FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
printed leds: A Unique proposition…
What is this technology?
Printed Light. Specifically, printed electronics technology with microscopic LEDs suspended in ink. Manufactured using standard printing equipment.
Is this OLEDs/Electroluminescent technology?
No. There are no organic inks used in our process and the diodes are actual semiconductor devices fabricated to same scale as blood cells.
How are these lights manufactured?
These lights can be manufactured using either sheet fed screen presses or flexographic roll-to-roll presses to deposit the diodes as ink particles along with the other inks to make a full electrical circuit.
What is it printed on?
Generally, printed on PET film (~5mil (0.005") thick).
What are the applications for this technology?
Our applications include different categories, such as:
Medical and Healthcare
Lit Labels
Credit Cards
IOT (Internet of things)
Strips and Shapes
How flexible is it?
Products manufactured from our ink are highly flexible and one of the main distinctive features our customers use for the integration and use in their products. The products are as flexible as the material they are printed on.
How bright are the micro LEDs?
This depends on the application… We have measured surface brightness 10,000 candela/meter squared (or nits). The products can be bright enough to be seen in standard retail settings. They provide adequate light for night-time applications. They are however low glare so they aren’t painful to look directly at.
Can the lights be dimmed?
Yes. Just like regular LEDs, these can be dimmed using voltage regulation or PWM (pulse width modulation) techniques.
What colors do you have?
We have white, blue and violet. LED ink packages are available today.
Why does it have a pixellated/grainy/non-uniform pattern of the LEDs?
Products manufactured using NthDegree ink have a “Starry Night” appearance. This starry night effect is wholly unique to our product and not repeatable by any other lighting technology. Because the diodes are so tiny, the LEDs are spread out as ink particles throughout the print. There is always a "random" pattern, but we can control the general area of where we want them to be in the design process.
What is required to make the pattern of the LEDs look uniform?
To make the LEDs look uniform, a diffuser layer is added to the surface of the light.
What power do the lights operate?
The devices are 3 volt DC similar to regular LEDs
Is the ink technology safe?
Once printed, our ink product is absolutely safe. The final products are cool to the touch and are used in medical and dental applications currently. The LED products have been tested by UL and are compliant to low voltage LED device standards (UL8750). Our inks are REACH and RoHS compliant.
Can this product be powered with constant voltage or constant current?
Either depending on the application.
How long will they last?
The longevity of the printed lights depends on the application. For most applications the lights can last for years.
Do you have patents on the ink technology?
Yes, we own multiple IPs related to ink, diodes and printing.
What is your business model?
NthDegree is a seller of proprietary ink to manufacture LED light products. We have selected partners who manufacture the LED lighting products.
