Guide to Industrial Lighting Design

Industrial facilities present unique lighting challenges that demand specialized solutions. From lumber and metal production to aerospace manufacturing, these environments require lighting systems that can handle extreme conditions while maintaining safety and productivity.

Industrial buildings typically feature massive spaces with high ceilings and narrow aisles. Areas exposed to extreme heat need high temperature lights rated for operation in demanding conditions.

Hazardous locations with explosive atmospheres require explosion proof lights certified for Class I Division 1 and Class 1 Division 2 environments. Beyond production areas, most facilities also include office spaces and outdoor perimeters that need appropriate illumination.

Proper lighting design directly impacts both operational efficiency and worker safety-two factors that determine the success of any industrial operation.

Planning Your Industrial Lighting Project

We typically recommend conducting a comprehensive lighting assessment before any retrofit. Use an Industrial Energy Audit Checklist to identify improvement opportunities and potential energy savings across your entire facility.

Industrial lighting systems must withstand harsh environmental conditions, including:

• Extreme temperatures and humidity levels
• Corrosive chemical atmospheres
• Dust-heavy environments
• Vibration and physical impact

Important: All installations must comply with local fire codes, OSHA safety standards, and material handling regulations. Consult with licensed electricians and local code authorities to ensure compliance for your specific application.

Given these demanding requirements, industrial lighting projects represent significant capital investments that require careful planning. Smart facility managers choose lighting solutions that maximize operational efficiency, deliver extended service life, and minimize maintenance requirements.

LED technology excels in all these areas while providing superior light quality and instant-on performance.

How Do I Know I’m Choosing the Right Lighting?

Selecting appropriate industrial lighting comes down to meeting your operational requirements within budget constraints. Each facility operates differently, so lighting solutions must be tailored accordingly.

Your lighting system should accomplish these essential objectives:

• Creates a safe working environment with proper visibility
• Prevents workplace accidents through adequate illumination
• Increases efficiency and worker productivity
• Integrates seamlessly with your facility design
• Delivers optimal illumination levels for each work area

Most of our customers find that addressing these core requirements leads to measurable improvements in both safety metrics and operational performance.

What Steps Can I Take to Promote Safety with Lighting?

Safety considerations drive every aspect of industrial lighting design. Workers in these environments face numerous hazards-from operating forklifts and heavy machinery to precision metalworking and navigating narrow aisles between storage racks.

Uniform light distribution becomes critical for preventing accidents, though “uniform” doesn’t mean identical lighting throughout your facility. Different work areas require different lighting approaches. We design systems that eliminate both bright spots and dimly lit corners.

Achieving Optimal Light Distribution

The most effective way to achieve proper lighting balance involves creating a photometric lighting plan that maps light distribution across your specific layout.

• Narrow aisles perform best with 60-degree beam angles that focus light downward
• Open production areas benefit from 120-degree wide beam fixtures that spread illumination evenly

Improperly positioned fixtures create excessive brightness that causes dangerous glare conditions. For warehouse applications specifically, our warehouse lighting design calculator provides targeted recommendations.

Overlighting creates eye strain and visual discomfort that actually increases accident risk in high-hazard environments. We recommend providing adequate brightness for each specific task without exceeding safe comfort levels.

LEDs versus Traditional Light Sources

LED technology delivers compelling advantages over traditional lighting systems, particularly in demanding industrial applications. While the initial investment appears higher, energy savings and reduced maintenance costs typically provide rapid payback in large-scale facilities.

Key LED advantages include:

• Energy efficiency: LEDs can consume significantly less electricity than comparable metal halide or fluorescent systems
• Extended lifespan: Industrial LED fixtures typically deliver 50,000+ hour lifespans compared to 10,000 hours for fluorescent tubes
• Instant startup: Full brightness immediately, with no warm-up time
• Low heat output: Reduces cooling costs and heat-sensitive process concerns
• No hazardous materials: Unlike fluorescent tubes containing mercury
• Precise dimming control: Better process control and additional energy savings

In facilities with hundreds of fixtures operating 12-16 hours daily, these benefits can generate substantial cost reductions. The energy efficiency also qualifies most installations for utility rebates that may offset a portion of project costs.

How Many Lumens Do I Need?

Determining optimal lumen requirements involves multiple variables specific to your facility type, ceiling height, and work activities. Different industrial applications demand vastly different illumination levels-precision assembly work needs significantly more light than general material handling.

Understanding Light Quality

Light quality also affects perceived brightness. Color Rendering Index (CRI) measures how accurately colors appear under artificial lighting. A fixture producing 30,000 lumens with CRI 90 may appear brighter and provide better visibility than a 35,000 lumen fixture with CRI 70.

Professional lighting design requires analysis of your specific space dimensions, mounting heights, and task requirements. A photometric lighting plan provides precise lumen calculations and fixture placement recommendations for your facility.

Lighting Requirements by Industry

The following guidelines are based on IESNA Lighting Handbook recommendations for common industrial applications. These serve as general guidance-your specific facility may have different requirements based on unique operational needs.

Manufacturing Plants

Manufacturing facilities require lighting levels matched to specific production processes. Material handling areas typically need less illumination than precision assembly stations.

Standard footcandle recommendations for common manufacturing operations:

• Leather Production:
  • Cleaning, cutting, stuffing, and stretching: 20-30 fc
  • Finishing: 50-75 fc
• Paper Production:
  • Beating and grinding: 20-30 fc
  • Finishing: 50-75 fc
  • Inspections: 100-150 fc
• Electrical Equipment Production:
  • Insulating and electromagnetic coil winding: 50-75 fc
• Jewelry and Watch Production: 200-300 fc

Complex detail work may require supplemental task lighting beyond general area illumination.

Woodworking & Processing

Lumber processing and woodworking facilities need carefully planned illumination for both safety and quality control. All measurements reflect lighting levels at 3.3 feet above floor level:

• Bench/Saw Frame Assembly: 30 fc
• Turning, Cutting, Dressing: 50 fc
• Polishing: 100 fc

Loading Docks and Material Handling

Loading dock areas require sufficient visibility for workers to identify potential hazards while moving materials safely through high-traffic zones.

• Standard dock operations: 10 fc minimum
• Detailed labeling/small parts: Up to 30 fc

Welding Operations

Welding operations demand precise lighting control since both inadequate and excessive illumination create safety hazards:

• Worker Orientation: 20-30 fc
• General Welding: 30 fc
• Precision Arc Welding: 500-750 fc

Assembly Line Work

Assembly operations span a wide range of complexity levels. Lighting requirements scale accordingly:

• Simple assembly: 20-30 fc
• Moderate complexity: 50-75 fc
• Difficult assembly: 100-150 fc
• Very difficult assembly: 200-300 fc
• Extraction work: 500-750 fc

Paint Booths

Professional paint spray booths require exceptional lighting quality for color matching, surface preparation, and defect identification. Our specialized paint booth lighting systems provide the precise illumination needed for professional results.

Paint booth lighting requirements by area:

• Paint Processing (Dipping, Spraying, Hand Painting): 20-30 fc
• Fine Hand Painting, Finishing: 100-150 fc
• Paint Mixing: 100-200 fc
• Extra-Fine Hand Painting, Finishing: 200+ fc

Note: Professional paint booth lighting systems must meet strict electrical codes for hazardous locations. Consult with qualified professionals for code compliance requirements.

Why Choose LED Lighting Supply for Your Industrial Project

LED Lighting Supply has provided industrial lighting solutions for over 13 years, working with manufacturers, warehouses, and production facilities nationwide. Our team of lighting specialists brings extensive experience from complex automotive plants to specialized chemical processing environments.

We understand the unique challenges industrial facilities face because we’ve solved them repeatedly across diverse applications.

Our Industrial Lighting Services

• Complimentary lighting design service with detailed photometric plans
• Energy savings analysis showing potential utility cost reductions
• Product specialists with actual industrial design experience
• Technical support throughout your project

When you work with LED Lighting Supply, you get direct access to product specialists who have actually designed lighting systems for facilities like yours, not general customer service representatives.

Ready to start your industrial lighting project? Contact our lighting specialists for a complimentary consultation and custom lighting design for your facility.