With the vast array of different LED packages and applications, bin sorting is becoming an important means of achieving a consistent light pattern in a final product.

But what exactly is bin sorting and how does it work?

On the front end of manufacturing, wafers are produced, with each wafer containing thousands of dies that will become individual LEDs. The dies are “diced” (separated) from the wafer and placed together in a giant bin. These individual dies vary slightly in chromaticity, color temperature, and wavelength. To deal with variances, automated testing equipment (ATE) sorts the dies into smaller bins based on similar color and intensity, with the number of bins determined by the volume of LEDs made by a manufacturer.

After being sorted into smaller bins, the dies go to “final package” where they are placed in a final LED assembly.  Each LED is once again tested for operation and light pattern.

When selecting an LED for a lighting application or when clustering them together, manufacturers can achieve an even and consistent look in a product if they select LEDs from the same bin, as indicated on the LED data sheet.

*Find a more detailed explanation of wafer manufacturing at Wikipedia.