Development | Lighting Controls & IoT

Leading firms from the lighting and facility management industries have entrusted Lichtvision with the development of new products since 1997.

Lichtvision offers lighting controls & IoT development services with focus on DALI and wireless products.

And with good reason: Lichtvision understands the problem, thinks it through and delivers lasting solutions.

Regardless of whether we are involved from A to Z or are only invited to participate in a part of the development process. We maximize your product for precision, stability and functional reliability – with guaranteed value for both supplier and end-user.

Features outlined in the product book are worked out in precise detail in the functional specifications manual. This is where every step in the development process is clearly defined. Every functional specification manual from Lichtvision lists and explains each product function and shows how it will be realized – including every control and required seal of approval. Additionally, this manual enables an accurate estimate of the investment needed for product development. Including sub-steps, hardware and follow-up costs for certification, eligibility and communication requirements.

The functional specifications manual is the project management Bible. It contains a time line with defined phases, steps and deadlines. This manual is a roadmap charting a product’s course on the road to market. It is flexible, prompt and results oriented – even if details and goals change or must be revised during the development process.

Following the product book, Lichtvision develops products to the point where actual production begins. We research which components will be needed – including possible alternatives – their availability and cost and which vendor has them. We design and develop the schematics; we optimize layout and enclosure. Safety and efficiency are in the forefront throughout the design process: Where should operating controls be positioned? Which clearance and creepage distances must be maintained to guarantee insulation even at failure state?

Which component orientation allows both SMD and TH technology to be soldered in a single step on automated soldering equipment without any parts being missed? Where should droplet catchers for solder be located? How should components be spaced so that pick and place machinery can assemble error free circuit boards? Only a design with no unanswered questions and a simple layout can be manufactured efficiently – paving the way to maximized automated production in the fewest possible steps.

Products designed by Lichtvision are delivered complete with appropriate firmware. Depending on the performance of the hardware, we work in either C or C++. Runtime relevant aspects are optimized as needed in assembly code. Of equal importance is programming the software user interface: Lichtvision develops GUIs (Graphic User Interfaces), configuration and systems controls including all required applications – from Windows-based programs through ETS-entries for KNX-Projects and continuing on to include Apps for Smart-phones and Tablet-PCs.

Achieving this requires more than just technical expertise. Lichtvision maintains a strategic overview of both end-users and decision makers – from planers, architects and technical firms right through to installation. Lichtvision knows them all. Integrating their concerns in software solutions the market will accept. Solutions following the “Less is More” maxim. Optimizing and streamlining the Man-Machine Interface to the point where it becomes one of the product’s strengths.

Lichtvision performs extensive testing on every product we develop. Before production begins, we insure your product will meet certification requirements and conform to any standards that may apply. This includes electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), electrostatic discharge (ESD) and environmental concerns that might arise during transport, storage or during operation: How does the product react to impact? Temperature changes? How much humidity is acceptable? We also handle any possible KNX-Certification – working in direct contact with the accredited testing laboratory.

The client specifies which tests and qualifications we perform on the product – case by case, tailored to specific regulations, industry standards and their own, internal quality management standards. Lichtvision provides pre-test advice, then performs and documents the tests to exacting standards – in clearly formulated, easy to understand handbooks and project-specific documentation. This material is also enormously useful to any third parties involved in the project – particularly when software components require integration in other applications or must be interfaced with other products.

The transition from development to mass production requires a partner who knows both sides of the fence: Someone who can set the wheels in motion and insure there won’t be any problems during the initial, critical production start. Lichtvision delivers all necessary documentation for a smooth production run. Clear, succinct and complete. From the Bill of Materials (BOM) and the Gerber Files for circuit boards through to Pick’n’Place files or PDF files for hand assembled components.

We can handle your manufacturers – whether they have technical questions about functionality or want to use a substitute for a specific component. Lichtvision insures consistently high production quality: by designing and delivering quality control equipment; by coaching employees on the production line regarding testing procedures; by diagnosing and repairing defective equipment returned for service. In this way possible weak links in the production process can be quickly identified and remedied. The result is an optimal production process – from Day One.

After Sales Service is an important factor in overall client satisfaction. Lichtvision educates your sales and support staff in all aspects of the technology incorporated in your product. And takes it a step further: We provide the answers to questions end-users of the product have yet to ask. What problems may arise in use? How can they be avoided? What are the alternatives? The workarounds? By providing this important knowledge, Lichtvision paves the way for professional product support.

In the same way we help sales and marketing, we train the employees on the production line in the use of dedicated testing and diagnostic equipment. Lichtvision interprets the test results and explains which interface and connections are used. Simply put: We insure the internal quality control our clients use is sufficient to insure long-term, sustainable product service.