Skip to main content

New development for the upcoming GLDF format

We have completed a new development for the soon to be released GLDF format – the L3D editor and also the GLDF editor (developed by RELUX). GLDF is an open, free format that can be used across the entire lighting industry and meets the latest BIM process requirements. Manufacturers, planners and even software manufacturers will benefit from this new format.

With the new editor it is possible to create L3D files, this is the new 3D geometry file format for GLDF. The L3D Editor is a web application. The tool can create new or open existing L3D files from the hard drive and allows to change them. L3D Editor stores the resulting L3D files on the local hard drive.

It is possible create a complete 3D representative of a luminaire and/or sensor. With the tool it is easily possible to set light emitter objects (LEO), joints, electrical connectors, sensors, pendulum connectors and light emitting surfaces (LES).

The geometry needs to be imported from OBJ files. OBJ is an open and very common 3D data format. You can export OBJ from many 3D modelling applications.

The new format provides many advantages:
Manufacturers only need to maintain and offer a single format. All processes operated by manufacturer data can access the information from the GLDF. Lighting designers can find all information on a product in the file.

As the GLDF format is an open and free to use file format. All luminaire and software manufacturer are invited to make use of it.

The information is always identical, ruling out differences between different file versions. Software manufacturers can find great information for their (design) programs. Manufacturers are incentivized to maintain the information and keep it up to date as they no longer need to create new formats for many different purposes.

Further information
Further information on the Global Lighting Data Format are available here. The www.gldf.io website provides the description of the format as well as tools, sample files and the option to record suggestions and comments. The two companies DIAL and RELUX jointly maintain this website.