Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 22
TECH
REVIEW
CHRIS & KATHI
MORRISON
own and operate The
Image Specialists, a fullservice graphics company
based in Clements, CA.
Chris is also a Microsoft-certified systems
engineer.
LEDS
Illuminating an energy-efficient future
HAT futurists say LEDs are
the light of the 21st century
presents an interesting
question because, even
though LEDs have proved reasonably
successful, hi-tech diviners must also
regard other neophyte technologies,
especially in the province of solidstate lighting (SSL). That is, aren't
organic LEDs (OLED) and polymer
LEDs (PLED) presently standing in
the LED wings? That said, SSL in
any form offers positive benefits to
society. Consider, for example, the
US Department of Energy's estimate
that US energy users switching to
SSL could reduce national lighting
energy use by 75% in 2035, which
would save 5.1 quadrillion BTUs - an
amount near equal to the combined
one-year energy consumption of 150
million homes.
Clearly, technology moves forward.
In the past, lighted signs used what
was then available: incandescent and
fluorescents lamps, or neon tubes as
light sources, with each generating
challenges for signmakers and the sign
buyer. For example, incandescent
bulbs were cheap and bright, but used
lots of power and burned out in a
thousand hours or less. Although
more efficient, fluorescent lamps
require special circuits and the available sizes can constrain a sign's design.
Neon requires skilled craftspersons
with expert knowledge of the gear for
processing the required exotic gases,
plus fire and glass working skills.
Today, as a workaround, many
manufacturers offer flexible neonlike, LED-lamped tubing in pleasing
colors that is easy to bend and wire.
Another LED-based revenue source
is retrofitting old fluorescent-lit signs.
For this type of work, search out
UL-approved retrofit kits that make
it easy to change-out fluorescent tubes
with LED bars. And, red, green and
blue LED systems can be purchased
in individual colors or as an RGB
combination that can be programmed
to change colors.
Obviously, LEDs offer signmakers
a practical solution for virtually every
illumination need, plus low operating
costs for their customer - but there
are some "gotchas" that must be
considered when designing an LEDlighted sign. Most notable is that
TRINITY 360
OPTIC E
LUXXUS SERIES
retroledcomponents.com
everylite.com
global-lux.com
T
RETROLED
22
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
EVERYLITE
OCTOBER 2017
GLOBAL LUX
http://www.global-lux.com
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - October 2017
Signs of the Times - October 2017
Contents
From the Editor
St Update
At Large
Tech Review
Vehicles + Vinyl
Design Matters
Nuts + Bolts
Vital Signs
Can You Make That in Neon?
Fabricating Bannerisms
Strictly Electric: It’s Good to Bb King
New Products
Advertising Index
Last Look
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Intro
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - BB1
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - BB2
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Signs of the Times - October 2017
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - BD_L
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - BD
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Cover2
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 1
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Contents
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 3
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 4
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 5
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 6
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 7
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - From the Editor
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 9
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - St Update
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 11
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 12
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 13
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 14
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 15
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 16
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 17
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - At Large
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 19
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 20
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 21
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Tech Review
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 23
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Vehicles + Vinyl
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 25
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 26
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 27
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Design Matters
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 29
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Nuts + Bolts
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 31
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 32
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 33
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 34
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 35
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 36
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 37
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Vital Signs
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 39
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 40
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 41
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 42
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 43
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Can You Make That in Neon?
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 45
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 46
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 47
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 48
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 49
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Fabricating Bannerisms
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 51
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 52
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 53
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 54
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 55
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Strictly Electric: It’s Good to Bb King
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 57
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 58
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 59
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 60
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 61
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 62
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 63
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 64
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 65
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - New Products
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 67
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 68
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 69
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 70
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 71
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 72
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Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 74
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 75
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 76
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 77
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 78
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 79
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 80
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 81
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Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 84
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Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 87
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 88
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Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 91
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 92
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 93
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - 94
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Advertising Index
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Last Look
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Cover3
Signs of the Times - October 2017 - Cover4
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