Truck-Lite Europe has launched an advanced in-house testing facility dedicated to enhancing the reliability and regulatory adherence of its LED lighting products for commercial vehicles. This development underscores the company's efforts in road safety and product dependability.
The facility allows Truck-Lite to thoroughly examine its lighting systems under conditions that mimic real-world driving scenarios.
It includes an optical testing tunnel and a reflex testing area to assess each product's light output, colour accuracy, and reflectivity, ensuring these meet both customer needs and global vehicle legislation.
Comprehensive testing procedures
Central to the facility's operations is a robust 2,000-hour LED static endurance test
Central to the facility's operations is a robust 2,000-hour LED static endurance test.
This checks each product’s ability to withstand continuous on/off operations and the associated thermal stresses, simulating temperature fluctuations between +23 °C and +60 °C. This validates the electronic and thermal stability essential for daily use.
Additionally, the facility performs an IPX4 water-spray test, replicating road-spray conditions with 30 rotating water jets, complete product rotation, and an hour of water exposure to confirm water-ingress protection.
A 96-hour environmental-chamber test further exposes products to extreme temperatures ranging from –40 °C to +60 °C and humidity levels up to 95%.
Advanced testing capabilities
Truck-Lite combines these thermal cycling and humidity tests with mechanical stress evaluations, both with and without vibration.
As highlighted by Truck-Lite, this advanced testing regime is generally not available from cost-conscious manufacturers. It identifies vulnerabilities stemming from thermal shock, moisture, or vibration, ensuring longevity in diverse conditions.
All testing processes comply with UN ECE regulations, affirming that every lighting system adheres to international standards for safety, performance, and legality.
Comprehensive product assurance
“Our new testing facility allows us to go beyond standard validation processes and simulate the diverse environments our products face every day on the road,” explains Robert Field, Validation and Legislation Manager at Truck-Lite Europe.
“From electronic reliability and thermal endurance to environmental resistance and optical performance, every product is tested to the highest possible standards. That gives OEMs and fleet operators total confidence in the performance and safety of our lighting systems.”
The testing data enables Truck-Lite Europe to authenticate its printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs), observe long-duration LED performance, and push for ongoing product improvements. This brings benefits like reduced downtime, improved safety, and lowered maintenance costs for vehicle operators.
Diverse product portfolio
“This latest investment reinforces Truck-Lite Europe’s position as a market leader in LED lighting innovation and underlines our ongoing commitment to technical excellence,” comments James Liddell, Sales Director at Truck-Lite.
The company offers a wide range of solutions, such as lights, light-mounting systems, wiring harnesses, reflectors, mirrors, maintenance kits, and alarms & switches, serving commercial-vehicle OEMs, converters, and fleet operators.
Truck-Lite Europe, a pioneering manufacturer of high-performance LED lighting for commercial vehicles, has unveiled a new state-of-the-art in-house testing facility, marking a major step forward in its commitment to product reliability, road safety, and regulatory compliance.
The newly expanded facility significantly enhances Truck-Lite’s ability to validate its lighting systems under real, on-the-road conditions. It features a comprehensive suite of testing technologies, including an optical testing tunnel and reflex testing area, where each product’s light output, colour accuracy and reflectivity are precisely measured.
Every product is thoroughly tested and validated for legal road use, ensuring it meets both customer expectations and the demands of global vehicle legislation.
IPX4 water-spray testing
At the heart of the facility is a rigorous 2,000-hour static LED endurance test, designed to replicate continuous on/off operation cycles and the thermal stresses experienced in daily use. Testing includes repeated power switching and thermal cycling between +23 °C and +60 °C, verifying the electronic and thermal stability of each product.
In addition, IPX4 water-spray testing is performed to simulate real road-spray conditions. This includes 30 rotating water jets, full 360° product rotation and one hour of continuous exposure to ensure water-ingress protection is maintained in harsh environments.
Products are also subjected to a demanding 96-hour environmental-chamber test cycle, where they are exposed to extreme temperatures ranging from –40 °C to +60 °C, with up to 95% relative humidity.
Advanced capability
Truck-Lite conducts this testing both with and without vibration, combining thermal cycling, humidity and mechanical stress.
This advanced capability, says Truck-Lite is not commonly offered by lower-cost manufacturers. Furthermore, the process identifies any weaknesses caused by thermal shock, moisture ingress or vibration-induced stress, ensuring long-term durability and reliability in all weather and operating conditions.
All testing is fully aligned with UN ECE regulations, guaranteeing that each lighting system meets internationally recognised standards for safety, performance and legal compliance.
Environmental resistance and optical performance
“Our new testing facility allows us to go beyond standard validation processes and simulate the diverse environments our products face every day on the road,” says Robert Field, Validation and Legislation Manager at Truck-Lite Europe.
“From electronic reliability and thermal endurance to environmental resistance and optical performance, every product is tested to the highest possible standards. That gives OEMs and fleet operators total confidence in the performance and safety of our lighting systems.”
The data captured through these intensive processes enables Truck-Lite Europe to validate its printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs), monitor long-term LED performance and drive continuous improvement across its range. For vehicle operators, this translates into reduced downtime, enhanced safety and lower long-term maintenance costs.
Broad portfolio of products
“This latest investment reinforces Truck-Lite Europe’s position as a market leader in LED lighting innovation and underlines our ongoing commitment to technical excellence,” adds James Liddell, Sales Director at Truck-Lite.
The company offers a broad portfolio of products including lights, light-mounting systems, wiring harnesses, reflectors, mirrors, maintenance kits, and alarms & switches, providing complete lighting solutions for commercial-vehicle OEMs, converters and fleet operators.
