This is a realistic and highly detailed polygon model of an electron tube, complete with materials. These circuit components were once a staple of electronic devices, found in radios, televisions, mainframe computers, radar sets, and countless other gadgets up until the late 1970s, when transistors replaced them in all but certain specialized applications.

Electron tubes, also known as vacuum tubes, thermionic valves or just valves (in Britain), or simply tubes, are used to rectify, amplify, and switch electric currents using the principles of electrostatic attraction and repulsion acting on electrons free flowing through a vacuum.

Depicted is a 9-pin mini dual triode - a very common configuration and typical of later generations of electron tubes. (This type of shell was invented in 1939; prior designs used a bakelite base.) This general design would usually be used for signal processing and amplification in low to medium power applications, such as in a radio receiver, audio preamp, or in various stages of a television set.

The model consists of 16 visible layers and 42 construction layers, all of which are named; as such, customizations, assembly views, and cutaways are all easily done.

All texture images are included with the exception of two stock images that are included with LightWave [7.5] in its Content directory. These images are used as environment maps; if you don't have access to them, you can easily substitute other environments suitable to your project.

The polygon count is sufficient for most purposes; however, the curve used to form the shell is included, so the shell can easily be revolved again to get a higher polygon count if needed.

All internal elements are realistically modelled with the exception of the heater filaments and grid wire, both of which are missing. The filaments would not be visible except under thorough disassembly. The grid wire would be barely visible on very close examination, only by looking through the very small holes in the anodes.

The internal components were modelled with close attention to detail. As such, at any reasonable magnification, this model produces strikingly realistic renders.

The LWO version is the original.

The 3DS and OBJ versions have all polys split to triangles. They each therefore have 8007 polygons, not counting construction layers. Components and construction layers are provided as separate files in these versions. Both have material assignments, but the OBJ lacks material settings, due to limitations in the export.

DISCLAIMER: Although this model is quite lifelike for visual purposes, the measurements are not accurate to engineering tolerances.