KLM Operations Control Centre (OCC), The Netherlands

AVEX proposed to replace the outdated and inefficient mercury lamp DLP cubes with Mitsubishi Electric Universal Upgrade engines based on the latest LED technology. By utilising the existing screen framework and cabling, AVEX would be able to complete the upgrade quickly and cost-effectively, whilst also achieving a significant upgrade in performance and a dramatic reduction in running costs. Unlike mercury lamps, which need to be replaced every 6000 hours, Mitsubishi’s LED light sources are rated for up to 100,000 hours of continuous 24/7 operation. LED also produces much less heat than mercury lamps, resulting in a significantly reduced workload for the center’s HVAC system.

Thanks to thorough preparations, excellent teamwork between Mitsubishi, KLM and AVEX, and tight scheduling, AVEX technicians completed the replacement of the old video wall projectors with fifteen Mitsubishi Universal Upgrade engines in just three days, including final set-up adjustments, causing minimal disruption to the OCC’s vital operations. Along with the new projectors and image processing, a new Crestron touch panel interface provided the Duty Manager Operations with a single point of control to simplify operation of the video wall. 

The installation was successfully completed on schedule,achieving an immediate and remarkable improvement in both performance and operational efficiency. Along with greatly improved image quality, thanks to Mitsubishi’s colour space control and digital graduation circuitry, the LED engines are 65% more energy efficient than the lamps they replaced. As theLED systems require less cooling they have a reduced effective power consumption. Particularly in the case of such a large video wall, heat emissions have reduced considerably, resulting in a tangible improvement in the ambient temperature from day one.On completion of the project, AVEX compiled a delivery report on the key performance metrics specified by KLM at the commencement of the project, covering brightness, light output,electricity/power consumption and heat emission readings. Measurements taken before and after the upgrade provide conclusive proof of the dramatic improvements in performance and cost-efficiency made possible by Mitsubishi Electric Universal Upgrade engines.

Mitsubishi Electric’s Upgrade models are available for almost all brands of DLP cubes manufactured over the last 15 years,enabling owners of all legacy mercury lamp systems to easily upgrade to the latest LED technology, quickly and efficiently. Universal Upgrade Engines employ state-of-the-art LED illumination but are designed as direct, slot-in replacements for older technologies, based on exactly the same physical architecture to ensure 100% compatibility with existing systems.Upgrading to Seventy Series from Mitsubishi Electric delivers not only the latest high brightness LED performance - and in some cases increased resolution - but dramatic savings in the total cost of ownership and the extension of the operational lifespan of existing facilities by over a decade.