SLIM: light signalling and application sectors

Welcome to?SLIM Spark, an inspirational newsletter dedicated to the?latest news and trends in the sector. Every month you will receive a new in-depth article on the different application areas of SLIM: #horeca , #hvac, #homeappliances and the #lighting industry. Let's go through the issue of #lightsignalling: we shed light on the?different types of end-use applications?in which SLIM indicator lights can be used, providing an?overview of all target application sectors.?

Light signalling?refers to?warning or indicator lights?and?light solutions?of different types, shapes and functions suitable for many?applications?within a variety of sectors.?

We at?SLIM Srl?have been providing the market with a specific light signalling range for more than 50 years, ranging from?individual micro-lamps to complete?indicator lights, up to?customised light solutions and unique designs. Our products are?extremely versatile devices that can be applied in different contexts. That is why we serve customers operating in the?lighting technology,?HVAC,?HoReCa,?Household appliances, electromedical, industrial electronics, automotive, refrigeration, vending machines, distribution and spare parts sectors. In short,?where a lighting point is needed, we offer systems to?illuminate confined spaces or surfaces?with?complex geometry?and ad hoc components.?

SLIM's main application sectors

As already mentioned, we at SLIM are involved in the?design and realisation of standard and customised lighting solutions?intended for inclusion in different types of devices. Let's take a look at the main target sectors and the specific characteristics required.?

Lighting Industry

From?civil series switches?to intercoms and?panel indicators, our products come into play wherever a light source and the control point is required. In the lighting industry, we mainly develop?custom solutions with?SMD LEDs?that meet precise technical specifications and?enhance the aesthetic design aspect of the final application. This is an?area?where customers are looking for added value for their devices through the lighting point. This leads to?collaborations with the end customer's R&D department, with which new ad hoc solutions are prototyped and developed.

HVAC Industry

Light components?play an important role in the?HVAC industry?for?heating, ventilation and air conditioning applications, either as?standard temperature control signalling?or as?emergency signalling.?Being functional signalling, we?tend towards standard devices?and with a basic form: the indicator must, in fact, provide an indication of the status of the water heater, for example. However, this does not exclude the development of?indicators with screen-printing specifications, shapes and colours that can be more attractive, so as to enhance the design of these devices.

Household appliances

Ovens, hobs, hoods, washing machines, refrigerators, irons,?the list of appliances?"illuminated" by SLIM?indicator lights?is a long one. We mainly deal with the?cooking and refrigeration segment,?where the "temperature issue" is decisive for the development of efficient signalling. Attention must be paid to this parameter for the correct definition of materials, operating temperature and dissipation. We also supply the?small appliances sector?(e.g. blenders, coffee grinders, toasters, etc.), which requires additional design considerations for the development of smaller indicator lights.

HoReCa Industry

Together with the design of indicator lights for domestic kitchen appliances, we realise?lighting solutions for professional appliances?intended for use outside the home and in the hospitality world.?More specifically, the most popular products for this sector include?vandal-resistant indicators?and?LED micro spotlights. The former are high-performance?light indicators?that are?resistant to impact and the stress of chemicals, detergents and cleaning agents. Micro LED spotlights, on the other hand, are true?lighting systems?characterised by their?small size?and a?high degree of brightness, which can be fitted into any beverage dispensing device. But that's not all, the HoReCa Industry is one of the major application areas where we develop?custom solutions?and creatively strive to provide eye-catching devices with special aesthetic and design features. For example, for the world of coffee, we develop customised solutions with an impact on both the brand and the dispensing machine.

SLIM's complete range of products?

SLIM's signalling range does not end with the application areas mentioned above; we are?suppliers of components and electrical materials for distribution in many other areas, albeit to a lesser extent. Let's take a look at them together:

• Wiring and assemblies: we offer indicator lights, both as signalling units and panel-mounted signallers, also with special terminals or varieties of cables/connections
• Electrical panels and installations: switches in various shapes and sizes and panel markers in different sizes and colours, to signal different panel/installation?statuses. For this sector, we have introduced the?T22?model, an LED indicator light in a compact shape, with a panel bore diameter of 22 mm, which is widely used in the construction of electrical and control panels.
• Refrigeration:?we supply both standard modular panel switches and signallers and customised solutions with?fibre optics?for an aesthetic signalling effect.
• Vending machines: switches, indicator lights and more specifically LED micro spotlights to illuminate the drink/food dispensing area.
• Electromedical devices: this is an area subject to special restrictions. At present, we supply standard modular switches and indicators, but there are also requests for?sanitisation solutions with UV-C LEDs.
• Automotive components:?the automotive industry also requires components with special certifications. We can supply signalling for car interiors and control of certain truck movement functions.
• Measuring and control equipment, Industrial electronics, and Machine tools:?for all these three sectors, where the functional side is favoured over the aesthetic side, the demand falls on standard modular signalling units and switches.?Vandal-resistant indicators?can also be employed, as environments and instruments of this type are subject to impacts or other shocks that the vandal-resistant indicator can cope with while maintaining product quality.?

Blog updates:

• ?? Are you interested in SLIM products? Download for free the general product catalogue to further discover all the lighting components of our selection.
• ?? Discover the SLIM collaborations and the customized solutions created for our customers in different application sectors. Let's find out more.?

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