCD MOQ: 500 units Delivery: 20 days Description: LED candle bulb; 210 lumens; 2,700 to 6,400K color temperature; 3W; energy class A; E14 base; CE, RoHS, UL Fujisunwah Electronic Technology Co. Ltd Model: FS-P7T-TCE14-XXSD3C-4G MOQ: 2,000 units Delivery: 10 days Description: LED candle bulb; three 1W diodes; 2,900 to 3,300K warm white or 5,500 to 6,500K cool white color temperature; 150-degree beam angle; ceramic base; 37x98mm; 55g Xiamen Leedarson Import & Export Co. Ltd Model: A250S-A2 MOQ: 1,000 units Delivery: 30 days Description: A55 LED bulb; 250 lumens; 3,000K color temperature; >80 CRI; 4.5W; 180-degree beam angle; 25,000hr service life; replaces 20W incandescent bulbs; CE, RoHS Xiamen Leedarson Import & Export Co. Ltd Model: C100S-A2 MOQ: 1,000 units Delivery: 30 days Description: LED candle bulb; 100 lumens; 3,000K color temperature; 80 CRI; 2.2W; 15,000hr service life; replaces 10W incandescent bulbs; CE, RoHS Yueqing Ruiher Lighting Technology Co. Ltd Model: RH101-3W MOQ: 500 units Delivery: 15 days Description: LED bulb; 210 lumens; -20 to 50 C color temperature; frosted or transparent housing; CE, RoHS, UL Yueqing Ruiher Lighting Technology Co. Ltd Model: RH101SG-2W MOQ: 500 units Delivery: 15 days Description: LED bulb; 3,000 to 5,000K color temperature; 2W; aluminum alloy housing; E27 base; 116x60mm; 60g; CE, RoHS, UL Note: This article "LED bulbs & tubes makers target mainstream applications" was originally published by Global Sources, a leading business-to-business media company and a primary facilitator of trade with China manufacturers and India suppliers, providing essential sourcing information to volume buyers through our e-magazines, trade shows and industry research. All price quotes in this report are in US dollars unless otherwise specified. FOB prices were provided by the companies interviewed only as reference prices at the time of interview and may have changed. Disclaimer: All product images are provided by the companies interviewed and are for reference purposes only. Those product images featuring products with trademarks, brand names or logos are not intended for sale. We, our affiliates, and our affiliates' respective directors, officers, employees, representatives, agents or contractors, do not accept and will not have any responsibility or liability for product images (or any part thereof) which infringe on any intellectual property or other rights of a third party.