Industrial Machine Lighting Upgrade

When a customer continually experiences the same equipment failure, replacing components with identical parts isn’t always the best solution. In this case, a manufacturing customer approached us after repeatedly experiencing failures with the internal machine lighting fitted to a Riello brass machining centre.

The original light fitting used a PL fluorescent lamp housed within a robust borosilicate glass enclosure, designed to withstand constant exposure to lubricant, coolant and metal swarf. While the enclosure itself remained in excellent condition, the PL lamps were becoming increasingly difficult to source, often requiring importation from Italy, and regularly failed due to the harsh operating temperatures inside the machine.

Engineering a Better Solution

Rather than replacing the entire fitting or continuing to rely on obsolete lamps, we designed a bespoke LED conversion using the original housing.

The existing fluorescent components, including the ballast, were carefully removed while retaining the aluminium mounting tray. This provided an excellent heat sink for new rigid LED strips, improving thermal management and significantly increasing reliability.

The machine wiring was then modified to operate the lighting system from a 24V DC supply. A switch mode power supply was installed within the machine’s electrical enclosure and fed via the machine contactor, ensuring the lighting operated only when the machine was energised.

The conversion required precision soldering and assembly on site before testing the completed installation.

Improved Reliability

The completed conversion provided brighter, more reliable illumination for the machine operator while eliminating the recurring failures associated with the original fluorescent lamp.

By re-engineering the existing fitting rather than replacing it entirely, the customer avoided ongoing issues with obsolete replacement parts and reduced future maintenance requirements.

The conversion proved so successful that the customer commissioned us to carry out the same modification across every identical machine within the factory.

Looking Beyond Standard Repairs

At IGS Electrical, we don’t simply replace faulty components—we look for long-term engineering solutions that improve reliability, reduce maintenance costs and extend the life of existing equipment.

Whether it’s industrial machinery, production equipment or bespoke electrical modifications, we work closely with manufacturers to develop practical solutions that keep production moving.