The IEA 4E SSL Annex is now preparing to launch the 2017 Interlaboratory Comparison (IC 2017) for goniophotometer measurements. IC 2017 is open to all photometric laboratories that use goniophotometers for testing LED lighting products. The formal announcement and the Protocol for IC 2017 describing detailed test specifications will be posted in June 2017 and registration will be open for a few months. Participant measurement rounds will start in July and continue until early 2018.
Lighting laboratories that use or plan to use their goniophotometer systems for testing of LED lamps and luminaires are encouraged to participate in this global interlaboratory comparison. IC 2017 is being organised primarily to compare goniophotometric measurements of LED luminaires (including street lighting luminaires) and narrow-beam LED lamps, which were not covered in the SSL Annex’s previous interlaboratory comparison in 2013 (IC 2013). This new interlaboratory comparison will study the equivalence of different types of goniophotometers, e.g., near-field goniophotometers and far-field goniophotometers, and investigate the measurement variations and the capability of participating laboratories using goniophotometers to measure SSL products.
IC 2017 is not only a technical study, it is designed in compliance with ISO/IEC 17043, Conformity assessment -- General requirements for proficiency testing, to serve as a proficiency test for solid state lighting testing accreditation programmes that recognise this comparison, as was done in IC 2013. IC 2017 will use CIE S 025/E:2015, Test Method for LED Lamps, LED Luminaires and LED Modules, as the test method for measurement, and if recognised by accreditation bodies, the participant results reports may be used as a proficiency test not only for CIE S 025 but also as regional test methods such as EN 13032-4 (Europe, equivalent to CIE S 025); LM-79 (USA); KS C 7653 and KS C 7651 (Korea) and possibly also for the test methods in China and Japan, for LED lighting products. Near-field goniophotometers and non-standard goniophotometers that rotate the operating position of the luminaire with a correction technique (allowed in CIE S 025) will also be covered in this interlaboratory comparison, and their results may be used for the validation requirement for such goniophotometers in CIE S 025 or to assist in an accreditation application. The results can also be used for benchmarking.
If you are interested in participating in IC 2017, the IEA 4E SSL Annex invites you to contact them with an indication of your interest. To do so, please send your contact information to as soon as possible with any questions you may have. This indication of interest is non-binding, but it will help the organisers prepare sufficient artefact sets and the resources needed to ensure IC 2017 runs on schedule, and will ensure that you will be sent further information when it is available.