Defining Workshop Lighting Requirements
For workshop lighting, the requirements are more specific and regulated than other areas.
According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards, in general machine shops: - General work areas ≥10 foot-candles (fc), = over 107.6 lux on the work surface; - Medium-precision assembly 500-750 lux; - Precision inspection/quality control 750-1000 lux.
IESNA (International Electrotechnical Commission) guidelines: Shelf aisle areas ≥200 lux (to prevent misreading labels during picking), high-bay racking (≥8 meters) ≥300 lux (using light fixtures with 120° beam angle to minimize shelf shadows).
Workshop lighting color rendering and color temperature: CRI ≥80 (standard); CRI ≥90 for color-critical inspection. Recommended workshop CCT: 4000K-5000K (avoid cool light that causes visual fatigue).
Glare and Beam Control: 120° optical lenses or linear diffusers to minimize shadows on workbenches and aisles.
Electrical/Safety: Workshop lighting fixtures must be certified to local electrical codes, such as CE/RoHS/SAA/RCM, and drivers must meet requirements including flicker-free operation.
For Fixture controls, require zoned sensor dimming (occupancy + daylight profiles) and linkable wiring for fast retrofits without conduit rework.
How to Select Lighting Fixtures for Workshops
K-Series — General & demanding workshop areas
Why: robust thermal management, high efficacy and industrial protection for high-mount, continuous runs and harsher workshop zones.Spec:
- IP66 / IK10
- High-grade aluminium heatsink + anti-UV PC housing
- High-transmittance PC milky diffuser (≈88%)
- Photometry: 120–140 lm/W, 120° beam, CRI >80; CCT options 3000/4000/5000/6000K
- Lifetime L70 @ Ta25°C = 54,000 hours
- Electrical: AC220–240V, PF ≥0.9, Class II
- Models & sizes: ZL-KSBLP18-2FT (18W), ZL-KSBLP36-4FT (36W), ZL-KSBLP44-5FT (44W)
- Options: sensor dimming (-DS), linkable, surface/suspended installation
Best for: production lines, assembly bays, suspended mounting >3m, washdown-adjacent zones (non-immersion).
L-Series — Wet / washdown or heavy-duty zones
Why: IP66 waterproof, IK10 impact resistance, openable cap and large terminal block for fast wiring & maintenance.
Spec:
- IP66 / IK10; anti-UV PC cover (~88% transmittance)
- Models: 18W / 36W / 44W (same power family)
- LM-80 approved SMD LEDs; split-type power supply for easy service
- Luminous efficacy 120–140 lm/W; CRI >80; CCT 3000–6000K
- 5-year warranty; sensor dimming and linkable options available
Best for: washdown areas, machine-tool bays, dusty or humid zones, suspended continuous runs.
V-Series — Support areas & softer distribution (training rooms, offices adjacent to workshops)
Why: wide, even distribution with high efficacy for non-production support spaces. Easy to service with split driver design.
Spec:
- Steel + aluminium housing; high-transmittance PC diffuser
- Luminous efficacy 120–150 lm/W; beam angle 120°
- Sizes: 2FT / 4FT / 5FT / 6FT / 8FT (combine lengths supported)
- Emergency & self-test options; split-type PSU for quick maintenance
Best for: meeting/training rooms, storage areas, showroom or reception zones within industrial sites.
P-Series — Localised vapor-tight zones
Why: IP65 / IK08 vapor-tight design where splash or dust ingress exists but not full washdown.
Spec:
- IP65 / IK08; PC milky diffuser ≈86% transmittance
- 2FT (18W), 4FT (36W), 5FT (44W) versions; sensor dimming and emergency options
- Large terminal block (5.0 mm), clip-fixed driver for fast replacement
Best for: stairwells, corridor infill, service rooms, perimeter areas requiring waterproofing.
| Zone / Task | Recommended | Mounting | Key Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-bay production / assembly (>4m) | K-Series | Suspended / Surface | Linkable, -DS sensor, 36W/44W |
| Washdown / heavy-duty areas | L-Series | Suspended / Surface | IP66, openable cap, linkable |
| Storage / support areas | V-Series | Surface / Suspended | Emergency, split PSU |
| Stair/corridor / utility | P-Series | Surface / Wall | IP65, sensor, emergency |
Workshop Lighting Layout & Spacing — Practical Rules and Worked Example
Clear layout rules speed design and avoid rework. Below are concise, actionable guidelines plus a worked numeric example you can reuse in tender documents.
Key Rules (quick reference)
- Spacing rule (rule of thumb): S = 1.0–1.5 × H.
- 1.0×H for high uniformity / inspection lanes; 1.5×H for general areas.
- Orientation: align linear luminaires parallel to benches or assembly lines to minimize shadows on work surfaces. For aisles, run luminaires along the lane centreline.
- Zoning: separate production, storage and inspection into control zones so you can apply different lux targets and dimming strategies.
- Mounting pattern: prefer continuous linkable runs for long aisles; use staggered rows only where required to improve uniformity.
- Pilot & measure: always pilot a representative zone and measure lux/uniformity before full roll-out — adjust spacing and lumen output based on real measurements.
- Avoid recessed installs: specify surface-mounted or suspended designs (no recessed options) in tender documents.
Spacing table (quick lookup)
- H = 3.0 m → S = 3.0 – 4.5 m
- H = 4.0 m → S = 4.0 – 6.0 m
- H = 6.0 m → S = 6.0 – 9.0 m
Adjust toward the lower end for inspection/assembly lanes and toward the higher end for storage or low-activity zones.
Worked example — sizing & layout (step-by-step)
Scenario: workshop area 20 m × 10 m = 200 m², target average illuminance 500 lx, use COMLED 36W linear fixtures at 130 lm/W (typical K/L-Series mid-value). Assume maintenance factor MF = 0.8.
- Calculate total lumens required:
Total lumens = E × Area / MF
= 500 lx × 200 m² ÷ 0.8
= 125,000 lumens. - Lumens per fixture:
Fixture lumens = power × efficacy = 36 W × 130 lm/W = 4,680 lm. - Number of fixtures:
Fixtures = Total lumens ÷ Lumens per fixture = 125,000 ÷ 4,680 ≈ 26.7 → 27 fixtures. - Area per fixture:
Area/fixture = 200 m² ÷ 27 ≈ 7.49 m² per fixture. - Practical row layout (example):
- 3 rows → 27 fixtures → 9 fixtures per row.
- Along length (20 m) spacing ≈ 20 ÷ 9 = 2.22 m between fixtures.
- Between rows (width 10 m) spacing ≈ 10 ÷ 3 = 3.33 m between rows.
Result summary: 27 fixtures (36W @130 lm/W) in 3 rows of 9 produces ~500 lx (with MF 0.8) for a 200 m² workshop. Final spacing and lumen requirements should be validated on-site during a pilot run.
LED Workshop Lighting Manufacturer
As a factory-direct manufacturer, COMLED delivers project-focused LED lighting solutions for workshops and industrial facilities. We manage the full delivery chain — from pilot samples and custom pre-configuration to bulk production, logistics and long-term O&M support — so engineering teams and procurement professionals get predictable supply, simplified coordination and single-point accountability for quality and schedule.
- Project-scale capacity: We align production to project milestones, so you get phased deliveries and batch consistency for large rollouts.
- Projectized customization: Sample kits, pre-configuration, bespoke packaging and spare-part packs to de-risk site rollouts and speed up commissioning.
- Single-point project management: Dedicated project managers manage production, testing, export documentation and logistics to reduce handover friction and change-order delays.
- Quality assurance & traceability: End-to-end QA, batch tracking and test reports for fast validation, warranty claims and compliance audits.
- Turnkey commissioning support: Photometric layouts, on-site pilot validation and post-installation verification to shorten acceptance cycles and ensure as-installed performance.
- After-sales & lifecycle services: Spare-parts kits, remote technical escalation and scheduled maintenance support to minimize downtime and total cost of ownership.
- Bid and compliance assistance: We supply bid packs, technical documentation and on-site demo samples to simplify tender evaluation and acceptance.