How are neons made?

Neons are made of special glass tubes with the addition of lead for better elasticity and weather resistance.

1

The first stage of the production is a craftsman's work and relies on the manual forming of glass tubes in high temperature.

Thanks to many years of our experience, we have refined the bending technique in order to form the neons as precisely as possible in accordance with the design.

2

When the glass tube has taken the appropriate shape, it is filled with glue in a complex procedure. Then a phosphor is poured in, i.e. a powder with properties allowing neons to light.

3

At the ends of the glass tubes, electrodes are mounted. When connected to electricity, they stimulate the gas in the filled tubes and cause illumination. Thanks to phosphor dyes it is possible for neons to shine in different colours. Below we present the colour palette that we have developed for standard orders.

 

* colours shown on the palette are for orientation purposes and may slightly differ from the real ones, as they depend on the intensity of light in the room.

4

In order for the individual elements to take on a fixed position in relation to each other, depending on the needs of customers, we attach them to the ordered surface. This can be perspex sheet, metal or they can even be mounted directly to the wall.

 


 

Advantages of traditional and proven neon signs vs. LED technology

Advertising signs are primarily supposed to be visually attractive, but obviously technical parameters also play an important role. It is essential that the lighting used guarantees high efficiency and low energy consumption.

The traditional and proven for years neon technology is supported by solid arguments:

Long service life

The average lifetime of neon lights is 80,000 hours. In the case of LEDs, this is only 50,000 hours. It should also be taken into account that in reality their service life is shorter. LEDs are extremely sensitive to high temperatures. Advertising signs are usually exposed outdoors, so their contact with the summer sun cannot be avoided. The period of operation of such a diode can decrease even to 30,000 hours. In the case of neon lights there are no such problems, as they are not sensitive to external factors..

Pixellation

An important disadvantage of LED technology is pixellation, i.e. separate illumination of individual diodes, which is very visible from close range, and depending on the density of their distribution, can also be visible from a distance.

Furthermore, over time single diodes burn out and dark pixels (micro areas) on the signboard are created, which looks unaesthetic.

This is not the case with neon lights because they are glass tubes where the light shines evenly.

Colour intensity

In the case of neon lights, the colours are equally intense throughout the entire period of use. The average light intensity is approximately 900/1300 LUMEN/m. The colour rendering index is approximately 75/95.

When it comes to LED lighting, it is a bit different. The average light intensity is 300/500 lumen/M and the colour rendering index is 50/60. An additional problem is that only 10-15 different colours can be generated. LED intensity decreases by up to 15% per year. Colours become less pronounced, which makes the banner look less impressive.

Reduced energy demand

Neons emit up to three times more light than LEDs at similar power consumptions. This means that they will give you the same light output at a better price.

Eye-catching design

LEDs produce cold light, which is unnatural. For this reason, it is often irritating to eyes. Neons generate warm light that harmonizes perfectly with the environment. That's why they look much better.

An additional advantage is the fact that neon signs can be customized to suit individual needs. They are handmade and therefore offer more possibilities than LEDs.