Almost 30 years since its introduction to the Australian marketplace, HPM Legrand’s Excel Life range has been significantly upgraded to meet the demands of the 21st century customer.

HPM’s Excel began life in the late 1980s as a range of electrical accessories found in homes and commercial buildings throughout Australia. As the more technologically sophisticated 21st century came into existence, the range was more than ready for a complete makeover.

Simplification was the guiding philosophy behind the technological overhaul, as a team of Legrand research and development experts from Australia and France started work on giving Excel a second life.

The team of 12 set about redesigning and injecting the latest technology into existing mechanisms as well as adding completely new products to what would become the new Excel Life range.

“With an initial rollout of 160 products this year, followed by hundreds more over the next two years, the goal of the product developers was to offer more functionality with fewer finished products, making it a simpler process for the supplier and the installer,” says HPM Legrand research and development manager Paul Barron.

“The team’s task was to take each product and rethink it entirely, from its individual components to its installation and application. Innovative solutions were found to achieve a simplified outcome for both Legrand, as manufacturers and suppliers, and for the electrical contractor and, ultimately, their customers – the Australian home and commercial building owner.”

This process allowed Legrand to develop products with added features and optimised design, which resulted in the added advantage of reducing the amount of material used and the number of components needed for each product.

“Where possible, the team focused on developing smaller and more modular units with fewer components as this would mean less inventory and travel time for contractors when stocking and ordering standard products,” Paul says.

“For mechanisms such as the rotary switch, that once had seven versions to enable multiple switching, the team applied a simple design solution to create one single, multi-functional product. The RMRSWE rotary switch is designed to be used for multiple switch applications such as blind control, sensor selection and ceiling fans.”

The upgrading of the rotary switch to a 15AX fluorescent rating allows it to be used in a wider range of applications including those with high in-rush currents, made possible by a patented contact arrangement that protects the switching elements when switching heavy loads. The new design moves the contacts in such a way that they wipe or clean the contacts as they switch avoiding carbon build-up on the contacts.

“In addition to this, a combination of customer demand for appealing, high-tech lighting controls as well as simplified installation for contractors also led to the development of the Excel Life 883 push button wall switch as an alternative to the traditional rocker.

“Enabling multi-way electronic switching, the push button switch blurs the line with automation devices, but with simple wiring any contractor can install.

“For even greater integration with existing technology, the electronic push button switch can be interconnected to other secondary control devices such as IR remote control devices.”

Housed in a single, small module, the 883 push button switch mechanism fits into a standard Excel Life 770 opening. The use of a modular rather than monobloc design allows the electrician to install electronic switches where they are required.

“A third and final example of how innovation and simplification has helped to create contemporary electrical solutions for today’s homes and commercial buildings is the new Excel Life LED Ring Kit,” Paul says.

“As a snap-on solution, the illuminated LED ring adaptor kit gives contractors the opportunity to offer customers quick and easy upgrades and sets Excel Life apart from other illuminated switch units.”