"Griddable" LEDs make for simpler signage

LED modules from American Bright measure 7.62 mm sq and plug into standard 0.200-in. pc-board pin spacing with zero clearance between adjacent devices (Picture). This arrangement makes it relatively easy for you to create a solidlike LED surface and reduce the number of LEDs you need, saving you component, assembly, and energy costs. As you expand the grid size, you create concentrations of light color and intensity, which are especially effective against high-ambient-light conditions. The LEDs are available in a variety of 470- to 660-nm, red, green, yellow, and orange-blue colors with high intensity and efficiency. Regardless of color, the LEDs appear water-clear when off. Applications include indoor and outdoor signs, moving-message boards, advertising, and scoreboards. The Ulta-Flux Grid LED Modules cost 20 cents each (OEM).

American Bright Optoelectronics Corp, 1-800-533-0800, www.americanbrightled.com.