How to ensure the uniformity of light distribution of LED panel lights

LED panel lights are widely used in office buildings, shopping malls, hospitals, schools and other places due to their advantages such as energy saving, environmental protection, long life and flexible design. Light distribution uniformity is an important indicator for the evaluation of LED panel lights, which directly affects the lighting effect and visual comfort. Uniform light distribution not only avoids glare caused by excessive local brightness, but also reduces shadows and visual fatigue, and improves the overall aesthetics and user experience of the space.

Reasonable design of optical structure
The optical structure design of LED panel lights is the core of achieving uniform light distribution. Panel lights are usually composed of LED light sources, light guide plates, diffusers, reflective films and lampshades. The light guide plate is responsible for evenly guiding the light emitted by the LED point light source to the panel surface, and the diffuser further evenly distributes the light through diffuse reflection. The microstructure design of the light guide plate is crucial. By accurately designing the groove depth, spacing and shape, the refraction and reflection path of the light can be controlled to achieve uniform light output. The microstructure design needs to be optimized with the help of optical simulation software (such as Zemax or LightTools) to ensure that the light intensity in each area is balanced and hot spots and dark areas are avoided.
The diffuser plate is made of high-quality milky white material, and the transmittance and diffuse reflectance need to achieve the best balance. Too high transmittance will lead to light concentration, and too low diffuse reflectance will not effectively diffuse the light. Reasonable selection and allocation of diffusion materials can effectively break up the point-shaped light spots of the LED light source, so that the light-emitting surface is uniform and bright as a whole.

Optimize the layout and specifications of LED light sources
The arrangement of LED chips directly affects the uniformity of light distribution of panel lights. The point light spots produced by a single high-power LED are obvious, and it is easy to form light spots and shadows. By using multiple low-power LEDs to be evenly arranged, uniform coverage of the light source can be achieved and local brightness differences can be reduced. When arranging LEDs, the spacing, arrangement shape (such as matrix or honeycomb arrangement) and the emitting angle of each LED need to be considered.
The choice of emitting angle affects the scattering range of light. Generally, 120° wide-angle LED chips are used to help reduce the phenomenon of beam concentration. At the same time, in order to prevent overlapping light spots or dark areas between LEDs, optical simulation is required to adjust the optimal layout during design.
The consistency of LED color temperature and light intensity is equally important. Different batches of LED chips may have color temperature deviations, affecting the overall uniformity of light color. Select LED chips of stable quality and the same batch, and pass strict screening and binning tests to ensure the consistency of color temperature and luminous flux.

Select high-quality materials to improve optical performance
The material quality of the light guide plate, diffuser plate and reflective film has a great impact on the uniform distribution of light. The light guide plate is usually made of PMMA (plexiglass) or PC (polycarbonate) material, which must have high light transmittance and excellent optical stability. Poor-quality materials are prone to light loss and aging and yellowing, resulting in uneven brightness.
The material of the diffuser plate is mostly milky white PMMA or special composite materials to ensure uniform diffuse reflection and reduce bright spots. The surface of high-quality diffusers is uniform and delicate to avoid the formation of granular or striped light spots.
The reflective film is applied to the back of the light guide plate, which is responsible for reflecting the light that escapes backwards back to the panel, reducing light loss and enhancing light utilization. The reflective film material generally uses aluminum foil or silver film. The higher the reflectivity, the better the light recovery effect, thereby improving the overall light output uniformity of the panel light.

Strict manufacturing process control
The manufacturing process of LED panel lights affects the assembly accuracy and stability of optical components, and indirectly determines the uniformity of light distribution. The bonding between the light guide plate and the diffuser must be uniform to avoid bubbles, dust or impurities, which will cause light spots or dark areas.
The welding position of the LED chip must be accurate to avoid offset and uneven local brightness. The sealing of the lamp body structure and the fit of the reflective film directly affect the light recovery and guiding effect.
The quality inspection link cannot be ignored. After production is completed, the panel lights should be tested for optical uniformity, and the light intensity distribution at each point on the panel surface should be detected using an illuminance meter and a photometric distribution tester to ensure that it meets the design standards. Timely rework or removal of unqualified products to ensure consistent optical performance of factory products.