RokLUME 280N SMART: Intelligent work lamp system revolutionises work lighting

Lippstadt, 18 April 2024. The international automotive supplier FORVIA HELLA is launching a new work lamp for vehicles in mining, construction and forestry: the RokLUME 280N SMART allows machine operators to customise the work lighting to suit their individual needs and lighting conditions. The lighting system is controlled via a gateway. Data is transmitted via Powerline Communication (PLC), which ensures reliable data transmission.

"With the RokLUME 280N SMART, we are revolutionising work lighting," says Stefan Maierhofer, Head of Product Management Worklights at FORVIA HELLA. "Never before has it been possible to adjust work lighting more specifically and adapt it to different working conditions and needs." For example, the driver can choose between two different light colours. The field test with customers such as vehicle manufacturers and mine operators showed that an amber or green light colour improves visibility in fog, rain, snow and dust. "The colour change can increase visibility in many different situations and enables fatigue-free working. This reduces downtime and increases safety, as the working environment is easier to recognise," says Maierhofer.

In addition to the colour, the colour temperature of the RokLUME 280N SMART can also be continuously adjusted from warm white to cool white. This reduces self-glare and eye fatigue. The light can also be dimmed depending on the current lighting conditions. If the work lamps are used as daytime running lights, this function reduces power consumption and therefore CO2 emissions at the same time.

If the RokLUME 280N SMART is retrofitted, the functions are controlled via a control panel. The memory function in the control panel ensures greater productivity at work. It can be used to save up to three individual light settings for the work lamps. At the touch of a button, the machine operator can select their personalised light settings. Operation is intuitive and the buttons are dimensioned so that they can be easily operated even when wearing gloves. For original equipment manufacturers, operation via the Human Machine Interface (HMI) can be integrated. The gateway uses the CAN bus J1939 protocol to communicate with the customer's HMI.

Another advantage of the RokLUME 280N SMART: the work lamp communicates via Powerline Communication (PLC). This means that no additional wiring harnesses are required for control. The vehicle's existing harness architecture can simply be used for commissioning and installation. Wired communication allows long distances to be bridged efficiently and even metal-protected areas can be reached with consistent transmission quality. The central control unit “gateway” controls each work lamp via PLC and can thus set the work lighting to suit the ambient conditions. In contrast to wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, communication with the work lamp is also robust against interference signals thanks to PLC.

The RokLUME 280N SMART is available in six different illumination variants: with long-range, close-range, pencil beam, diffuse flood, tunnel flood or ZEROGLARE illumination. The work lamp is also equipped with a lifetime warning. This means that the system warns in good time before the service life of the work lamp expires, thus preventing unplanned downtime. Anti-theft protection is also integrated. If this feature is activated, the work lamp will not work on other machines.