Divergence Meter Clock – Intro

After a long hiatus due to the efficiency of high-powered LED displays, Nixie Tubes have reemerged in public eye as a popular device for tinkerers, engineers, and hobbyists. This revolution is wrought not only by their historical significance to early computers, but also by their eye-catching neon aesthetic– their glass bulbs housing radiant filaments of numbers, decimals, letters, and characters, their planes of twisted wires illuminating with a luminous neon glow.

The history of Nixie Tubes dates back to the 1950s and 1960s, an era long before the existence of low-powered LEDs, employed in industrial and scientific automated equipment. After its conception by a German-American hobbyist, and later commercialized for public use, the Nixie Tube has played pivotal roles in American technological history, from moon landings to Wall Street.

Through the hindsight of our privilege by modern technology, it can be easy to regard the Nixie Tube as an overcomplicated solution to a simplistic problem. But before low-power, efficient, light-emitting-diode displays came into significance, the Nixie Tube was a substantial breakthrough at the time. The Numerical Indicator Experimental-1 tube, shortened to the nickname “Nixie” for understandable reasons, contains a set of diodes in a glass tube containing neon gas. The numerals are cathodes aligned in parallel planes, and when a significant voltage difference is observed, the surrounding neon gas is ionized, affording Nixie tubes their infamous glowing effect.

To engineers, hobbyists, electricians, and artists, the Nixie Tube’s importance has been reborn into culture through the pleasure of its aesthetic. In modern pop culture, Nixie devices have emerged in television and movies. My personal inspiration for this device arises from the Japanese time travel anime Steins;Gate, in which the main character Okabe Rintarou employs the use of a 8-bulb, IN-12 Nixie device called a “Divergence Meter” to numerically identify the reality that he is currently on. This project is the amalgamation of my passions for mechanical, electrical, and computer science engineering; a love letter to the major that has captivated me since I first began my educational journey.

The following pages will systematically cover my procedure of designing a Nixie tube clock, exploring the following:

1. Initial considerations/parts selection;
2. Manufacturing drawings;
3. Circuit schematics;
4. Programming code;
5. Assembly and design;
6. Additional features.

Divergence Meter Example Bill of Materials

The following table details a sample bill of materials, containing everything I used to make my own divergence meter clock. IMPORTANT NOTE here: if you’re looking to create your own, don’t just buy this stuff outright. Take the time to research what you’re going to be designing, and the intricacies of what you need to accomplish.

At university, my professors had us LIVING inside the datasheets for components. You will have to know these exceptionally well to ensure what you create is sufficient.

*   Displayed in inches for convenience, since standard sizes are often sold with imperial dimensions. This project uses the SI metric standard.

** Make sure to purchase a wealth of extra components, as small components such as thick-film resistors and capacitors are incredibly easy to lose.

Coming up next, we’re going to review some of the most important components in this list, and what you should know about them.