Watertight and flexible IP68 light guides

Mentor has expanded its range of front panel light guides with over 50 new IP68 light guides. The standard product range of the company from Erkrath near Düsseldorf in North Rhine-Westphalia has expanded its standard product range with watertight and flexible versions of the IP68-rated light guides. Like the individual watertight solutions, these are available in stock with short delivery times.  Available in different versions, these watertight light guides guarantee that the required signal statuses are forwarded securely from the housing front to the environment, thereby enabling products to be fitted with additional benefits through light – even in the presence of rain, spray or condensation water or permanent underwater use. The IP68-rated light guides keep water and moisture away from the electronics. As well as the extensive range of standard products, all light guides are available as an individual version such as customised linear dimensions or as colored variant at minimal tool costs. 

IP68 light guides for assembly in housing fronts 
Mentor, the world’s largest provider of light guides, is one of the market leaders in the development and production of integrated lighting solutions for the automotive sector and industry. These new IP68-compliant versions enhance their range of light guides that can be assembled in front panels and housing fronts. They can be used if the light guide cannot or should not be attached to the PCB. When the light guide is pressed into a suitable hole on the front panel, it can float contact-free above or in front of the integrated LED. This type of assembly provides electronics designers with versatile design options. With their market launch, Mentor has expanded its range by over 50 new front panel light guides. The new light guides are available in lengths between 4.5 mm and 45 mm or in customised lengths, with varying head shapes (spherical, planar or countersunk head) and different diameters (5.2 mm, 3.2 mm or as a mini version with a 2.2 mm diameter). 

NEW: Flexible IP68 light guides 
For the first time, Mentor is now offering flexible light guides for IP68 applications as well as an elegant and cost-effective solution for opto-electronic design challenges. They are attached to the PCB with a holder over a TOPLED; in the housing front, the lenses are pressed into a suitable hole. As standard in-stock items, the new light guides are available with a planar, spherical or countersunk head, with a lens diameter of 5.2 mm and in three lengths each. 

Signal lights as an IP68 solution 
Signal lights are a variable, quickly available and cost-effective solution as an alternative to PCB-mounted LEDs. Made from robust and UV-stable materials, they are suitable for outside use and have been awarded protection class IP68 thanks to their use of seals and a fully encapsulated PCB. The combination of an SMD-LED with a light guide within the signal light provides a very high level of ESD protection for the housing front. The robust plastic housing with a diameter of 10 mm is optionally available in black or a metallic look – the lens diameter is alternatively 3 mm or 5 mm. The signal lights are equipped with low current LEDs in white or RGB and have a stranded wire connection or a connector. 
 
Range of variants: standardised or customised 
Besides its wide range of standard products, Mentor is also offering its IP68 light guides – just like all of the other light guides from its standard product range – as a customised solution. The length, beam properties and design can be adapted to meet the requirements of the relevant application. Special colours and forms are possible, as are configurations for night vision applications or different housing colours, cover shapes and sizes. An intelligent tool strategy means that linear dimensions can be customised, usually without incurring any or only minimal tool costs with manageable minimum order quantities. 

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