LED Light Source with a Software Interface

SCHOTT “KL 1500 LED plus” rounds off automated stereomicroscopy

Mainz (Germany), November 5th, 2010 – SCHOTT has announced that it will be expanding its portfolio of LED cold light sources. The “KL 1500 LED plus” delivers the same light output as a 150-watt halogen lamp, yet requires 80 percent less energy. This savings really pays off, especially during long periods of use, in automated processes, for instance. Now, the brightness, shutter speed and flash can all be set on a PC and controlled with the help of software.

The laboratory sector is known for its rising cost pressures and high volumes of samples. Halogen light sources are gradually being replaced by those that use energy-efficient high-performance LED technology and processes like stereomicroscopy are being automated. For this reason, SCHOTT has expanded its successful KL LED series to include a system that can be easily integrated into existing infrastructures.

The new “KL 1500 LED plus” light source can be controlled directly from a PC via a USB interface. It features an electronic shutter and a flash function. The brightness can be set at two different increment values (coarse / fine). An LCD display shows the brightness setting and the operating mode. The product also features a port for a foot control switch.

SCHOTT uses LEDs that produce neutral white light with a color temperature of around 6000 Kelvin. Unlike halogen systems, this means there are no more annoying changes in the color temperature of the light during dimming. Daylight filters are also no longer necessary. The appropriate type of halogen filter is also available for users who prefer halogen light that has more of a yellowish shade.

Because these new devices use the same proven fiber optic interface used in halogen light sources, the light source is all that needs to be replaced. This means customers are able to continue using their existing fiber optic light guides. These devices all come with universal power supplies to ensure that they can be used all over the world without any limitations.

The LED has a service life of 50,000 hours or 125 times that of a halogen light bulb, an aspect that translates into less downtime. Furthermore, LED technology allows for energy savings of around 80 percent and thus significantly lower operating costs.

The KL 1500 LED plus with a fiber optic ring light is an LED light source for use in stereomicroscopy. Source: SCHOTT

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SCHOTT is an international technology group that sees its core purpose as the lasting improvement of living and working conditions. To this end, the company has been developing special materials, components and systems for 125 years. The main areas of focus are the household appliances industry, pharmaceuticals, solar energy, electronics, optics and the automotive industry. The SCHOTT Group is present in close proximity to its customers with production and sales companies in all its major markets. The Group’s approximately 17,300 employees generated worldwide sales of approximately 2.2 billion Euros in the fiscal year 2007/2008. The company’s technological and economic expertise is closely linked with its social and ecological responsibility. SCHOTT AG is an affiliate of the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung (Foundation).

The SCHOTT Lighting and Imaging division offers a wide range of lighting and image transmission solutions for a variety of different applications. The microscopy product group realizes innovative lighting approaches, particularly for use in stereomicroscopy, on the basis of LED technology and fiber optics.