LED Factory Lighting

Q: What Are the Key Considerations When Selecting LED Factory Lights?

When choosing LED factory lights, consider the environmental conditions such as temperature and potential exposure to hazardous materials. Ensure the lights have the appropriate impact and waterproof ratings for your facility''s needs. Verify that the fixtures meet UL844 certification for hazardous locations if required. Selecting the right lumen output based on ceiling height and task requirements is also crucial for optimal lighting performance.

Q: How Do I Determine the Right Lumen Output for My Factory?

To determine the appropriate lumen output, consider your ceiling height and specific task needs. For example, a ceiling height of 15-20 feet typically requires fixtures producing 15,000-22,500 lumens. Higher ceilings will need fixtures with greater lumen output to ensure adequate illumination. Refer to recommended lumen ranges based on mounting height to guide your selection.

Q: What Are the Benefits of Using LED Lights in Manufacturing Facilities?

LED lights offer significant energy savings , often reducing electricity use by 60-70% compared to traditional lighting. They provide superior light output with up to 150 lumens per watt, enhancing workspace brightness and reducing eye strain. Additionally, LEDs maintain consistent performance over time, with minimal maintenance required, making them a cost-effective and reliable choice for industrial environments.

Q: What Certifications Should I Look for in LED Factory Lighting?

Ensure your LED factory lights have DLC Premium certification for energy efficiency and rebate eligibility. Look for UL Listed and ETL Listed certifications to confirm electrical safety and performance. These certifications help qualify your project for utility rebates and ensure compliance with safety standards.

60% energy savings with industrial-grade construction and 5-year warranty
IK10 impact resistance withstands forklifts and harsh manufacturing environments
UL844 explosion-proof and high-temperature ratings for hazardous locations

Browse Our LED Factory Lighting ➜

Our commitment to quality Our products are held to the highest standards for performance & reliability

LED factory lights include robust fixtures such as UFO high bays, linear high bays, and specialized hazardous-location or high-temperature models. These lights are typically mounted overhead in manufacturing plants, production floors, assembly lines, and fabrication areas, where ceiling heights and open layouts are common. Installations often span over open work zones, along racking systems, or above machinery bays, with some fixtures placed in wash-down zones or areas exposed to heat and heavy equipment.

These fixtures feature Commercial & Industrial Lighting Solutions tailored for demanding factory settings. Real-world applications include lighting for steel mills, foundries, machine shops, and large-scale assembly operations, as well as support areas like loading docks and service bays. Fixtures are selected for their durability and suitability in environments where exposure to dust, moisture, vibration, or high ambient temperatures is typical.

What Are LED Factory Lights

LED factory lights are industrial fixtures used to illuminate manufacturing floors, production lines, assembly areas, machine operation zones, packaging areas, inspection stations, loading areas, maintenance rooms, and harsh production environments. Unlike standard commercial lighting, factory lighting must be selected around the work being performed, the machinery in the space, required task visibility, ceiling height, environmental exposure, durability, and safety requirements.

Most factory lighting projects use LED high bays, linear high bays, low bays, vapor tight fixtures, high-temperature fixtures, task lighting, or a combination of fixture types. Some manufacturing areas may require high temperature LED lights, explosion proof lighting, wet-location fixtures, IP-rated fixtures, impact-resistant fixtures, or special certifications depending on the environment.

Factory lighting should not be selected by wattage alone. A general production floor, detailed assembly station, inspection area, machine zone, packaging line, wet production room, and high-temperature process area can all require different light levels, fixture ratings, and mounting layouts.

Selection and Installation Note: Product specifications, lumen output, wattage, beam angle, optic package, voltage, controls, mounting hardware, IP rating, impact rating, operating temperature, certifications, hazardous-location suitability, and warranty coverage vary by model. Confirm the selected product specification before ordering. For code-sensitive, electrical, manufacturing, emergency, hazardous-location, high-temperature, washdown, or safety-critical applications, verify requirements with your local inspector or a licensed electrical professional.

When LED Factory Lighting Is the Right Fit

LED factory lighting is a strong fit when a manufacturing facility needs better visibility for production, assembly, inspection, material handling, machine operation, or safety. It should be planned carefully when the factory has high ceilings, moving equipment, process heat, dust, moisture, vibration, chemical exposure, or task-specific lighting requirements.

Use LED Factory Lighting When	Do Not Select Standard Factory Fixtures Without Review When
Manufacturing work requires consistent visibility across production floors, assembly areas, machine zones, and worker pathways.	The area may be hazardous or classified and Class, Division, Zone, dust, vapor, or chemical exposure requirements have not been reviewed.
Production quality depends on lighting, including inspection, labeling, packaging, small-part assembly, or surface defect detection.	Heat, moisture, dust, washdown, vibration, or corrosion exposure exceeds the selected fixture’s listed ratings.
The facility uses older metal halide, HID, fluorescent, or T5 fixtures and needs instant full output, better control, or reduced maintenance.	Ceiling height and fixture spacing are unknown, especially in plants with machines, conveyors, cranes, racks, or uneven mounting points.
Different factory zones need different light levels, such as production lines, inspection stations, aisles, tool rooms, and loading areas.	Task lighting is needed but the project only includes general overhead fixtures.
Controls are useful, such as occupancy sensors, dimming, daylight zones, scheduling, or separate control zones by production area.	Emergency lighting, egress, machine guarding, or electrical requirements have not been reviewed before ordering.

Choosing LED Factory Lights by Work Area, Ceiling Height, Environment, and Task Requirements

Factory lighting should be planned around production activity, not just fixture type. A factory may need high-output overhead lighting for general production, linear fixtures over production lines, task lighting at inspection stations, vapor tight fixtures in wet areas, high-temperature fixtures near process heat, and lower-ceiling fixtures in maintenance rooms or tool areas.

A photometric plan is recommended for larger factories, production floors, assembly areas, inspection zones, high-ceiling spaces, harsh environments, or any project where fixture count, spacing, light levels, uniformity, glare, and task visibility must be confirmed before ordering.

Planning Checklist

Planning Factor	What to Confirm
Production activity	Confirm whether the area is used for general manufacturing, assembly, machine operation, inspection, packaging, loading, or maintenance.
Ceiling height	High ceilings often require LED high bays, while lower production or maintenance areas may use low bays, strips, panels, or task lighting.
Fixture type	UFO high bays often work well in open manufacturing areas. Linear high bays may work better over production lines, aisles, and rectangular work zones.
Machine layout	Confirm machinery, conveyors, presses, CNC equipment, cranes, platforms, and workstations that may block or redirect light.
Foot-candle target	General factory floors, production lines, inspection stations, packaging areas, and maintenance rooms may need different light levels.
Lumen output	Compare lumen output, ceiling height, fixture spacing, beam angle, and target light levels instead of relying only on wattage ranges.
Task lighting	Detailed assembly, inspection, repair, and quality-control stations may need supplemental task lighting in addition to overhead fixtures.
Uniformity	Confirm light levels across the work plane, aisles, production lines, machine areas, and operator stations to reduce dark spots and high-contrast zones.
Glare control	Review fixture placement, beam angle, lens type, and mounting height to reduce glare for operators, inspectors, forklift drivers, and maintenance staff.
Color rendering	Confirm CRI requirements where color, surface condition, labels, inspection, finish quality, or product identification matters.
Environmental exposure	Confirm heat, moisture, dust, washdown, oil, vibration, corrosion, airborne particles, and chemical exposure before selecting fixtures.
Temperature rating	High-temperature areas near ovens, furnaces, foundries, boilers, or process heat may require high-temperature fixtures.
IP and impact ratings	Wet, dusty, washdown, or impact-prone areas may require IP-rated, IK-rated, vapor tight, or harsh-environment fixtures.
Voltage and controls	Confirm site voltage, driver input range, dimming, sensors, control zones, emergency circuits, and electrical requirements before ordering.
Hazardous-location review	Standard factory lights are not substitutes for explosion proof or hazardous-location fixtures where classified-location ratings are required.

Recommended Foot-Candles for LED Factory Lighting

Factory lighting requirements vary by production area and task. A general factory floor may need less light than a detailed assembly station, inspection area, machine operation zone, packaging line, maintenance room, or high-temperature production area. Use the tool below for application-specific starting foot-candle ranges.

Foot-candle guidance helps estimate brightness needs, but it does not determine fixture count, spacing, uniformity, glare control, CRI requirements, environmental ratings, emergency lighting, hazardous-location requirements, or final compliance. For factory lighting projects, request a photometric plan before ordering.

Find Your Recommended Foot-Candle Range

Select an application to see general LED lighting foot-candle guidance, typical mounting height, fixture type recommendations, and planning notes.

Product type

Application

Area

General Factory Floor Areas

Recommended foot-candles30-50 fc

Typical mounting height14-35 ft

Preferred fixture typeLED UFO or Linear High Bay

Photometric planRecommended

Use this range for general factory floors, production support areas, and worker circulation zones where consistent visibility is needed.

Recommended fixture types

LED UFO High Bay
LED Linear High Bay

Planning note: Confirm ceiling height, machinery shadows, fixture spacing, uniformity, forklift routes, and task zones.

Foot-candle ranges are general planning guidance. Final fixture count, spacing, uniformity, glare control, and code-sensitive requirements should be confirmed with a photometric plan or qualified professional for larger facilities, racking layouts, hazardous locations, sports facilities, egress areas, or safety-critical applications.

Request a factory lighting plan

View full foot-candle reference table

Application / Area	Recommended Foot-Candles	Typical Mounting Height
LED Factory Lighting - Industrial Factory and Manufacturing Lighting
General Factory Floor Areas	30-50 fc	14-35 ft
Production Lines	50-100 fc	12-30 ft
Simple Assembly Areas	30-60 fc	10-25 ft
Detailed Assembly Areas	75-150 fc	8-20 ft
Machine Operation Areas	50-100 fc	10-30 ft
Quality Control and Inspection Areas	100-200 fc	8-18 ft
Packaging and Labeling Areas	30-75 fc	10-25 ft
Material Handling and Aisles	20-50 fc	14-35 ft
Loading, Shipping, and Receiving	30-50 fc	12-30 ft
Maintenance and Tool Rooms	50-100 fc	8-20 ft
High-Temperature Production Areas	30-75 fc	12-35 ft
Wet, Dusty, or Harsh Production Areas	30-75 fc	10-30 ft

Best LED Fixture Types for Factories and Manufacturing Plants

Factory lighting often uses more than one fixture type. Open factory floors, production lines, inspection zones, tool rooms, wet areas, and high-temperature areas may each require a different lighting approach.

Fixture Type	Best Used For
LED UFO High Bays	Open manufacturing floors, high ceilings, large production areas, metal halide replacement, and broad general factory illumination.
LED Linear High Bays	Production lines, aisles, rectangular work areas, assembly lines, racking, and factory zones where longer light distribution is useful.
LED Low Bays	Lower-ceiling production areas, maintenance rooms, tool rooms, support spaces, and factories where high bays may create glare.
LED Vapor Tight Fixtures	Wet, dusty, washdown, or dirty production areas where a sealed fixture is required.
High-Temperature LED Fixtures	Manufacturing areas near ovens, furnaces, kilns, foundries, heat-processing equipment, or other high ambient temperature zones.
Explosion Proof or Hazardous-Location Fixtures	Classified manufacturing areas where flammable vapors, gases, dust, or other hazardous conditions require properly rated lighting.
Task Lighting	Inspection stations, detailed assembly, machine work, repair benches, quality-control stations, and visually demanding production tasks.
Emergency and Egress Lighting	Paths of travel, exits, production corridors, and other areas where emergency illumination may be required.

Factory Lighting vs Warehouse Lighting

Factories and warehouses may use similar high bay fixtures, but the lighting goals are different. Warehouse lighting typically focuses on storage, aisles, picking, forklift traffic, and inventory visibility. Factory lighting is more tied to manufacturing processes, machine operation, production quality, assembly work, inspection, packaging, and task-specific visibility.

Lighting Type	Primary Focus
Warehouse Lighting	Storage, distribution, inventory management, forklift traffic, order fulfillment, aisle visibility, and general facility operations.
Factory Lighting	Manufacturing processes, production quality, machine operation, assembly work, inspection, packaging, and task-specific visibility.

Factory Lighting Project Examples

Factory lighting projects vary by ceiling height, production process, machine layout, fixture spacing, environmental exposure, and required light levels. A lighting plan can help confirm whether UFO high bays, linear high bays, low bays, task lighting, vapor tight fixtures, high-temperature fixtures, hazardous-location fixtures, or a combination of fixture types is the best fit.

Case Study: Conversion of (72) T5 6 tube fixtures to LED Lighting Supply 200 Watt LED UFO Fixtures (one-for-one replacement) in Williston, ND

Before: T5 54W HO Fluorescent Fixtures	After: 200 W LED UFO Fixtures

Lighting Plan We Created for the Customer

Lighting Plan	Heat Map

LED High Bays Warehouse Installation Lighting Plan Metrics

Mounting height: 20 ft
Fixture Used: MLLG-LED-HBC-200-5-120: 100 / 120 / 150 / 200 Watt Adjustable LED UFO High Bay | 15000 to 30000 Lumens | 5000K | 100-277V | White Housing
FC achieved: 60.33 FC average
Uniformity (Avg/Min): 1.42

Case Study LED High Bays Warehouse Installation Energy Savings: 200W LED vs 324W Fluorescent Replacement (with ballast)

Assumptions: Based on 18 hours/day, 300 days/year at $0.08/kWh

Fluorescent (373W)	Annual Energy Cost: $160.96 5 Year Energy Cost: $804.82 5 Year Savings: $0.00
LED UFO Fixture (200W)	Annual Energy Cost: $86.40 5 Year Energy Cost: $432.00 5 Year Savings: $26,842.75
Savings & Payback	Single Fixture Annual Savings: $74.56 72 Fixture Annual Savings: $5369 ROI Timeline: Under 19 months
Performance Summary	Energy Reduction: 46% 5-Year ROI: 22,648% Lamp Life: 50,000+ (LED) vs 30,000 (fluorescent)

Safety and Performance Certifications

Available certifications and ratings vary by model and may include UL Listed, ETL Listed, DLC, DLC Premium, IP ratings, IK impact ratings, dimming compatibility, motion sensor compatibility, wet-location ratings, high-temperature ratings, emergency backup options, hazardous-location ratings, and other safety or performance listings. Confirm the required listing, rating, and rebate eligibility on the selected product specification before ordering.

Factory lighting projects should also confirm voltage, mounting hardware, machine clearance, emergency lighting needs, environmental exposure, hazardous-location requirements, controls compatibility, operating temperature, moisture exposure, impact risk, and maintenance access. Standard factory lights are not substitutes for hazardous-location fixtures where classified-location ratings are required.

Warranty and Warranty Support

Warranty coverage varies by model. Many LED factory lighting fixtures include a 5-year warranty, with warranty support based in the USA. Confirm warranty coverage, installation requirements, voltage, operating temperature, mounting method, controls compatibility, IP rating, impact rating, hazardous-location suitability, and application restrictions on the selected product specification before ordering. If an issue occurs, our support team can help review the product, application, and warranty claim process.

Common LED Factory Lighting Mistakes

Factory lighting projects go wrong when fixtures are selected by wattage alone or installed without checking ceiling height, task light levels, machinery layout, environmental exposure, voltage, controls, and hazardous-location requirements. These mistakes can create shadows, glare, poor inspection visibility, unsafe work areas, fixture failures, or costly rework.

Choosing fixtures by wattage alone: Compare lumen output, mounting height, beam angle, fixture spacing, task type, and required foot-candles instead of relying only on watts.
Treating factories like warehouses: Factory lighting must account for production lines, machines, assembly work, inspection, and task visibility, not just storage and aisle lighting.
Under-lighting inspection or detailed assembly areas: Quality control and detailed work often need higher light levels and task lighting.
Ignoring machine shadows: Machinery, conveyors, cranes, racks, and platforms can block overhead light and create dark zones at the work plane.
Using standard fixtures in harsh areas: Wet, dusty, washdown, high-temperature, corrosive, or impact-prone areas may require special fixture ratings.
Forgetting CRI where color matters: Color, surface finish, labels, defects, and inspection tasks may require better color rendering than basic general lighting.
Skipping a photometric plan: Larger production floors should be modeled before ordering to confirm fixture count, placement, light levels, uniformity, and glare control.
Placing sensors without considering production activity: Occupancy sensors must be matched to machine movement, worker movement, aisles, and production schedules.
Using standard fixtures where hazardous-location ratings are required: Dust, vapors, chemicals, solvents, or other classified conditions may require properly rated hazardous-location lighting.
Overlooking emergency lighting: Egress paths, production corridors, exits, and critical areas may require emergency illumination depending on project requirements.

Request a factory lighting plan, and our Product Specialists can help review ceiling height, fixture spacing, machine layout, production zones, foot-candle targets, voltage, controls, environmental exposure, and product specifications for your factory lighting project.

LED Factory Lighting Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Key Considerations When Selecting LED Factory Lights

When choosing LED factory lights, consider the environmental conditions such as temperature and potential exposure to hazardous materials. Ensure the lights have the appropriate impact and waterproof ratings for your facility's needs. Verify that the fixtures meet UL844 certification for hazardous locations if required. Selecting the right lumen output based on ceiling height and task requirements is also crucial for optimal lighting performance.

How Do I Determine the Right Lumen Output for My Factory

To determine the appropriate lumen output, consider your ceiling height and specific task needs. For example, a ceiling height of 15-20 feet typically requires fixtures producing 15,000-22,500 lumens. Higher ceilings will need fixtures with greater lumen output to ensure adequate illumination. Refer to recommended lumen ranges based on mounting height to guide your selection.

What Are the Benefits of Using LED Lights in Manufacturing Facilities

LED lights offer significant energy savings, often reducing electricity use by 60-70% compared to traditional lighting. They provide superior light output with up to 150 lumens per watt, enhancing workspace brightness and reducing eye strain. Additionally, LEDs maintain consistent performance over time, with minimal maintenance required, making them a cost-effective and reliable choice for industrial environments.

What Certifications Should I Look for in LED Factory Lighting

Ensure your LED factory lights have DLC Premium certification for energy efficiency and rebate eligibility. Look for UL Listed and ETL Listed certifications to confirm electrical safety and performance. These certifications help qualify your project for utility rebates and ensure compliance with safety standards.

How Can I Ensure My Factory Lighting Meets OSHA and ANSI Standards

To meet OSHA and ANSI standards, verify that your lighting provides the required foot-candle levels for different areas, such as 30 foot-candles for offices and 10 foot-candles for general shops. ANSI and IES offer additional recommendations based on visual task requirements. Ensure your lighting design aligns with these standards to maintain safe working conditions.

What Are Common Mistakes to Avoid When Installing LED Factory Lights

Avoid using standard LED fixtures in hazardous locations without proper certification, as this can create safety risks. Ensure fixtures are rated for the temperature conditions near heat sources to prevent failures. Verify the voltage compatibility before installation to avoid damaging drivers. Additionally, ensure proper impact protection in areas with machinery to prevent fixture damage.