Product Redesign

A product redesign that delivers on many levels

Orluna LED Technologies designs and manufactures a range of high-quality, bespoke light fittings that enable designers and architects to deliver a premium lighting effect. The Hertfordshire-based company had historically relied on expensive metal components, which restricted their design freedom, and forced them to source from overseas, incurring unwanted environmental as well as financial costs. Orluna sought to create a range of replacement plastic injection moulded components to give them greater design flexibility and to allow them to source from the UK; adding value, reducing cost and shrinking their environmental footprint.

Replacing metal with plastic injection moulded components

Understanding the greater design freedoms afforded by plastic, but without wanting to start the design process again, Hymid worked closely with Orluna to create replacement plastic components that performed as well, if not better than, their metal alternatives.

The benefits included:

• Good tensile strength: greater component design flexibility with more complex geometry possible.
• Greater corrosion resistance: no post-manufacture coating required.
• Wider variety of raw materials available: lower raw material costs.
• Reduced part weight: lower production, packaging, and shipping costs.

Choosing the right development partner

The switch from metal to plastic components presents many different design challenges, so working with the right development partner was vital. Orluna relied on:

• Hymid’s expertise in component design and development to provide a proof of concept for Orluna to further develop.
• Hymid’s unrivalled knowledge and experience in technical injection moulding, ensuring we could achieve tightly toleranced components while providing the strength and aesthetics required for a high-end lighting range.
• Hymid’s ability to work closely with Orluna at every stage of the process, helping to maximise the aesthetic and commercial benefits of switching from metal to plastic.

The environmental benefits from metal to plastic

• The transition from metal to plastic has reduced the energy required to process, package and transport parts, reducing Orluna’s carbon footprint.
• Moving production to the UK has reduced Orluna’s carbon footprint further.
• Selecting a recyclable material has allowed Orluna to join the circular economy and has further enhanced their environmental credentials.

High-end design outcomes

The move from metal to plastic components delivered a range of benefits for Orluna, including enhanced design capabilities that were not feasible in metal, a cost-competitive end product that brings advantages in terms of strength, durability and superior appearance, and a roadmap for future product improvement.

Redesigning the component to be manufactured in plastic has also allowed Orluna to embark on a journey to significantly reduce their carbon footprint; a journey they intend to continue with Hymid as a trusted development partner.