Each year, LIPA members take time to look back on the
accomplishments of past year and plan ahead for the current and upcoming
challenges. This year, Monterey, California was the setting for the
annual meeting event. The day consisted of several briefings on the
different working programs: regulatory, standards, communications and
speckle metrology, providing the members an actual view and answers to
what and how LIP products can be placed now in the market. In addition,
several guest speakers are invited to share thoughts and expectations.
According to tradition, the day is closed by a nice and relaxing social
event organized by the excellent staff of Flextech.
In this post I want to inform you on some highlights and details
discussed during the LIPA annual general meeting 2015 (AGM15), and link
this to some practical guidance.
,
I briefly referred to the evolution and creation of new standards,
which will impact both laser-illuminated projection and the regular
digital cinema market. Triggered by LIPA’s members and supported by
research, the relevant standardization body (IEC), recently published
two important new standards. Both apply to laser-illuminated projection,
and reflect a more realistic approach on assessing LIPs, close to what
the current market situation is for lamp-based applications.
LIP manufacturers who are allowed to use the new laser standard
IEC 62471-1:2015
should verify - according section 4.4 - that the accessible radiance
emission does not exceed a certain radiance level. For devices
exceeding this level, the full laser standard applies; for devices
emitting light under this level (as laser lamp bulbs, image projectors
…) the series of lamp standards applies. This results in a product that
is classified under a dual system assigning a laser class and a
lamp-based risk group (RG). So on new LIPs you will find a label stating
both Class and Risk Group e.g.: Class1RG3.
What are the benefits?
The new dual classification system is a great step forward for both
the industry and end users. Typically, high-brightness devices will not
be classified as Class 4 laser products but Class1RGX (x = 1, 2 or 3),
significantly reducing restrictions on LIPs:
- No laser safety officer (LSO) requirements
- No laser light show requirements
- Only limited operator training
- Enclose the projected beam within the hazard distance or, ensure sufficient separation height (according the new IEC 62471-5:2015
a minimum separation height of 2m is required for areas where no
unrestrained behavior is reasonably foreseeable as for cinema
applications)
- No unnecessary additional engineering requirements as key switches, beam stops, emission indicator …
In addition, with the IEC 62471-5:2015 the level of
unrestricted and allowed products has increased significantly, allowing
bright, non-professional product on the market without restrictive
safety limits. The figure below* shows the relative differences between
the applicable safety limits as defined in different standards. It is
clear that the product-specific image projector standard has higher
allowed safety limits than the laser safety standard or the old lamp
standard.
It should be noted that this change in product safety standards
is not retroactive; all Barco non-cinema products currently on the
market can be sold and installed worldwide.
Next to the new safety standards, other topics where discussed. In short:
