Experiment no: 3

Title of experiment:
Photometry testing of retro-reflector

Abstract:
The objective of this experiment is to conduct photometry testing of retro-reflectors as per
AIS057. Retro-reflectors are mounted on the rear of the vehicles to allow the identification of the
vehicle .when an external light falls on it. Retro reflective materials return light back in the
direction of the light source. For example, the light from the headlights of a vehicle will bounce
back from the retro reflective striping of the rear of a Vehicle, jacket, vest, harness, trousers, etc.
to the driver. Retro-Reflection means the reflection in which light is reflected in directions close
to the direction from which it came. This property is maintained over wide variations of the
illumination angle. The photometry performance of the retro-reflector is checked using a
goniophotometer.

Introduction:
The retro-reflector is made-up of rows of small acrylic prismatic structures. The retro reflector in
the rear of the vehicle works on the principle explained below.
Drivers head light beam is going to hit the outside wall of a cube and pass through .it will
continue on hit another wall. After that it will bank of the mirrored surface and then continue on
through a wall of the pyramid, returning to the driver's eye. Protective AL coating can be applied
to the rear reflecting surfaces to avoid total internal reflection failure at high incident angle The
retro-reflectors at the rear of the vehicle are red whereas amber or white in the front.

Goniophotometer and sensor:
The word gonio derives from the Greek meaning angle. A goniometer is an instrument that
measures the angular (spatial) distribution of a radiation source. A goniophotometer performs the
same measurement, but displays the photometric properties of the light visible to the human eye.
The automotive industry uses goniophotometers for lighting research and as a quality control
measure in their manufacturing processes. The typical goniophotometer consists of a surface
platform on a gimbal mount of translational motion and rotational stages. The test lamp is
mounted directly to the platform, while the photometer is located separate and at a distance 30.4
from the goniometer assembly.
Early photometer sensors used Selenium cells but they had a tendency to age quickly. Today
laboratory photometers employ silicon sensors with subtractive filter glass over-layers to impart
a closer and more stable response over time.

Definitions:
Retro-reflecting device, also called retro-reflector means an assembly ready for use and
comprising one or more retro-reflecting optical units.

Angle of divergence means the angle between the straight lines connecting the centre of
reference to the centre of the receiver and to the center of the source of illumination.

Illumination angle means the angle between the axis of the reference and the straight line
connecting. the centre of reference to the center of the source of illumination.

Coefficient of luminous intensity (CIL) means the quotient of the luminous intensity reflected
in the direction considered, divided by the illumination of the retro-reflecting device for given
angles of illumination, divergence and rotation.

Requirement:
As per AIS057, CIL values for red retro-reflector of categories class IA, ill, and class IIIA
Class Angle of Illumination angles () in degrees
divergence Vertical V 0 10 5
a Horizontal 0 0 20
H. millicandelas per lux

,
IA, IB 20 300 200 100
1 30' 5 2.8 2.5
IIIA 20 450 200 150
1 30' 12' 8 8

Equipments:
1) Gonio photometer
2) Retro reflectometer
3) Retro-reflector

Experimental procedure:
1) The retro-reflector to be checked is mounted on the goniphotometer.
2) The surface other than retro-reflector in the lamp. is masked.
. .
3) The retro-reflector is aligned to sensor and light source using the reference point in
the goniophotometer and the reference point in the lamp.
4) The light source and the sensor are kept at a distance of30.4m from the lamp.
5) The reflector is set to an illumination angle () H=V=O using the goniophotometer
adjustments.
6) The light source is switched on and the amount of CIL (millicandela per lux) is measured
using the goniophotometer.
7) Further the readings at illumination angles V= 5, H=O are checked.

Result & conclusion:
The retro-reflector values as per AIS057 standard is required to have a Coefficient of
luminous intensity value of 300 millicandelas per lux at all the illumination angles mentioned
above.
The retro-reflector checked for photometry performance at three illumination angles are given
below

Illumination angle CIL
0
-5
+5