How a Neon Sign Is Made

Many small business owners have looked at the neon open sign in their window and wondered how it was made….

A neon sign is an illuminated advertising display that’s constructed from one or more gas-filled glass tubes.  These tubes are formed into shapes such as letters, logos, and other decorative designs. The bright light that is emitted from the sign is created by some high-voltage electricity that is passed through the gas inside the glass tubes via electrodes on either end of the tube.

At first, only neon gas was used in the manufacturing of these signs. Currently, a number of kinds of gases are put to use, and when used in conjunction with particular tints and coatings may produce more than fifty different kinds of colors. These types of signs range from the modest, comparatively low-cost type you see on the walls of bars to the massive, remarkably illuminated kind that is regularly seen atop hotels and casinos.
Right after their heyday during the 50′s, neon signs were over time overshadowed by less expensive signs made from plastic that were lit from the inside by fluorescent tubes. Recently, neon has experienced a resurrection in both commercial signage and as an artistic medium. The Museum of Neon Art in Los Angeles, CA features contemporary as well as historical works of neon. They also put together regular monthly tours of notable neon signage in and around Los Angeles.
Bendable lead glass that can very easily be re-formed is very important in producing the kind of glass tubing that you find in neon signs. The ends of the segmented tubing hold electrodes which are ordinarily made out of very high-purity iron that are encapsulated by a glass jacket or open-ended envelope. The electrode is hooked up to a wire which is passed through the end of the envelope which will then be sealed into the end of the tubing with the open part protruding into the tube.
Making neon signs is as much an art as it is a mechanical process. With a few exclusions practically every sign is unique and must be specifically designed to fit the desired display within the constraints of the available space. Special considerations of the tubing diameter, the minimum bendable tubing radius, and the total length of tubing the transformer can power can all restrict the final product. For instance, the smaller the diameter of the tubing you’re working with, the brighter the light. A smaller diameter tubing requires more power, which limits the over-all tubing length that one transformer can bear.
In the present day, neon gas is only used to emit red and orange colors. The majority of modern day neon signs incorporate argon or some kind of argon-neon mixture. In order to intensify the illumination, mercury is mixed with the argon, ultimately causing a strong blue light. It works along with the numerous elements coated inside the tube to give off all kinds of different colors. Depending on the desired color, optical tints may be utilized, or the tube may be left clear if the piece calls for a bright blue light. Other sorts of gases such as xenon, helium, and krypton may be used for special effects.
Manufacturing neon signs is almost entirely done manually. It mainly consists of bending the tubing and attaching electrodes while removing any impurities from inside the tubing itself, then removing the air inside and then adding the gas.
The tubing needs to be thoroughly prepared for manufacturing. In order to do this, portions of the tubing are first cleaned and then positioned upwards into a machine that coats their interior with liquid phosphor. Afterwards, the tubing is dried in an oven. If any color tints are to be added, they’re processed similarly. Some tubes (like those that are to be filled with neon or argon) are left clear.
Now that the tubing is all set, it is time for bending. Bending is when the glass tubing is re-shaped into whatever shape the design calls for. To facilitate the bending, the glass tubing must first be heated. A good deal of the bending process is actually done by hand, without protective gloves. The reason for this is that the benders need to be able to feel the subtle adjustments in the temperature of the glass tubing so that they will know the right moment to make their adjustments. It’s crucial that during this process the tube does not collapse, because that would stop it from functioning properly.
Following the bending process, it’s bombarding time. This process is done to remove any impurities that may still be left in the gas, the glass tube, or the electrodes. A vacuum is used to suck out all of the air from inside the tubing. After this is completed, some air is steadily seeped back into the tubing until the proper pressure levels are reached. The longer the tubing, the lower the pressure required. A high-current transformer is then attached to the electrodes and the tube gets heated to about 420 degrees and the metal electrode reaches about 1,400 degrees. This process causes any impurities to be driven out from the materials.
Now it’s time to fill the tube. Once it has finally cooled down, gas is inserted under low pressure. The previous step of bombarding will see to it that the gas will operate like it’s designed to and last for the maximum amount of time. The open end of the tube used to insert the gas is then heated and permanently sealed off.
The very last two steps in the process are aging and then the final assembly. The aging process is important to make sure that the gas inside the tube stabilizes adequately and is completely ready for use. Once it has aged for long enough, the bent glass is ready to be fastened to the sign. The way it is attached may vary depending on the type of sign that it is. The smaller, indoor types you often see at bars and restaurants usually have a small steel framework or an acrylic backing that supports the tubing and the power transformer. The backing is usually black, so that it is unable to distract from the sign.To see theses signs go to> www.allneonandled.com  We have a great selection of LED Business Signs,LED Open Signs,LED Scrolling Indoor Signs,LED Scrolling Outdoor Signs,Neon Business Signs,Neon Open Signs,Neon Bar Signs, Neon Clocks and Neon Sculptures,Writable Illuminating LED Board. We offer Free shipping in the continental USA on all products!!!