Fires, excessive lamp maintenance lead plant to install new lighting system

Jan. 22, 2003
After growing tired of assigning employees to lamp replacement work more than twice a week, semiconductor material manufacturer Axcelis Technologies, Beverly, Mass., recently upgraded its plant lighting with a Williams GL lighting system. The move reduced energy use for the facility by 41.5%, improved light levels by 17%, and earned the company a $48,000 utility rebate. Plant engineer Paul Donhauser

After growing tired of assigning employees to lamp replacement work more than twice a week, semiconductor material manufacturer Axcelis Technologies, Beverly, Mass., recently upgraded its plant lighting with a Williams GL lighting system. The move reduced energy use for the facility by 41.5%, improved light levels by 17%, and earned the company a $48,000 utility rebate.

Plant engineer Paul Donhauser had tested out a metal-halide lamp with a double containment that eliminated the potential for overheating and fire – a problem that initiated the search for the new system – but settled on the Williams lights after testing them out and presenting his analysis to his director of operations.

“Our analysis of the lighting system offered a number of benefits to Axcelis,” Donhauser says. “The new lighting would be shadow free, creating a more positive work environment for the employees, and lamp depreciation would be significantly reduced so I would be able to apply the man hours previously assigned to lighting maintenance to other work without having to add staff.”

The system consists of 300 low-profile luminaires with four 54W T5 HO fluorescent lamps that provide 70 fc. The lamps are mounted 18 ft above the floor on 18-ft x 15-ft centers.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EC&M, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Electrical Conduit Comparison Chart

CHAMPION FIBERGLASS electrical conduit is a lightweight, durable option that provides lasting savings when compared to other materials. Compare electrical conduit types including...

Fiberglass Electrical Conduit Chemical Resistance Chart

This information is provided solely as a guide since it is impossible to anticipate all individual site conditions. For specific applications which are not covered in this guide...

Considerations for Direct Burial Conduit

Installation type plays a key role in the type of conduit selected for electrical systems in industrial construction projects. Above ground, below ground, direct buried, encased...

How to Calculate Labor Costs

Most important to accurately estimating labor costs is knowing the approximate hours required for project completion. Learn how to calculate electrical labor cost.