Edge-Lit LED Panel Light
Ultra-thin UGR<19 panels — built to your size, CCT, CRI and dimming spec. PM Series shown.
What Is an Edge-Lit LED Panel Light?
An edge-lit LED panel light is a flat luminaire that mounts its LEDs along the frame edge and spreads their output across the room through a PMMA light guide plate (LGP). Because no diode faces the room directly, the panel emits one continuous, even plane of light in a housing only 12 mm deep.
That structure is what makes the panel an anti-glare product rather than a bright one. Glare is light that is uncomfortable to look at — direct glare from a visible source, reflected glare off desks and screens, and contrast glare between a bright fitting and a darker ceiling. Office staff sitting under it for eight hours absorb all three. Diffusing the light through an LGP removes the visible hot spot, and a prismatic diffuser brings the unified glare rating down to UGR<19, the level European standard EN 12464-1 asks for in office and classroom lighting.
So which structure should a project actually specify — edge-lit, or backlit?
Edge-Lit Panel Light Features
- Light guide plate: PMMA LGP, non-yellowing over the service life
- Housing: 6063-T5 extruded aluminum, 12 mm total depth
- Glare rating: UGR<19 prismatic or UGR<22 frosted diffuser
- Light source: Edison SMD 2835, CRI>80Ra with CRI>90Ra optional
- Fire resistance: 650°C glow-wire rated components
- Sizes: 595×595, 620×620, 295×1195 and 595×1195 mm, plus custom dimensions
How the Light Guide Plate Controls Glare
The light guide plate turns a line of edge diodes into a uniform emitting surface. Laser-etched dot patterns on the back of the PMMA sheet scatter light forward at a controlled density — sparse near the LEDs, dense at the center — so brightness stays even from frame to frame instead of falling off in the middle.
A prismatic diffuser then redirects the steepest rays back below the 65° viewing angle where glare is measured. The result is UGR<19: legible screens, no reflected hot spot on a desk, and a ceiling that reads as one calm plane rather than a grid of bright squares.
Installation Methods
Every PM Series panel accepts three mounting types from the same body, so one specification covers a whole building:
- Recessed — drops into a standard T-bar or plasterboard ceiling grid
- Surface-mounted — fixed to a solid ceiling with a surface frame kit
- Suspended — hung on steel wire kits at any drop height
Edge-Lit LED Panel Light Specifications
Why Specifiers Choose UGR<19 Edge-Lit Panels
- Even illumination: the light guide plate delivers one balanced plane of light with no visible diode array and no dark center.
- Low energy cost: >120 lm/W efficacy cuts consumption to roughly half of a fluorescent troffer of the same output, which shows up directly in running cost.
- 50,000-hour life: around ten times a conventional lamp, so relamping labor in a fitted-out office effectively disappears.
- Dimming built in: 1-10V and DALI options let the panel join a daylight-linked or occupancy-linked control scheme.
- 12 mm depth: fits shallow ceiling voids where a backlit panel will not.
Model range — PM Series edge-lit LED panel light
| Model | Dimensions (mm) | Power | Luminous Flux | Efficacy | Glare Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OL-PM30W-6060H | 595 × 595 × 12 | 30 W | 3600 lm | >120 lm/W | UGR<19 / UGR<22 |
| OL-PM40W-6060H | 595 × 595 × 12 | 40 W | 4800 lm | >120 lm/W | UGR<19 / UGR<22 |
| OL-PM30W-6262H | 620 × 620 × 12 | 30 W | 3600 lm | >120 lm/W | UGR<19 / UGR<22 |
| OL-PM40W-6262H | 620 × 620 × 12 | 40 W | 4800 lm | >120 lm/W | UGR<19 / UGR<22 |
| OL-PM30W-30120H | 295 × 1195 × 12 | 30 W | 3600 lm | >120 lm/W | UGR<19 / UGR<22 |
| OL-PM40W-30120H | 295 × 1195 × 12 | 40 W | 4800 lm | >120 lm/W | UGR<19 / UGR<22 |
| OL-PM60W-60120H | 595 × 1195 × 12 | 60 W | 7200 lm | >120 lm/W | UGR<19 / UGR<22 |
Common technical parameters — all PM Series models
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Input Voltage | AC 220-240 V / AC 100-277 V (US market) |
| Power Factor (PF) | >0.95 |
| LED Source | Edison SMD 2835 — CRI>80Ra, CRI>90Ra optional |
| Color Temperature | 3000K / 4000K / 5000K / 6000K |
| Housing Material | PMMA light guide plate + 6063-T5 aluminum frame |
| Beam Angle | 120° |
| IP Rating | IP20 / IP44 / IP54 / IP65 |
| Lamp Body Color | White (black and silver on request) |
| Dimming | Non-dimmable, 1-10V or DALI |
| Working Temperature | -20°C ~ +50°C |
| Lifetime | 50,000 hrs |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Edge-Lit vs Backlit LED Panel Light
Edge-lit and backlit panels solve the same brief with opposite structures. An edge-lit panel hides its LEDs in the frame and spreads light through a guide plate, so it wins on thinness and on the calm, seamless ceiling look. A backlit LED panel light puts the diodes directly behind the diffuser, skips the guide plate entirely, and converts that saving into higher efficacy and lower unit cost.
Use the table below to decide which structure your project should specify.
| Attribute | Edge-Lit Panel | Backlit Panel |
|---|---|---|
| LED Position | Along the frame edge | Directly behind the diffuser |
| Light Guide Plate | Required (PMMA LGP) | Not required |
| Panel Depth | 12 mm | ~30 mm |
| Luminous Efficacy | >120 lm/W | >160 lm/W |
| Glare Rating | UGR<19 prismatic / UGR<22 frosted | UGR<19 low-glare / UGR>22 standard |
| Unit Cost | Higher — guide plate adds material | Lower — no guide plate |
| Visual Character | Seamless, ultra-slim ceiling plane | Bright, high-output surface |
| Best Suited To | Offices, hospitality, shallow ceiling voids | Supermarkets, classrooms, hospitals, high-lux areas |
FAQ About Edge-Lit LED Panel Lights
Here are some most popular FAQs during our 17 years experience as a LED lighting solution provider, and please feel free to contact us if you have more questions.
UGR<22 Frosted flat diffuser and UGR<19 lower glare diffuser for option.
Apart from conventional standard size, we can customize various sizes based on your need. For example, we have provided customers with 1100*200mm, 200*500mm, 300*1500mm, 600*900mm and 150*1200mm before.
- Color temperature range: 2700-6500k
- CRI: CRI>80, CRI>90, CRI>95 for option.
Non-dimmable, 1-10V dimmable, DALI dimmable for option
We can supply your brand design according to your order requirements, including packing cases, stickers, instructions, etc
