Our Dream
Aspirations in Light Sources for Visual Imaging

Making use of different light sources,
providing light that illuminates,
projects, and attracts.

possible with Ushio.” Taking this spirit in an unbroken chain ofmonth for illumination of documents that are copied byinheritance, Ushio has introduced numerous products thatcopying machines made by various manufacturers. Lamps

hold top market share throughout the world.

provided are not made according to a unified standard that

At present, light sources can be categorized according toencompasses all machines, but are optimized for thethree different emission principles. First are incandescent lightcharacteristics of individual models, to allow rapid reading at

sources, which produce light by passing current through ahigh resolution of a document’s subtle tones. This ability toresistive body; second are discharge light sources, in which

achieve quality that is not attainable through automation involtage across electrodes produces an arc, as with xenon

visual appeal of food to metal halide lamps that present

the manufacture of finely tuned lamp varieties is one of thelamps and metal halide lamps; and third are solid-state lightjewelry and clothing to best effect, xenon lamps that show

main strengths underlying Ushio’s capability. Our superiorsources, where light is produced by light emitting diodes.

Principal related products and fields of business
Projectors, illumination of general and commercial facilities, landscape lighting and display, stage & studio lighting,office automation equipment

Ushio proudly presents illumination with“quality of light”

example, Ushio produces over 2,000 types of lamps eachUshio
Uhi createst new markets
k t ffor lilightht bby using
i it for bothobjects as they would appear under natural sunlight, andtechnology accommodates a variety of shades of

Although LED lighting is coming into increasing use in aillumination and energy. In the field of electronics, it is light’s

long-life LEDs for a variety of applications… all, though based

requirements. It is this cumulative performance that is thevariety of areas, Ushio cannot fulfill its mission simply byenergy that plays the leading role. With visual imaging, it ison different principles, are examples of “Ushio light” thatprime factor underscoring our customers’ trust.

switching from conventional light sources to LEDs. It will only

visible light. Ushio provides light for a broad range ofshare a common characteristic: the dedicated pursuit ofapplications: light for interior illumination, spotlights for

quality.

lighting objects and spaces, lamps for cinema and data
projectors that show video and images on screens, and lightthat creates visual appeal in illuminating displays and media
façades*.
From halogen lamps whose warm colors enhance the

All sorts of light born of a rich technology andadvanced production control

be Ushio light when LEDs can reproduce the quality that

Toward the creation of visual images toenrich the joy and excitement of life

customers have come to expect from conventional lightsources.

The market for light has great potential for future growth.
Some of Ushio’s strengths lie in its advanced knowledge ofUshio produces “exactly the light its customers need.” This

the nature of light, its record of performance in various areas,

is not only true for the common notion of illumination. For

and most importantly, its ability to “create light that is only

■ Ushio’s three major light sources
The principle of Edison

Incandescent lightsourcesWith incandescent light sources, electricity passing
through in an internal filament (a resistance) heats
the filament and produces light (thermal radiation)by emission. Featuring compact size and highbrightness, incandescent lights provide excellent
color rendering properties and are still widely used
in a wide variety of applications.

* Media façade: An outdoor structure which has light source modules
attached to its surface, and which produces dynamic images, video andeﬀects by changing the brightness and color of the modules or by moving
the modules.

Light emission by discharge in gas

Light emitting semiconductors

Discharge lamp

Solid-state lightsources(HID lamp)
Lamps that produce lightemissions by discharge
between electrodes. This
group includes a rangeo f U V l a m p s , fl a s hlamps, metal halide
lamps and xenon lamps,
and delivers light in avariety of wavelengths
through use of different
enclosed gases andmetals.

With these sources, light is produced bypassing electricity through specially doped
semiconducting materials in layered
structures. Said to be the most rapidly
advancing type of light source, this group
includes LEDs, semi-conductor lasers,
and organic EL (electro-luminescence)
devices.

The trajectory of challenge① Light sources

The field of Ushio’s light is not limited to
production processes for semiconductors
and liquid crystal displays. We also literally throw a strong light on daily life.
For example, this includes light sources in essential office automation equipment,
in stage lighting and in movie theaters,
and in lighting of public facilities, commercial establishments and amusement parks.
Ushio light permeates the entire world, making each day brighter in many different ways.
Let’s listen to the voices of those who work behind the scenes to develop the Ushio lightthat has achieved a revolution in visual imaging in so many different fields.

How Light isChanging
the Office andEntertainment

Light sources for office automation equipment“One of the big advantages of halogen heaters over theseother devices is that they can apply heat without directcontact. They also heat up quickly, eliminating warm-up delay
and helping to minimize power consumption. Further, Ushio isable to convert better than 90% of input electricity into light.
This efficiency is highly valued, as can be seen in Ushio’s
90%* share of the overall halogen heater market.” Heconfidently continued, “For high-speed, high-volume printing,there really is no alternative to the halogen heater lamp.”
Next we asked about the light sources that are used toilluminate documents in fine detail and the measurement ofstrength and color of reflected light. This also is a role that was
first filled by halogen lamps, then by rare gas fluorescentlamps and, recently, by more durable and power-efficient LEDs.
“Looked at simplistically, wide areas can be illuminated bylining up enough LEDs to illuminate the same area as withconventional lamps. The problem is that the light produced byindividual LEDs usually varies in subtle ways that are notvisible to the naked eye. Another problem is variations inillumination that result due to varying rates of deterioration ofindividual LEDs. And even if the illumination produced by the
LED array is even, the structure of devices such as printers issuch that the center portion of the document is more brightly

Supporting businesses with“light sources” and “optical systems”
One of the most familiar applications for Ushio light is in theoffice. When asked where so, one developer with many years
of involvement in light sources for office automationequipment responded, “in the integrated copying machinesthat also function as scanners and printers. First is light that isused as a heat source. Second is light that is used to read
documents. Since its founding, Ushio has provided lightsources for both of these roles as it supports advances in
office automation equipment. Yes, Ushio’s lamps play a majorrole in making possible the beautiful color documents that wehave come to take for granted. ”
We asked him to tell us more about use of light as a heatsource; that is, to talk about the halogen heater lamps that areused to melt toner on paper to bond it to the paper’s surface.
In addition to halogen heaters, heat sources used for thispurpose have included ceramic heaters that produce heat bypassing electricity through a resistance, and inductive heating
devices that are used to head a metal belt. How do halogen
heaters differ from such devices?

■ Ushio “light distribution technology” used in light sources for reading documents
LEDs

Reflector plate

LEDs
Dim

BrightDim

BrightWhen uniform light is applied witha light source, the structure of theprinter results in dimmer lighting
at the edges.

BrightBrightBy using optical design techniques that incorporate
reflection, unevenness and variations in light can beeliminated and documents can be uniformly andstably illuminated for reading without reduction oflight volume at the document edges.

* Per Ushio s own market survey as of March 31, 2014

The trajectory of challenge① Light sources

illuminated than the edges. Ushio solved this problem bydevising a new arrangement for the LED and its associatedoptical system.” This technology has been patented by Ushio,
and cannot be imitated by its competitors. Such technology isenabled by Ushio’s thorough knowledge of the properties oflight.

Light sources used in cinema projectors
A tradition of craftsmanship produces
light to decorate the screen
The sun is the ultimate factor that makes our lives possible.
The light it produces is made up of many wavelengths,
including the visible light that allows the human eye toperceive color in all of its variations. Truly, it gives color to ourlives. Ever since its establishment, Ushio has sought to create
lamps that produce light which replicates sunlight as closely
as possible. The result is the xenon lamp, which is sometimes
referred to as “the sun in miniature.”
A representative application for this lamp is as a lightsource in the cinema projectors that have contributed toadvances in cinematography. Developed at about the timemovies were moving from black and white to color, the xenon
short arc lamp has won praise and delight for its
unprecedented ability to project colors that are bright andbeautiful. Since then, Ushio’s cinema projector lamps haveentered service around the world, and now hold a large shareof the overall market.
At the end of the 1990s, the wave of digitization reachedthe movie industry. With the introduction of DLP® (Digital Light
Processing)*, film began disappearing from movie theaters to
be replaced with devices that use optical semiconductors toreflect light onto the movie screen. These are called Digital

Cinema Projectors, or DCP.
Digital cinema projectors not only occupy less space anduse less power than conventional projectors, but require
brighter light sources in which the lamp cathode and anodeare more closely spaced than in lamps used with film
projectors. This is in order to make them more point-like,which allows DCPs to produce images with brighter, more
beautiful colors than is possible with film-based projectors.
“Achieving this was a truly challenging task. Increasing thebrightness of gas-discharge devices such as xenon lamps by
reducing the spacing of the electrodes requires increasing thepressure of the enclosed gas. However, increasing the gaspressure also makes the lamp more susceptible to rupturing.
Solving this required a whole new approach to lamp design.
Ultimately, we solved the problem through various researchinnovations, such as improved electrodes and glass strength,
giving birth to highly reliable, long-life xenon lamps for use indigital cinema projectors.”
Our competitors also undertook such development efforts,
but makers who only had lamp technology suitable for film
projectors were not able to duplicate Ushio’s quality. The truthis that lamps for digital cinema projectors must fulfill
requirements that differ greatly from those for the lamps usedwith film projectors. Our developer says, “The difference lies
not only in the knowledge we’ve cultivated about the nature oflight, but in the stance we take to building things.
“Since xenon lamps are an industrial product, people thinkthat they are produced on fully automated production lines, but
the truth is that a great deal of craftsmanship is required intheir manufacture. Such craftsmanship cannot be achieved bypushing buttons or reading a manual. Not even the productionof a single piece of glass can be automated. Therefore, ourtechnicians produce each piece individually while keeping

LED module used for scanningdocuments in office automationequipment
Brightness equivalent to that of raregas fluorescent lamps is achieved
with just one or two LED chips.
Lamp for digital cinema
projectors
DCP lamp optimized for use in digital
cinema projectors provides highbrightness with high reproducibility.

*DLP® : A video display system developed by Texas Instruments. Uses optical semiconductors called digital micromirror
devices to project images onto a screen.

track of glass condition and heating temperature. In Ushio’s
production workplaces, lamps of high reliability andcompetitiveness are achieved by passing on a legacy of highly
detailed and precise skill and know how.”
As he speaks, the developer’s face is filled with pride andconfidence. To make things and confirm their quality with yourown eyes is a strength of Ushio’s technology that lies in thebasic attitude and artisan skills that are handed down by its
workers.

From xenon lamps to lasers:
The quality of 3D movies takes a leap forward
3D movies have rapidly proliferated since the 2009 releaseof the 3D movie “Avatar.” 3D movies are made possible byshowing different images to the left and right eyes to produce
an appearance of depth. With conventional projectors, theproblem is that this also reduces the amount of light that isdelivered to each eye by half, making movies appear darker
than when viewed in 2D. One approach to solving this problem
is to use lasers as the light source.
“In simple terms, the only way to achieve the brightness of
2D images in 3D while using conventional projectors is toproject images by two projectors simultaneously. With lasers,
this sufficient brightness can be obtained with a single
projector. This also provides increased image contrast, making
it possible to give a feeling of depth even to the darkness ofouter space. The difference is very pronounced, and readily
apparent to anyone. However, laser projectors are still very
expensive, and it will take time for them to come into
widespread use. Also, the brightness of today’s xenon lamps isundergoing continuous improvement, so it will probably takesome time before projectors that use lamps are completely
replaced by ones that use lasers.”
3D movies are becoming clearer and clearer, and more
realistic as well. What new advances will movie technology
bring? Perhaps we will see screens that provide a 360-degree
field of view, or perhaps hologrammatic movies will become
possible. One thing we can say for sure is that no matter how
movies evolve, they will shine with Ushio light.

Light sources for data projectors
Pride and satisfaction for the developer who
overcame issues of ultra-high pressure and temperature
Until about ten years ago, people using data projectors
would turn out the lights and close the curtains. However,today’s data projectors are so bright there’s no need to darken
the room. The fact is that Ushio lamps have helped make suchprogress possible.
The two constant requirements for data projectors arebrightness and compactness. In principle, achieving this only
requires making the projector’s light source more point-like,the same as with movie projectors. But as with movie
projectors, the required reduction in electrode spacing andincrease in gas pressure present obstacles. Safety is also an
issue. After much trial and error to identify the limits of lamp
envelope integrity, the “NSH Lamp” was developed in 1998, alamp based on the ultra-high pressure UV lamp.
“The NSH lamp operates at a pressure of 200
atmospheres. In terms of water pressure, this is equivalent to
a depth of 2,000 meters. Further, the temperature at which
the lamp begins working is in excess of 800 degrees Celsius,

The trajectory of challenge① Light sources

and the lamp reaches a maximum temperature of 1,000
degrees Celsius during operation. Nothing else in our daily
lives involves such high temperatures and pressures.
Contaminants were the great enemy to the development of alamp capable of withstanding such temperature and pressure
extremes. For example, even the tiniest bit of moisture in thelamp will react with the tungsten or halogen that is used,
rendering the lamp non-functional. To prevent this, Ushio has
developed production processes that completely exclude
moisture from the production environment.” Further,systemization has been applied to management of materials
and standards to the maximum extent possible, and layered
improvements implemented in every possible area. “Certainly,
development was an ongoing struggle, but the joy we felt inovercoming these obstacles was all the greater.” Thedeveloper says this with an expression that is somewhat shy
and humble, but none the less filled with an air of confidence.

Entertainment
Technology and passion embodied in light
give birth to richness in visual images
Finally, we move our focus from “light for copying andprojecting” to “light for delighting and inspiring.” Such light
gives visual appeal to amusement parks, contributes to thepassion of musical experiences in concert halls, andilluminates the significant moments of life in places likewedding halls. Here too, Ushio light plays an important role inmaking presentation of themes effective. For the xenon-lamp
spotlights used for stage illumination, Ushio holds better than

90% of the domestic market.* “Since spotlights, orfollowspots, are manually controlled by their operators, theymust be as easy to handle as possible, but the way in which
they illuminate depends on the skill of the operator. It is aprocess that requires both sensitivity on the part of theoperator and a product that is sensitive to the operator’s
touch. Sometimes a single person has to operate two
spotlights, and sometimes spotlights are needed that caneasily be handled by people of shorter stature. So wesometimes build spotlights to order for special requirements.”
With major projects, it can take up to three years fromdevelopment to delivery. Of course, advances are being madein using LEDs as light sources, but power deficiency and color
variations make them difficult to use together with existing
light sources. “As the entertainment industry reaches maturity,
the demands placed on stage production can only increase. As
a top maker of stage lighting, our mission is fulfillling suchneeds,” says the manager with an air of purpose.
Now let’s shift our attention from stage lighting tolarge-scale lighting for landscape illumination. Perhaps you’ve
heard the term, “media façade.” In a media façade,illumination is used to light up the surface of building walls or
entire structures to produce a visually attractive, dynamic
display. Whereas digital signage is an advertising medium, a
media façade contains a strong element of ambient art.
“Actually, media façades are used very extensively in
Korea,” says a sales representative who formerly worked in
Ushio’s local company in that country. “Korea was quick tomake extensive use of LEDs, and media façades can be seen
everywhere.” Making use of its unique optical technology forlighting control, color representation and reproduction, Ushio
has served as a collaborator with illumination designers andcontractors on a wide variety of projects.
Contributing to the realization of work in the face of highly
challenging requirements, Ushio is a partner in this area which
requires both artistic sensitivity and experience. Working
together with top artists, Ushio makes such works possible
with light control technology that has been developed whileworking at art’s frontiers. This makes it possible to provide aform of entertainment that has the added value of being
attractive as well as illuminated. This is an Ushio strength that
other companies do not have. Says the sales representative,“I’m sure that Ushio light will continue playing a role inproviding people with wonder and entertainment in the form of
optical art.”

Ushio light: Continually evolving along withdreams for the future
Whether in the office or in the world of entertainment, Ushio
light gives life to visual communications by providing color andbeauty. Reflecting human emotions throughout the years, it
projects images of excitement and joy. But this does not comewithout the behind-the-scenes efforts of many people. They
also share in Ushio’s hopes and dreams for the future. As longas dreams for the future are possible, Ushio light will continue
to steadily evolve.

* Per Ushio s own market survey as of March 31, 2014

“Graphical Illusion,” grand staircase
in the Kyoto Station Building
Created by controlling 14,750 LEDs torepresent the seasons, scenery and eventsof Kyoto. A new tourist attraction in Kyoto.

Data projector lamp (NSH
lamp)
Operates at 200 atmospheres,
1,000 degrees Celsius.
Xenon spotlight
Illuminates stage performers,
costumes and settings withspots that precisely replicate
natural light.