FMS has been a leading producer of fluorescent coated sign tubing since the mid- 1940's. We have spent the past half century developing a reputation as a reliable manufacturer of quality products that perform well in a wide variety of sign and lighting applications. 

The familiar Brillite name designates our clear American-made glass available either single or double coated. ColorBrite refers to our line of machine drawn colored glass which is available coated or clear. Both Brillite and ColorBrite come in 4-foot sticks.


Quality

Only the world's finest raw materials receive approval for use in FMS sign tubing. Our glass, phosphors, and other raw materials come from some of the world's most advanced and quality conscious plants. To ensure consistent quality we employ a wide range of in-house inspection and process control equipment including a fiber optic spectrometer, digital densiometer, several digital chronometers, and other light emission and coating quality measurement devices. Additional instruments and procedures are periodically added as we move forward with our policy of continuous improvement. Superior raw materials combined with advanced production and quality assurance methods yields a line of fluorescent coated tubing second to none.

Selection

We manufacture an extensive line of fluorescent coated tubing with a solid offering in all segments of the field. Our line includes:

  • Fluorescent coated clear glass,
  • Double coated clear glass,
  • Fluorescent coated colored glass,
  • Uncoated colored glass,
  • A full range of whites.

View ColorBrite Tubes

We start with the world's finest colored glass sign tubing and then apply our own high performance phosphor coatings under stringent process control. The result is a colored glass sign tubing that emits the deepest, richest, most saturated colors imaginable. All ColorBrite tubing is machine drawn and then subject to extensive finishing operations prior to coating. Glass finishing operations include straightening, annealing, and fire polishing tube ends. ColorBrite tubes come in four foot lengths and are available in 10mm, 12mm, and 15mm diameters.

View Brillite Single Coat Colors

As the name implies, double coated tubes have been coated twice to yield their unique and vibrant colors. The tubes are first coated with a pigment and then coated a second time with a fluorescent material. This process traps the pigment between the inside wall of the tube and the fluorescent coat. The pigment acts as a filter through which the light emitted from the fluorescing second coat flows.

Double coat tubes perform best in gentle curves and straight sections. Due to the relativity fragile nature of the pigment coating, double coat tubes are not recommended for use in tight bends. The pigment coating may thin significantly in tight bends, causing color shift in those areas. In general, a cooler bend and minimal stretching of the glass is preferred.

Double-coated tubes have been designed for use with argon/mercury fill gas. The color of some double-coated tubes may vary slightly when neon fill gas is used. Please call for a sample piece to determine whether a certain double-coated tube will work well in your application.

View Double Coat Colors

Halophosphate Whites versus
Rare Earth Tri-Phosphor Whites

The HO and FMS series whites are achieved by primarily using fluorescent materials commonly referred to as "halophosphates". Halophosphates are ideally suited for general signage applications due to their solid performance at relatively low cost.

However, certain specialized lighting applications may call for high performance "rare earth" tri-phosphor whites. In these cases we recommend Brillite TC series whites. TC series whites are constructed with proprietary blends of rare earth phosphors to achieve a specific Kelvin light output per the customer's request. Custom blended whites are subject to minimum quantities and extended lead times.

Advantages of rare earth tri-phosphor whites include the following:

  • Greater initial output and efficiency

  • Little or no decay in lumen output over time

  • Superior color rendition

Rare earth materials are also used in many other colors we manufacture. These colors exhibit superior brilliance and stability.

View Packaging Information

A Brief Word About Color
and Color Measurement

The International Commission on Illumination (CIE) has developed the world's most commonly used system of color measurement. CIE color specifications are based on the idea that any color can be described in terms of color coordinates. These coordinates are plotted on a chromaticity diagram which displays all possible colors. Theoretically, any color can be created by blending varying proportions of primary colors.

Colors are formed by either additive or subtractive color blending. Colors for pigmented materials such as paint or ink are achieved by subtractive color blending where each colorant absorbs its component from the resulting color. Primary colors for subtractive color blending are yellow, magenta (blue-red), and cyan (blue-green). If these primaries are blended to the right proportions in a subtractive process, the resulting color will be black. Subtractive color blending is used when developing pigment coatings for Brillite double coated tubes.

Colors that are developed by blending light such as with fluorescent materials are achieved by additive color blending where each colorant adds its component to the resulting color. Primary colors for additive color blending are red, green, and blue. If these primaries are blended in the right proportions in an additive process, the resulting color will be white.