PENTHAstic! When optics meets technical molding.

Innovation, precision, and strategic partnership: the case history of MPT Plastica for AEC Illuminazione..

Public, urban and infrastructure lighting is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the growing demand for energy efficiency, material durability and compliance with international standards.

In this context, AEC Illuminazione stands out as a global leader in technological innovation applied to lighting, offering solutions that combine advanced optical research, modular design, and industrial automation.

Founded in the post-war period and now in its third generation, AEC Illuminazione (www.aecilluminazione.it) is a world leader in the design and manufacture of street, urban, sports, and architectural lighting fixtures.

Headquartered in Tuscany, it operates in over 40 countries, from Scandinavia to the Middle East, and has recently completed iconic projects such as the lighting of the Mont Blanc Tunnel and several major Italian highway bypasses.

In 2020, AEC launched a major program to develop its optical offering, with the aim of designing a modular range capable of covering a broad spectrum of application needs.

Thus, the Pentha system was born with a range of modular reflective optics at the heart of a strategic collaboration with MPT Plastica, specialist in mold construction and technical molding of high-performance plastic components.

“Our goal was to develop a modular optical system based on high-reflectivity aluminum reflectors, integrated into precise and stable plastic components capable of guaranteeing consistent photometric performance for over 100,000 hours” explains Eng. Tommaso Sodi, technical manager at AEC Illuminazione.

The Pentha range was conceived as a highly scalable and modular platform, designed to meet a wide variety of application needs in street, urban, and infrastructure lighting.

Today, Pentha optics are installed across several AEC product lines, including flagship models like ITALO, for urban and street lighting, and the I-TRON, range, developed for major infrastructure such as tunnels, junctions, and parking facilities.

The I-TRON MICRO model is one of the evolutions made possible by the new Pentha optical architecture: thanks to the system’s improved luminous efficiency, it was possible to design a compact fixture using only two modules while maintaining the same photometric performance as previous four-module versions: this means significantly saving on materials, size, and management costs.

MPT Plastica was involved from the outset during the co-design phase.

“We worked closely with MPT’s technical office to study every tolerance, every geometric coupling, every thickness. The module requires extreme precision: even a deformation of a few hundredths of a millimeter could compromise the entire light distribution” explains Leonardo Lotti, molds & die casting manager at AEC.

MPT designed and built 13 high-performance multi-cavity molds: 6 for the frames and 7 for the bezels. All molds are hot-runner types, made with mirror-polished tempered 1.2083 steel inserts and 1.2312 steel mold bases. The components are injection molded in V0 flame-retardant polycarbonate, with thin walls and advanced optical characteristics.

The greatest challenge? Ensuring the functional geometric flatness of the LED board mounting plane, critical to maintaining the consistency of the light emission angle, along with all other tolerances necessary for perfect coupling with the reflective component.

The plastic housing serves both as mechanical and optical structural support, ensuring alignment, stability, and performance.

“Our role is to give technical shape and substance to the customer’s ideas, ensuring that every design choice is backed by concrete production reality.

The AEC project proves that a multidisciplinary approach, from mold design to molding, truly makes the difference” adds Stefano Taviani, technical sales engineer at MPT.

The Pentha module is designed to be used in multiples of two, up to 20 modules per single fixture, depending on the application context (tunnels, ports, parking lots, major urban arteries).

The I-TRON range, in particular, has already marked a major breakthrough, thanks especially to the I-TRON MICRO version.

To support production volumes, exceeding 500,000 parts per mold per year at full capacity, AEC developed an automated assembly cell with anthropomorphic robots.

MPT’s components must be flawless: even a minimal burr, localized shrinkage, or surface imperfection would halt the assembly line. The assembly is entirely snap-fit, using fork-locking systems without screws.

Quality control is rigorous and continuous: modules are tested with advanced metrological and photometric instruments, including a dark goniometric chamber for photometric curve measurement and an integrating sphere for spectral and chromatic analysis of the emitted light.

Additionally, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) tests are performed in shielded anechoic chambers, verifying both emission and resistance to external disturbances.

This approach to quality fully aligns with MPT’s methodical and rigorous standards, where each component is validated through dimensional and functional control protocols before delivery.

This case history is a tangible example of how synergy between Italian industrial excellences can generate high-level technical solutions.

“We chose MPT not only for their technical expertise but also for their quality approach, process reliability, and design flexibility. They are true partners, not just suppliers” concludes Eng. Tommaso Sodi.

“In AEC, we found a knowledgeable, precise, and visionary partner. The strength of this project lies in the complementarity of our skills: AEC brings excellence in lighting design and application knowledge; MPT adds technical and production capabilities that allowed us to industrialize an innovative optical platform” highlights Fabio Taviani,CEO of MPT Plastica.

In an increasingly competitive and regulated sector, the ability to design optical solutions that combine efficiency, modularity, durability, and industrial manufacturability makes all the difference.

The Pentha project provides a tangible, measurable response to these challenges, thanks to AEC Illuminazione’s expertise in lighting design and MPT Plastica’s technical contributions to high-performance plastic components and molds.

A collaboration that proves innovation is built through synergy.