Fabian Friedrich is actually a trained carpenter. And he had good connections with the Babelsberg studio, where he built many sets for film productions in Germany and abroad. He came up with the idea for his company when a helium filled lighting balloon from a French company was used for the first time in the 1990s to illuminate the set at night. “At that time, it was a totally new way of lighting large surfaces at night. Finally, light had been set free and we could have a large self-illuminating surface floating above the set”, Fabian Friedrich recalls. Previously, unwieldy cranes and aerial platforms had to be used for lighting.
Fabian Friedrich founded his company in 2001 and started renting balloons. But before too long he and his electrician began to develop their own lighting balloons for film sets. One thing was clear: All components had to be as lightweight as possible – including the connectors. “We needed the smallest possible lightweight connector that allows high current loads and can fly as part of the balloon. My electrician was familiar with LAPP. The advice from the local application engineer at LAPP was uncomplicated and we quickly found what we were looking for,” says Fabian Friedrich. The EPIC® Power LS1 industrial connector was chosen, and is exceptionally robust against impacts and environmental influences. Since then, Fabian Friedrich has remained loyal to LAPP’s connection solutions. “The quality of the products and the service are great,” he adds.
The lighting balloons can rise to between 10 and 80 metres depending on requirements. The balloons consist of a special helium-tight and translucent special coating. Inside is the electrical unit with the illuminant. A plastic plate at the “south pole” at the bottom seals everything hermetically. This is also where the EPIC® Power LS1 connector is integrated. ÖLFLEX® ROBUST 210 power and control cables, which transmit 220 volts or even high-voltage power at 380 volts, ensure a reliable downwards connection.
Fabian Friedrich and his team develop and produce their helium balloons based on the relevant requirements on the film set such as lighting levels, light output and light colour. And precise calculations are always essential. Each cubic metre of helium generates 1.1145 kg of lift. This means that the weight of every component for the balloon – from the special translucent coating for the casing to the luminaire to the circuit board and the connector – has to be taken into account. The plastic casings alone are designed for six to 81 cubic metres of helium as required. “For us, every gramme counts,” says Fabian Friedrich.
In all, blberlin now has around 70 different balloon versions and around the same number of different control units with cables and connectors that can be installed in the balloons virtually “plug and play”. The team is currently developing innovative new LED balloons, where the connectors need to be even more compact. “We will be developing a tailored solution for them,” said Joachim Strobel Product Manager for EPIC® connectors at LAPP.
Info: EPIC® industrial connectors
EPIC® is the registered brand name of LAPP’s Environmental Protected Industrial Connectors. EPIC® connectors are reliable connectors for industrial applications, for example in machine construction, control cabinets and outdoor applications. Whether you need circular connectors for motion control or rectangular connectors with robust connector housings – industrial connectors from LAPP enable easy and safe connection and disconnection of cables. International certifications allow them to be used all over the world.
