Introduction
In factory operations, lighting systems are far from being insignificant auxiliary facilities; they are key elements directly related to production efficiency and employee safety. Insufficient or unevenly distributed lighting environments can easily cause visual fatigue among employees, leading to reduced work efficiency and potentially even operational errors and safety accidents. Conversely, high-quality, efficient lighting systems can create a bright and comfortable workspace for employees, significantly improving work efficiency while minimizing safety hazards.
In recent years, LED UFO high-bay lights have rapidly gained popularity in the factory lighting field, becoming the preferred choice for many companies. These lights, named for their unique round, flat, and compact design resembling a flying saucer, not only have a unique appearance but also possess a series of superior performance advantages, far surpassing traditional lighting fixtures in energy saving, brightness, and lifespan. Compared to traditional high-bay lights, LED UFO high-bay lights can reduce energy consumption by up to 70%, thereby significantly lowering operating costs. They also have a longer lifespan, lower maintenance costs, and excellent environmental adaptability, including dust and moisture resistance. Its robust structure, typically employing die-cast aluminum housings and highly thermally conductive materials, ensures effective heat dissipation and maintains stable performance in harsh environments, reducing maintenance and replacement costs due to lamp failure. Against the backdrop of continuous innovation in industrial and commercial lighting, UFO LED high bay lights, with their unique advantages, are gradually becoming a popular product in the market. According to authoritative statistics and accurate forecasts from QYResearch (Beijing Hengzhou Bozhi International Information Consulting Co., Ltd.), the global UFO LED high bay light market sales reached US$255 million in 2024, and are projected to further expand to US$340 million by 2031, with a stable compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.3% between 2025 and 2031. This steady and continuous growth fully demonstrates the broad development prospects and enormous potential of the UFO LED high bay light market.
However, faced with a dazzling array of LED UFO high bay light products on the market, selecting the product that best suits the factory's needs has become a challenge for many business owners and facility managers. Next, this article will delve into the key factors to consider when choosing an LED UFO high bay light, helping you make an informed decision.
Advantages of LED UFO High Bay Lights
Energy Efficiency
LED UFO high bay lights utilize advanced LED technology, significantly reducing energy consumption compared to traditional metal halide lamps and sodium lamps, achieving reductions of up to 70%. For example, a factory using 100 traditional 250W high bay lights, assuming 10 hours of lighting per day and an electricity cost of 1 yuan per kilowatt-hour, would incur annual electricity expenses of approximately 91,250 yuan (250W × 100 lights × 10 hours × 365 days ÷ 1000 × 1 yuan/kilowatt-hour). Replacing these with 100W LED UFO high bay lights would reduce annual electricity costs to 36,500 yuan (100W × 100 lights × 10 hours × 365 days ÷ 1000 × 1 yuan/kilowatt-hour), resulting in annual savings of 54,750 yuan. In the long term, the energy-saving benefits are significant, effectively reducing factory operating costs. High Brightness and Uniform Illumination
LED UFO high bay lights typically feature high lumen output, providing ample light to meet the lighting needs of large areas in factories. Their unique optical design and lens combinations achieve uniform light distribution, reducing blind spots. Some high-quality LED UFO high bay lights can achieve an illuminance uniformity of over 0.8, ensuring consistent lighting in the work area, preventing visual fatigue caused by uneven lighting, and improving work efficiency and safety. In assembly workshops of automobile manufacturing plants, uniform lighting allows workers to see the details of parts more clearly, reducing assembly errors.
Long Lifespan and Low Maintenance Costs
LED UFO high bay lights typically have a lifespan of over 50,000 hours, 3-5 times that of traditional lighting fixtures. This means that LED UFO high bay lights require less frequent replacement over the same period. Assuming traditional lighting fixtures need to be replaced annually, while LED UFO high bay lights only need to be replaced every 5 years, this not only saves on lighting fixture procurement costs but also reduces labor costs and downtime losses associated with replacement. Meanwhile, its high stability and low failure rate further reduce maintenance costs.
Excellent Environmental Adaptability
Factory environments are complex, potentially involving high dust levels, humidity, and vibration. LED UFO high bay lights generally possess excellent dustproof, moisture-proof, and vibration-resistant properties, with protection levels reaching IP65 or even higher, effectively resisting dust and water intrusion. In some textile factories, where there is a lot of fiber dust in the air, ordinary lamps are easily affected by dust accumulation, impacting lighting effects and lifespan. However, LED UFO high bay lights, with their excellent dustproof performance, can operate stably. Their robust structure and high-quality materials also allow them to withstand a certain degree of vibration, making them suitable for industrial locations where machinery generates vibration, ensuring stable operation of the lighting system.
Key Factors to Consider When Selecting LED UFO High Bay Lights
Lighting Needs Assessment
Before selecting LED UFO high bay lights, accurately assessing the factory's lighting needs is crucial. A comprehensive consideration of factors such as factory size, height, and layout is necessary. For large, high-ceilinged factory spaces, such as large machinery manufacturing plants, where workshops are typically spacious and heights can reach 8-12 meters or even higher, high-power, high-luminous-flux lighting fixtures are required to meet the lighting needs of such large areas. Small parts processing workshops, although potentially smaller in space, require sufficient and uniform lighting due to high production precision requirements.
When calculating the required lighting power and number of fixtures, relevant lighting standards and calculation formulas can be referenced. Generally, the standard illuminance for factory workshops is between 200-500 lux (lx), with the specific value depending on the level of detail required. For example, a general goods storage area may require 200 lx, while a precision electronic component processing area may require 500 lx or even higher. Assuming a factory workshop with an area of 1000 square meters and a height of 8 meters, and a target illuminance of 300 lx, using LED UFO high bay lights with a luminous flux of 15000 lm, a utilization factor of 0.6 (considering light loss due to reflection and refraction), and a maintenance factor of 0.8 (considering light attenuation factors such as aging and dust during use), the required number of lights can be calculated using the formula "Number of lights = (Target illuminance × Area) ÷ (Luminous flux × Utilization factor × Maintenance factor)". This calculation ensures that the selected number and wattage of lights meet the actual lighting needs of the factory, avoiding insufficient or excessive lighting.
Lighting Power and Luminous Flux
The power and luminous flux of LED UFO high bay lights are key indicators affecting lighting performance. Different wattage lighting fixtures are suitable for different scenarios. Low-wattage (100W-150W) fixtures are generally suitable for small warehouses, small showrooms, or areas with low ceilings, such as the warehouses of small e-commerce companies with ceiling heights of around 5-6 meters. A 100W LED UFO high-bay light can provide sufficient illumination in these situations. Medium-wattage (150W-240W) fixtures are commonly used in general logistics centers and medium-sized warehouses. These locations have relatively large spaces with frequent goods storage and handling activities, requiring brighter lighting. High-wattage (240W+) fixtures are suitable for large warehouses, large industrial plants, and stadiums—large venues with extremely high lighting intensity requirements.
Luminous flux is an indicator that measures the total amount of visible light emitted by a luminaire, measured in lumens (lm). It directly determines the brightness of the illumination. The higher the luminous flux, the brighter the illumination provided by the luminaire under the same conditions. For example, a 150W LED UFO high-bay light might have a luminous flux between 18,000 and 20,000 lm, while a 200W light fixture might have a luminous flux between 25,000 and 30,000 lm. When selecting lighting fixtures, power and luminous flux should be considered comprehensively based on the actual size of the factory space and lighting needs to ensure that the fixtures provide sufficient and appropriate brightness.
Color Rendering Index (CRI)
The Color Rendering Index (CRI) is an important indicator of a light source's ability to render the colors of objects, ranging from 0 to 100. A high CRI is crucial for accurately representing the colors of objects, especially in factory environments where color discrimination is critical, such as textile dyeing and printing plants. In textile dyeing plants, workers need to adjust colors and perform dyeing operations based on sample colors. If the CRI of the lighting fixtures is low, the colors seen by workers will deviate from the actual colors, potentially leading to unsatisfactory product colors and increasing the defect rate. LED UFO high bay lights with a high color rendering index (CRI ≥ 80) make the colors of objects appear closer to their true colors under natural light, allowing workers to judge colors more accurately and improving production quality. Generally, factory lighting should use luminaires with a CRI of 80 or higher. For specialized industries with extremely high color accuracy requirements, such as art processing and photography studios, luminaires with a CRI of 90 or higher are recommended.
Beam Angle
The beam angle determines the distribution range and direction of the light emitted by the LED UFO high bay light. Different beam angles produce different lighting effects in different spaces. Common beam angles include 60°, 90°, and 120°. Lamplights with narrow beam angles (such as 60°) provide concentrated light and a long illumination distance, suitable for large spaces requiring focused lighting of specific areas, such as above tall machinery. Using narrow beam angle luminaires can highlight key parts of the equipment, facilitating worker operation and maintenance. Wide beam angle (e.g., 120°) luminaires provide diffused light and a wide illumination range, making them suitable for large areas without specific focused lighting, such as general warehouses. Wide beam angle luminaires can ensure uniform illumination throughout the warehouse. When selecting luminaires, the appropriate beam angle should be determined based on the factory layout and specific lighting requirements. If there are many shelves or obstacles in the factory, wide beam angle luminaires can be chosen to avoid excessive shadows and ensure even light distribution to all corners.
Heat Dissipation Performance
LED UFO high bay lights generate heat during operation. Poor heat dissipation will cause the luminaire temperature to rise, affecting its lifespan and performance. Good heat dissipation performance plays a crucial role in extending the luminaire's lifespan and ensuring stable performance. When the luminaire temperature is too high, the luminous efficiency of the LED chip decreases, and the luminous flux also decreases, resulting in "light decay," which can even damage the luminaire in severe cases.
Common heat dissipation materials include die-cast aluminum and aerospace-grade aluminum. These materials have excellent thermal conductivity and can quickly conduct the heat generated by the LED chip away. In terms of heat dissipation design, many LED UFO high-bay lights adopt a finned heat dissipation structure to improve heat dissipation efficiency by increasing the heat dissipation area. Some high-end products are also equipped with intelligent cooling fans that automatically adjust the fan speed according to the light fixture temperature, further enhancing the heat dissipation effect. When choosing a light fixture, pay attention to its heat dissipation design and the heat dissipation materials used to ensure that the light fixture can maintain good heat dissipation performance during long-term operation.
Light Fixture Materials and Quality
The materials and quality of a light fixture directly affect its lifespan and stability. The housing material should have good durability. Common die-cast aluminum housings have advantages such as high strength, good heat dissipation, and corrosion resistance, effectively protecting internal components. In harsh industrial environments, such as factories with corrosive chemical gases, corrosion-resistant housing materials can ensure the normal operation of the light fixture. The quality of internal components, such as LED chips and driver power supplies, is also crucial. High-quality LED chips have high luminous efficiency and low light decay, ensuring stable light emission for a long time. Driver power supplies from well-known brands have better constant current and constant voltage performance, effectively protecting the LED chips and extending the lifespan of the light fixture. Choosing a well-known brand of LED UFO high bay lights is an important way to ensure quality. These brands usually have stricter standards and processes in production technology and quality testing. Although the price may be relatively higher, they are more cost-effective in terms of long-term use costs and lighting effects.
Popular Brand Recommendations
When choosing LED UFO high bay lights, the sheer number of brands and products can be overwhelming. Below are some recommended well-known brands and their products, standing out in the market for their superior performance and excellent reputation.
Philips
- Product Features and Advantages: As a globally renowned lighting brand, Philips possesses deep technological expertise and outstanding R&D capabilities. Its LED UFO high bay lights utilize advanced optical systems and high-quality LED chips, resulting in high luminous efficacy and minimal light decay, ensuring stable high-brightness illumination over extended periods. The lights feature excellent heat dissipation design, typically employing efficient heat dissipation materials and unique heat dissipation structures to effectively extend the lamp's lifespan. In terms of smart features, some products support intelligent dimming and color adjustment, allowing for flexible adjustment of lighting effects according to different scenarios and needs, achieving energy saving and personalized lighting.
- Price Range: Relatively high-end, positioned in the mid-to-high-end market. Products with a power rating of 100W-150W are priced approximately 200-500 RMB per lamp, primarily due to its brand value, advanced technology, and high-quality assurance.
- Applicable Scenarios: Widely used in large industrial plants, logistics centers, stadiums, and other places with high lighting requirements, such as large workshops in automobile manufacturing plants, which require uniform, high-brightness lighting to ensure production operations. Philips products can meet these needs well.
OPPLE Lighting
- Product Features and Advantages: A leading brand in the domestic lighting industry, Opple Lighting's LED UFO high bay lights emphasize product design and user experience. The lamps have a simple and stylish appearance and exquisite craftsmanship. In terms of lighting performance, they have a high color rendering index, which can accurately reproduce the colors of objects. This is a significant advantage for factory scenarios with high color requirements, such as textiles, printing and dyeing, and electronics industries. The stability and reliability of the products are also highly recognized. They undergo rigorous quality testing to ensure stable operation in various environments.
- Price Range: Moderately priced with high cost-effectiveness, 100W-150W products are priced at approximately 100-300 RMB per lamp, suitable for customers who pursue quality and cost-effectiveness.
- Applicable Scenarios: Suitable for lighting in various factory workshops, warehouses, and commercial spaces. In e-commerce warehouses, Opple Lighting's LED UFO high-bay lights provide ample illumination while effectively controlling the procurement costs of lighting systems due to their high cost-performance ratio.
Pak Lighting
- Product Features and Advantages: Pak Lighting has extensive experience in the lighting field. Its LED UFO high-bay lights are renowned for their excellent anti-glare design. Utilizing special optical lenses and lampshades, they effectively reduce glare, providing workers with a comfortable visual environment, reducing eye fatigue, and improving work efficiency. In terms of energy saving, the products have low energy consumption, meeting national energy-saving standards, and possess excellent heat dissipation performance, ensuring stable operation.
- Price Range: Prices are moderate, with 100W-150W products priced at approximately 120-350 RMB per lamp, offering high cost-performance.
- Applicable Scenarios: Suitable for industrial locations with high glare control requirements, such as precision machining workshops, electronic product assembly workshops, and other locations requiring a comfortable lighting environment.
Hylele
- Product Features and Advantages: Hylele Lighting is a well-known brand with a long history, and its products are reliable. Its LED UFO high bay lights excel in luminous flux and color rendering index, meeting the lighting needs of various factories. Regarding product stability, strict quality control ensures the lights function normally in complex industrial environments. Furthermore, Foshan Lighting has a comprehensive after-sales service system, providing users with timely and thorough after-sales support.
- Price Range: Relatively affordable, with 100W-150W products priced at approximately 80-250 RMB per light, offering high cost-effectiveness.
- Applicable Scenarios: Widely used in various factories, warehouses, supermarkets, and other locations, especially suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises with limited budgets but high requirements for lighting quality.
NVC Lighting
- Product Features and Advantages: NVC Lighting's LED UFO high bay lights are characterized by high brightness and uniform illumination. The lights feature a reasonable optical design, achieving large-area uniform illumination and reducing blind spots. Regarding product quality, we select high-quality materials and advanced manufacturing processes to ensure the durability and stability of our lamps. The brand enjoys a good reputation and a broad user base in the market, with a comprehensive after-sales service network.
- Price Range: Prices are mid-to-high range; 100W-150W products are priced approximately 150-400 RMB per lamp.
- Applicable Scenarios: Suitable for large warehouses, industrial plants, commercial complexes, and other locations requiring large-area, high-brightness lighting. In large logistics warehouses, NVC Lighting products can effectively illuminate every corner, facilitating goods storage and handling.
Installation and Maintenance Points
Installation Precautions
The installation height significantly affects the lighting effect of LED UFO high bay lights. Generally, for factory workshops with a height of 8-12 meters, the installation height of the lights can be controlled at around 7-10 meters; if the workshop height is 12-15 meters, the installation height can be between 10-13 meters. The lights should be installed in a position that evenly covers the work area, avoiding obstruction by obstacles. For example, in a warehouse, the lights should be installed in the middle above the shelves to ensure that the light can illuminate all levels of the shelves.
The installation steps are as follows: First, turn off the power to ensure safety during installation; then, according to the mounting hole positions of the lights, locate and drill holes in the ceiling or roof, and use appropriate expansion bolts or hooks to securely install the light fixture brackets; next, connect the lights to the brackets, ensuring a stable connection; finally, connect the power cord, ensuring the positive and negative terminals are connected correctly. After completing the connection, test the lights to check if the lighting effect is normal. During installation, strict adherence to safety regulations is essential. Installers must wear safety helmets, safety belts, and other protective equipment, especially when working at heights, to ensure their own safety. Correct installation is fundamental to ensuring the lighting fixtures function properly. Improper installation may lead to uneven lighting, wobbling, or even the fixture falling, posing safety hazards.
Daily Maintenance Recommendations
Regular cleaning of the LED UFO high bay light is crucial for maintaining its lighting effect. It is recommended to clean it every 1-2 months. Use a clean, soft, damp cloth to gently wipe the surface of the fixture to remove dust and stains. For stubborn stains, use a mild detergent. For internal dust, use compressed air or a small vacuum cleaner, but be careful to avoid damaging internal components.
Regularly checking the operating condition of the fixture is also necessary. Perform a visual inspection at least monthly, checking for damage or looseness. A comprehensive inspection should be conducted quarterly, including measuring the brightness of the fixture, checking the secure wiring connections, and testing the driver power supply. For common troubleshooting, if the light fixture does not light up, first check if the power supply is normal, including whether the plug is properly inserted, whether the switch is working properly, and whether the fuse is blown. If the power supply is normal, then check whether the driver power supply and LED chips inside the light fixture are damaged. If the light fixture flickers, it may be due to an unstable driver power supply or fluctuations in the mains voltage. First check the driver power supply, and replace it with a reliable one if necessary. If the problem persists, consider installing a voltage regulator to stabilize the voltage. Regular maintenance can help identify and resolve problems in a timely manner, ensuring long-term stable operation of the light fixture and extending its lifespan.
Summary
Choosing suitable LED UFO high bay lights for factory lighting requires comprehensive consideration of factors such as lighting needs, luminaire power and luminous flux, color rendering index, beam angle, heat dissipation performance, and the material and quality of the luminaire. Different brands and models of luminaires vary in performance, price, and applicable scenarios. For example, Philips offers high-end quality, Opple Lighting offers cost-effectiveness, Sanxiong Aurora offers anti-glare design, Foshan Lighting offers affordable prices, and NVC Lighting offers high-brightness and uniform lighting. Businesses should make informed choices based on their actual needs and budget.
Improving factory lighting not only enhances production efficiency and product quality but also ensures employee safety and health. In the long run, it can reduce operating costs and improve a company's competitiveness. Therefore, don't underestimate the importance of lighting systems. Take action and choose the most suitable LED UFO high bay lights for your factory to usher in a new era of efficient, energy-saving, and safe lighting.
