Zechariah Meinke

15289 Silver Beach Dr.

Gowen, MI 49326
November 18, 2014
Craig Nelson
6151 Bancroft Ave SE
Alto, MI 49302
Request for Proposal for light change on factory floor

Dear Craig:
I value our floor employees opinion and their number one complaint is the lighting we
have currently. They complain about the flickering and the buzzing noise the fluorescent
lights give off. The flickering can be so intense that it can cause a migraine. By switching
to LED lighting this will no longer be an issue.
I have attached a report on my recommendation to replace all of the fluorescent lighting
through out our factory to an LED system. By doing this our company will save money
annually, get a tax rebate, and best of all save the environment. This upgrade will save
enough money that it could pay for its self within a few years.
Should you desire or require any clarifications, please dont hesitate to contact me at
my email or call my phone at the below contact points.

Email- Zech.Meinke@gmail.com
Phone- 616.799.2437

I thank you for your time, effort, and interest.

Sincerely,

Zechariah Meinke

Magna Mirrors International

Lighting Recommendation and Plan

Prepared for the

Value Analysis/Value Engineering of
Magna Mirrors International

Prepared By
Zechariah E. Meinke
Process Engineer
Lowell Division

November 18, 2014

Executive Summary
This report highlights the importance of the wasted energy used in our
lighting system on our factory floor. The purpose of this report is to show the
importance of all the wasted energy we have in our current fluorescent
lighting. Every day technology is changing; in the early 2000s Light-Emitting
Diode was introduced to the market as the future in lighting. Since we have
moved into this new building, the lighting hasnt been updated. This report
will help you understand why LED lighting is a better choice than what we
currently use, and my plan to help this problem.
Fluorescent lighting has been around for over 150 years, its time to
update our factory into the 21st-century. Fluorescent light bulbs use a
filament and gases to create light, where LEDs uses the energy to excite
Adams within the bulb. LEDs do not have any form of filament, so there is a
lower chance of a bulb burning out.
There are dozens of advantages LED lights have over fluorescents. One
of which is the energy that can be saved. Through my research, I gathered
information on how efficient the LEDs really are. Light emitting diodes can
save up to 30% on our companys monthly energy bill. When doing my
research, I interviewed a companys president who recently made the switch
from fluorescent lighting to LEDs lighting. He explained how he is currently
saving 22% on his electricity bill. I believe that we would have similar results
if we made a switch from fluorescent lighting to LED lighting.
I found a finance company that offers an option that will pay for the
lighting upgrade and gives you a payment method. This is a great plan for
business because it gives you an opportunity to build our companies credit
up. LED lights also have an energy star rating which is a huge advantage when
it comes to a tax rebate. If you were to compare the advantages of both LEDs
and fluorescents, the outcome would be obvious LEDs will win every time.
Fluorescent lights only last for a range of 8,000 to 10,000 hours. LEDs can
more than quadruple that with a 60,000 hours life span. A longer lifespan
means less maintenance, this way we dont have to pay someone to come in
and change a light bulb they can spend their time of something that matters.
After reading the summary above, it is clear that LED lights are a great
option for Magna Mirrors International. By switching to LEDs we will be
getting a clean, long lasting, bright, flicker free, less dangerous light that could
very well increase the performance of our employees.

Introduction:
Technology has changed our lives in ways that we only imagine in our
dreams. LED light bulbs are the future in lighting and will eventually be what
we use to replace fluorescent bulbs. This report explains why LED bulbs are a
better choice in the work place than fluorescent bulbs. LED bulbs are made
out of clusters of light emitting diodes. These diodes are used in countless
places, most commonly in small electronic devices, but can also be used in a
larger application. I have been working here at Magna for a few years now
and have seen how high our energy bill is, which got me thinking of ways to
reduce the cost throughout our factory. LEDs use very little energy for the
amount of light they produce. My recommendation is to replace all
fluorescent bulbs throughout our factory with LED bulbs.
History:
Fluorescent bulbs have been used in the workplace for well over 150
years and is the most common light bulb used today. We have been using
these bulbs on our floor since we moved to this building. Fluorescent bulbs
are gas filled tubes that goes through a process to emit light. The process
starts with electric pulses that excite the gas, which then creates visible light.
The device responsible for provoking the gas is called ballast. Ballasts then
send pulses of electricity through the gas and in return turning the light on
and off. The rate of these pulses is normally so high that the lights' flicker is
normally not visible to most human eyes. The problem is that the cheaper
quality of the fluorescent bulbs result in more faults in the lighting process,
which causes visible flickering (Keitel).
In recent years, there has been a steady decline in sales of fluorescent
bulbs, due to the development of light emitting diodes. LED lighting is taking
the market by storm, because they do not have a filament that will burn out
like fluorescents do. Because LED lights dont have filaments they don't get
hot. They create light solely by the movement of electrons in a semiconductor
material. (Harris) The lifespan of an LED surpasses the short life of an
incandescent bulb by thousands of hours. (Harris) In this report I will be
explaining why it is a good time to throw out the old fluorescent bulb and
embrace these more efficient light sources. (Benefits of LED lighting, Web)

Problem:
A factory floor at Magna Mirrors is a high-paced and dangerous
environment. During the assembly process, the machine operator must
identify components quickly and accurately. The need for bright lighting is
needed for daily use. The lighting fixture must be small enough where it
cannot get in the operators way, and must be eco friendly. I have worked side
by side with some of the operators, and they always complain about how our
current lights flicker, which makes it hard to stay focused. Sometimes the
lights flicker so much they give some of the operators unworkable headaches.
Recommendation:
By switching our overhead lighting to LEDs instead of fluorescents, our
energy bill would decrease 20-30% or even more (Smyth). By switching to
LED lighting the money we saved would pay for the LED upgrade within a
five-year period. LED lights have about 30% more output on brightness than
fluorescent lights do. This would make our work floor a safer place to work.
I interviewed my father on this subject because he owns a company in
Grand Rapids that uses about the same amount of lights as we do. His
company just made the switch from fluorescents to T18 LED light through
out his factory floor. He explained to me the benefits of the switch. I noticed
a huge difference in my energy bill within the first few months. He also
explained how he can adjust the brightness through out the floor and how
that has a decrease on the total bill. In the first month, he decreased the
energy bill by 18%, and now he is saving over 22% just by adjusting the light
brightness of the LEDs (Meinke).
I believe that we would see similar results if we switched from
fluorescents to LED lights like my father did. Also, if the lights were changed
to LEDs the floor workers would enjoy coming here to work without any
more irritation that the lights give them. Overall, we would see a decrease in
our energy bills and our employees work ethic would increase.

If we install LEDs we will reduce our electricity consumption, or

wattage, by up to 30%. For example, say our budget for a month is $1000 for
the lighting portion of our electric bill. Instead of paying $1000 a month we
could potentially drop our bill to $700. Saving $300 a month in our electric
bills would result in $3,600 a year in savings. I created a graph to help show
you the savings Magna could have after switching to LEDs.

Monthly Electric Bill Before LEDs

vs. After LEDs
1200
1000
800
Monthly Electric Bill
Before LEDs vs. After
LEDs

600
400
200
0
Before LEDs

After LEDs

In my research I found a finance company that offers an option of

purchasing the LED lighting system we need, then we would agree on
payment plan. Instead of paying the electric company, we would start using
the savings we get from the LEDs to pay off the lease. In 3-5 years, the lease
would be paid off and we would own the lights. Going this route also give us
another way to build credit. There are many benefits in switching to LEDs the
obvious one of reducing your electric bill (No Cost LEDs Work, Web).

Define:
There are many differences between LED lights and fluorescent lights,
one being that they both work in two completely different ways. Fluorescent
lights are long glass tubes filled full of magnesium and argon, which glows a
warm white color when electricity passes from end to end. LEDs are made up
of a material called a semiconductor. When an electrical current is passed
through this solid material, its individual atoms become excited producing a
bright form of light (Harnden). A disadvantage of LED lights is that the beams
tend to be more of a directional beam than that of a fluorescent bulb. Another
disadvantage are the small increases in current that can drastically shorten
their life expectancy.

Benefits:
The advantages of LED lights are that they are physically smaller than
any other light on the market and they have a long life. All lights will dim in
time, but LEDs tend to dim slower than other types. They will last even longer
and can be more efficient when ran with less than full power. They are
essentially immune to cold, shock, and vibration. They also turn on and off
more quickly than fluorescent bulbs. (Benefits of LED lighting, Web)
If you were to compare the advantages of both LEDs and fluorescents,
the outcome would be obvious in that LEDs will win every time. It is true that
LEDs have a higher expense initially than fluorescent, but they will produce a
savings over the long term. Normal fluorescent lights only last for a range of
8,000 to 10,000 hours. LEDs can more than quadruple that with a 60,000
hours life span. A longer lifespan means less maintenance and fewer
replacements. This is good news for Magna because the company will not
have to waste the maintenance teams time or money by asking them to
change them. Fluorescent lights contain a small amount of mercury. This
metal is extremely toxic to both humans and the environment. Maintenance
currently changes a few lights a week and the old bulbs containing the toxins
end up in the trash. LEDs are completely safe and do not contain any
dangerous materials. LEDs are also significantly smaller in design than
fluorescent lighting. This works great for our factory ceiling by reducing how
many fixtures we have results in more room for airflow so it is not quite as
hot in the factory. LEDs are lukewarm to the touch and carry less risk of
causing an accidental fire or burn (Benefits of LED lighting, Web).

The fluorescent lights we use on the factory floor now are incredibly
noisy, especially towards the end of the week. Fluorescent lights get noisier
the longer they are on. Our lights in the factory are constantly on for six days
a week for three shifts straight. This causes them to make a buzzing sound,
which is very distracting to our operators. LEDs operate silently no matter
how long they have been on. Another benefit to LEDs is that they light up as
soon as an electrical current is passed through them. Fluorescents do not do
this and require time to flicker before staying on. Fluorescent lights only can
produce a cold blue, white, or black light. Where LEDs can provide all
different colors. This would be very helpful in our paint room. The color of the
lighting is an important part of the white glove process. This is what makes
LEDs so adaptable. They can be used in almost any environment or lighting
situation (Benefits of LED lighting, Web).
Conclusion:
After reading through the above report, it is clear to see why LEDs are a
great choice for Magna International. LEDs would be a great lighting option
for our company to pay less on their energy bills. LEDs also provide great
performance in the long run, variable colors that could enhance the work
environment, and do not contain any hazardous materials to our employees.
After reading the above, it is easy to see why so many businesses and
homeowners are turning to LEDs as their number one choice for lighting.

Appendix A:
Magna Mirrors and its Lights: FACT SHEET
An automotive assembly line is a high-paced and dangerous
environment. During the assembly process, the operator must identify the
components quickly and accurately. The need for bright lighting is needed for
daily use. The lighting must be small enough where it cant get in the
operators way, and must be eco friendly. For years, Magna Mirrors
International has used fluorescent tube lighting on their factory floors. My
idea would be to change the fluorescent bulbs to a LED lighting system.
Fluorescent light bulbs contain a filament and gases that gets excited
and glows when electricity is passed through the glass tube. It is controlled by
electricity that pulses off and on very fast. To the normal person it is so fast
that it looks like it is on constantly. However, if you were under these lights
for long period of time you will start to notice a flicker. This flicker can cause
the floor employee:
Migraines
Headaches

Eye strain
Stress/Anxiety

Facts about LED lighting:

Use at least 75% less energy than incandescent.

Are 20-30% more efficient than fluorescents.
Last 35 to 50 times longer than incandescent.
Last up to 10 times longer than fluorescents.
Have a long life with low maintenance.
Can direct light where it is needed.
Can be very compact with a lower profile than Fluorescents.
Are durable, unlike fluorescent bulbs, they dont have a breakable
filaments or glass tube.
Require zero time to warm-up.
Fluorescent Light Bulbs Facts:

Provides light in all directions.

Are 50% more efficient than incandescent.
Have been around for over 150 years.
Is the most common light source in the work place.
Is made from a filament and gases.

Works Cited
"Benefits of LED Lighting Vs Fluorescent Tubes." LED vs Fluorescent. N.p.,
2013. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. <http://lifx.co/lighting101/advantages/ledvs-fluorescent/>.
Harnden Jr., John D. "The Fluorescent Lamp - How It Works & History." The
Fluorescent Lamp - How It Works & History. N.p., 2013. Web. 17 Nov.
2014. <http://www.edisontechcenter.org/Fluorescent.html>.
"How No Cost LEDs Work." Retrofit & Relamp with LEDs. N.p., 2012. Web. 17
Nov. 2014. <http://www.retrofitandrelampwithleds.com/how-nocost-leds-work>.
Keitel, Jolie. "Why Do Fluorescent Lights Flicker?" EHow. Demand Media, 13
June 2010. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.ehow.com/about_6622600_do-fluorescent-lightsflicker_.html>.
McA, Ken _. "Thread: Help Me Understand LEDs." CandlePowerForums RSS.
N.p., 26 Dec. 2005. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?102464Help-Me-Understand-LEDs>.
Meinke, Joseph. Personal interview
Smyth, Elizabeth. "LED vs CFL Which Light Bulb Is More Efficient?"
CleanTechnica. N.p., 1 Sept. 2011. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.
<http://cleantechnica.com/2011/09/01/led-vs-cfl-which-light-bulbis-more-efficient/>.