Zhaga introduction

The lighting industry has always worked with standard light sources. Conventional light sources, such as fluorescent tubes, are available from different manufacturers, and when a fluorescent tube from another supplier is used, the luminaire need not be modified. However, LED is so flexible in dimension, electrical and optical parameters, which make interchangeability of LED lights is a big issue.
The Zhaga Consortium was established with the goal to make LED light sources interchangeable. This will benefit luminaire manufacturers because it lowers their R&D costs and business risks, and it benefits the manufactures of LED modules because they can supply a larger and faster growing market with lower selling expenses and reduced risk of obsolescence. What Is an Interchangeable Light Source? Zhaga thinks that two light sources interchangeable when one light source can replace the other light source without any change in the luminaire. We are not only talking about end-user replaceable light sources, but also about LED modules (PCBs) that are integrated into the luminaire and can be sealed for life. In the latter case, interchangeability means that the manufacturer can switch from one supplier to another without modification in the manufacturing process of the luminaire.
In Zhaga we use the term “LED light engine” when we talk about interchangeable light sources. We use this term to identify the combination of an LED module and its associated current source. As with many conventional light sources, the LED light engine is not necessarily integrated in a single housing: the driver or ECG that supplies a stable current to the LEDs may be separate from the LED module from which the light is emitted.