Sign Builder Illustrated December 2014

LED LIGHTING

Guide to the Best Applications

PROPOSITON 65

What About Sign Materials?

www.signshop.com

NUM BER 234 | D EC EM BER 2 0 1 4

HOW-TO

DIGITAL SIGN JACKPOT

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Command Performance

BRILLIANT COLOR. PHENOMENAL SPEED. SMART INVESTMENT.

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December 2014

38 PHOTO: STRICKLER SIGNS.

47

24 24 35

41 The Big Payoff

BY JEFF WOOTEN

Raising the stakes on a signage makeover for a casino complex.

Creating a Wall Graphic

BY MARK K. ROBERTS

Back to school for a sign project.

38

DOOH Network Lessons Learned…

The Hard Way

BY ROB SILVERSHEIN

A preview of a Digital Signage Expo 2015 education session. Plus a video wall provides an interactive backdrop for a children’s hospital.

Sign Builder Illustrated (Print ISSN 895-0555, Digital ISSN 2161-4709) (USPS#0015-805) (Canada Post Cust. #7204564) (Bluechip Int’l, Po Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Agreement # 41094515) is published monthly

by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 55 Broad Street, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices.

Pricing, Qualified individual working in the sign industry may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year US $48.00; foreign $96.00; foreign, air mail $196.00. 2 years US $75.00; foreign $150.00; foreign, air mail $350.00. BOTH Print & Digital Versions: 1 year US $75.00; foreign $150.00; foreign, air mail $250.00. 2 years US $102.00; foreign $204.00; foreign, air mail $404.00.

Single copies are $36.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only.

Copyright © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2014. All rights reserved. Contents may not be

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SPECIAL SECTION SBI Digital Displays A look at projects and products related to digital signage and the sign industry.

42 47

The latest news related to digital signage systems in the sign market.

Thinking “Outside”

BY ASHLEY BRAY

Making sure digital signs stand out.

51 55

Digital Bytes

Artistic License

BY MIKE ANTONIAK

Art meets advertising on Baltimore’s big LED billboard.

Driving Innovation and Clean Cars

BY BETH GARD

A car wash installs an outdoor digital menu board and increases upsells.

reproduced without permission. For reprint information contact: Arthur Sutley, Publisher (212) 620-7247 or asutley@sbpub.com.

For Subscriptions, & address changes, please call (800) 895-4389, (402) 346-4740, Fax (402) 346-3670, e-mail circulation@sbpub.com or write to: Sign Builder Illustrated, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 1172, Skokie, IL 60076-8172.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sign Builder Illustrated, PO Box 1172, Skokie, IL 60076-8172.

Instructional information provided in this magazine should only be performed by skilled crafts people with the proper equipment. The publisher and authors of information provided herein advise all readers to exercise care when engaging in any of the how-to activities published in the magazine. Further, the publisher and authors assume no liability for damages or injuries resulting from projects contained herein.

December 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

1

Agenda

How-To Columns

DECEMBER 2014 DECEMBER 12: SBi 2014 Sign Summit, a conference on how sign shops can become more involved with digital printing, dimensional signs, and digital signage, takes place at the Hilton Tampa Downtown in Tampa, Florida. (www.signshop. com/sign-summit)

FEBRUARY 2015

Proposition 65 and the Sign Industry

16

20

Departments

16 No Comparisons

BY PETER PERSZYK

When gauging neon versus LED, where’s a designer to turn for a reality check?

20

Proposition 65 and the Sign Industry

BY MIKE SANTOS

Labeling the reasons behind California’s Proposition 65.

LED LIGHTING

Guide to the Best Applications

PROPOSITON 65

What About Sign Materials?

www.signshop.com

NU M BE R 234 | DE CE M BE R 20 14

HOW-TO

No Comparisons

DIGITAL SIGN JACKPOT

4

UpFront

6

Dispatches

10

Sign Show

57

SBI Marketplace

60

Shop Talk

Editor Jeff Wooten details how one sign shop got creative online to give its customer a peek “behind the curtain.”

The latest news from around the industry.

The newest products and services from sign manufacturers.

Advertisements and announcements from the sign trade.

Ashley Bray shows how a sign shop wrapped its crane truck in pink for an important cause.

On the Cover A new pylon sign for the Shooting Star Casino is a technological marvel.

Photo: Indigo Signworks.

2

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

FEBRUARY 12-13: The Midwest Sign Association Sign Show will be held at the MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit, Michigan. (www.msassn.org) FEBRUARY 26-28: Graphics of the Americas Expo & Conference will be conducted at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida. (goaexpo.com)

MARCH 2015 MARCH 10-12: Digital Signage Expo, co-located with the Digital Content Show, is scheduled to be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. (www.DSE2015.com)

APRIL 2015 APRIL 8-11: The 2015 ISA International Sign Expo will be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. (www.signexpo.org) signshop.com

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BY JEFF WOOTEN

December 2014, Vol. 28, No. 234 Sign Builder Illustrated (ISSN 0895-0555) print, (ISSN 2161-0709) digital is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

Extra! Getting to Know Your Sign

EXECUTIVE OFFICES

President and Chairman ARTHUR J. McGINNIS, JR. Publisher ARTHUR J. SUTLEY

Going online to go behind the scenes.

S

ometimes it’s about more than just the nuts-and-bolts when it comes to making successful signage for your customers. Sometimes it’s about those extra things one does in customer service that can impress them further.

Take Indigo Signworks in Fargo, North Dakota, for example. This full-service sign shop works on lots of different signs—pylons, monuments, awnings, digital displays, neon and LED lighting, channel letters, ADA-compliant, etc.—and on page 24, the article “The Big Payoff” details how they were well prepared to design, build, and install a massive single-pole pylon sign complete with video displays, LED pucks, channel letters, accent lighting, architectural embellishments, vinyl, etc., for the rebranded Shooting Star Casino (SSC) in Mahnomen, Minnesota. “[Their] signage installation for our new StarMart C-Store was flawless and more than we ever expected,” said William “Bill” Marsh, general manager of the Shooting Star Casino, Hotel, and Event Center, “so when the time came to update our main exterior ID sign, Indigo was at the top of our list, due to their professional staff, exceptional service, and topquality sign production and installation.”

And while the technical expertise exhibited on this project was impressive, there’s a little more to the story here.

One creative example of “exceptional service” here is that Indigo offered the casino access to a Web site they had set up especially for this project. The shop updated it weekly to keep casino officials in the loop on the production and installation status of their sign. Interestingly the sign shop had never done anything like this before.

When the signage makeover project came up, Indigo met with casino officials to discuss concepts for the sign. They first had to probe and ask

4

55 Broad Street, 26th floor New York, NY 10004 212/620-7247; fax: 212/633-1863 EDITORIAL EDITOR

Jeff Wooten

323 Clifton Street, Suite #7 Greenville, NC 27858 212/620-7244; fax: 212/633-1863 jwooten@sbpub.com MANAGING EDITOR

questions to figure out if the casino wanted to go glitzy or conservative. And it was during these initial meetings that this online idea arose.

Faced with production questions during the initial stages of the conversation regarding how long the project would take and what materials would be used, Indigo Signworks Project Manager Dan Combs and Marketing Coordinator Angela Dahl developed this online idea and discussed it with enthusiastic casino officials during the bidding process.

Dahl took production snapshots in the shop every day and uploaded them to the site at the end of each week, with detailed, conversational explanations of what was being worked on and what the casino could expect.

“With a project of this size and magnitude, we wanted [SSC] to know exactly what went into manufacturing and building a sign like this,” says Combs. “It was also a fun, behindthe-scenes way to introduce them to the people in our organization who were building it—letting them know that this employee was handling the channel letters, this team was handling the metal fabrication, this group was handling the video displays, etc.”

Combs credits this Web site solution for not only keeping the back-and-forth going with the casino throughout the entire production process but for also helping generate constant excitement. “They were able to see the materials we were using and how much we were using,” he says. “They were excited to see the signage get nearer and nearer completion.”

It’s offering outside-the-box solutions like this—letting customers to get to know the “man behind the curtain”—that, if equipped with the talent to do so, allows them to not only feel more comfortable with your capabilities but also shows them an extra dimension to your creativity.

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

Ashley Bray

55 Broad Street, 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 212/620-7220; fax: 212/633-1863 abray@sbpub.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Butch “Superfrog” Anton, Mike Antoniak, Beth Gard, Jim Hingst, Peter Perszyk, Mark Roberts, Mike Santos, Lori Shridhare, Rob Silvershein, Randy Wright ART

Corporate Art Director Wendy Williams Designer Emily Cocheo PRODUCTION

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers CIRCULATION

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney ADVERTISING SALES NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR

Jeff Sutley 212/620-7233; fax: 212/633-1863 jeffsutley@sbpub.com WEST & MIDWEST REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

Kim Noa

212/620-7221; fax: 212/633-1863 knoa@sbpub.com Sign Builder Illustrated is published monthly. All rights reserved. Nothing herein may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. To purchase PDF files of cover and layouts or hard copy reprints, please call Arthur Sutley at 212/620-7247 or e-mail asutley@sbpub.com.

Circulation Dept. 800/895-4389

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GO BEYOND cut and print.

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Dispatches

MAGNETIC MATERIALS “Fresh”-en Up Children’s Hospital Rooms Lafayette Hill, PA—Fresh Artists, an award-winning national non-profit, has already designed a new model of philanthropy where selected children’s works of art are scanned at extremely high resolution, printed in large format, and given as gifts to companies that donate to Fresh Artists. Funds raised deliver art supplies and art programs to severely under6

funded schools across the country.

But thanks to a partnership with Visual Magnetics, in which the company adopted Fresh Artists as a corporate social responsibility partner, the nonprofit is now taking this artwork into children’s hospital rooms.

Barbara Chandler Allen, founder and president of Fresh Artists, and her son

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

Roger Allen, creative director, were working with a children’s long-term care facility in Philadelphia when they had a brainstorm. Visual Magnetics would enable them to create an efficient program of changing out artwork in children’s hospital rooms on a regular basis, giving young patients and their parents something fun to look forward to. signshop.com

“Roger and I looked at each other and said, ‘The art could be switched out easily by the nursing staff,’” says Allen. “This material is the perfect solution to freshen up children’s rooms and empower children and families who find themselves in a somewhat powerless and challenging situation.”

With the help of a materials donation from Visual Magnetics, Fresh Artists is developing a prototype system that can be installed in children’s long-term care facilities. Roger has created a platform mount for frames installed with the Visual Magnetics system so that either landscape or portrait-oriented images can be easily installed.

Fresh Artists is also developing an “art library,” which will consist of a catalog and small-footprint storage system to house the collection of printed works in numbered tubes. Patients and their families will be able to select artworks using the catalog, which staff can easily roll-on.

The Fresh Artist team even tested Visual Magnetics’ material for durability, and it showed no effect after being scrubbed with hospital-grade disinfectants.

“At every turn, we found that Visual Magnetics had a solution engineered into their existing system to help us develop

signshop.com

Trans-Lux in Times Square

this idea,” says Allen. “Partnering with Visual Magnetics to bring excitement, change, and empowerment to these vulnerable children means the world to us.”

New York, New York—URBO is one of the newest eateries in Times Square, and with 26,000 square feet, five restaurants, and 600 seats on three levels, it’s quite impressive. But so too is the restaurant’s new digital signage.

Trans-Lux Corporation’s new TL Vision HD 8mm LED displays were installed on the exterior of the restaurant and are the first phase of a three-phase LED project for URBO and Trans-Lux. Phases two and three will deliver even more dynamic LED display solutions—including a massive LED ribbon and LED water tower, plus two large-screen LED displays. The estimated value of the project is over $2.5 million.

“URBO offers a unique environment designed to cater to a very diverse clientele,” said J.M. Allain, President and Chief Executive Officer, Trans-Lux. “Our TL Vision LED displays provide a highly visible and effective media platform to engage and drive customer traffic with HD-quality imagery and messaging.”

December 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

7

Dispatches +

Announcing SignVine Crowdfunding Ontario, California—Crowdfunding is a savvy way to raise money and has become a social addiction for many people. They can anonymously get online and seek out projects, movies, books, and games. Then they can make a donation of any size and quickly become involved in a worldwide community (and maybe get a cool trinket out of it). The group of message sign professionals who created SignVine believes crowdfunding will work for the message sign industry too, but it may take some time.

SignVine launched their crowdfunding site in March of this year and quickly found out that, while they have a great idea praised by many, execution has been slow going. “The sign industry has seen so much technological advancement that it's a real challenge for them to keep up with every new idea or tool that may come their way,” stated Paul Martin, project director for SignVine. “So savvy new ‘online’ tools are slow to integrate.

"And now, crowdfunding? Even though

it has been severely effective for raising money from potato salad to medical treatments and feeding the hungry, it’s going to take some time to convince or show (and educate) the sign industry how it can be effective for them.”

SignVine recently introduced a lot of new changes to help the message sign industry learn about this new trend.

For example, they revamped their site to be more “donation-only” with an interactive and engaging timeline and a lower funding fee. Now a non-profit looking to raise money for an outdoor message sign can register for a free campaign and upload their story, picture, or even a video. When the campaign is over, they only owe SignVine 5 percent of the total amount raised. Donors can even cover this fee when making a donation.

Sign companies are already working with non-profit organizations, so SignVine is making efforts to educate and work with sign companies to show how crowdfunding can help them close more

sales. SignVine created a new brochure, a new video, and even started a new blog to further help the sign industry understand the power of crowdfunding.

“It’s all an effort to help sign companies and their non-profit clients,” says Martin. “We work directly with the nonprofit, so there is no extra workload for the sign company.

"When the money is raised, we turn the client back over to them to fulfill the project.”

For more information, call 844/8079720 or visit www.signvine.org.

MRI Wrap Stow, Ohio—MACtac® Distributor Products donated IMAGin® RoughRAP™ to transform an MRI machine at Sant Joan de Deù Children’s Hospital in Barcelona, Spain. The renovation was completed by applying space-themed, self-adhesive films printed with HP Latex Inks to the entire outside of the medical device. Spanish company demibold handled the printing.

In June 2014, HP initiated a project aimed at improving the comfort of the young patients visiting the children’s hospital. The update to the MRI facilities of the hospital involved completely covering the large scanner that most

8

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

children see as frightening.

As a result, the room is now re-named the “Spatial Zone,” a place where children can make-believe they are an astronaut instead of a patient.

“Thanks to our partnership with HP and demibold, we were able to assist in turning an intimidating medical device into a place where children can feel much more at ease,” said Brittany Franzen, marketing administrator, MACtac.

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SignSHOW DY E S U B L I M AT I O N Fisher Textiles Now Carries the Complete HEYTex digitex Textiles Line Fisher Textiles is now one of the authorized distributors for the brand HEYTex® in North America. Fisher Textiles fully stocks and distributes all digitex® sign materials, which are ideal for brilliant backlit displays, exhibit graphics, frontlit signage, retail advertising, and silicone edge graphics. The PVC-free, environmentally friendly, and recyclable digitex range sets standards on the sign market and is one of the most comprehensive portfolios of PVC-free products. Most styles available from Fisher Textiles are offered up to 197 inches wide. They are also flame retardant and pass German B-1. 800/554-8886; www.fishertextiles.com

The Texart RT-640 Displays Vibrant Colors, Velvety Blacks, Subtle Gradations, and Fine Details Roland DGA’s new Texart RT-640 is an advanced, sixty-four-inch dye sublimation transfer printer featuring innovative print control technology, powerful ErgoSoft Roland Edition RIP software, and a choice of four- or eight-color ink configurations. The Texart RT-640 incorporates a gold-plated, anti-static printhead capable of printing seven different droplet sizes for smooth gradations and denser color. A newly designed feed adjuster—which in combination with a more powerful fan and an included TU-3 take-up system—ensures added stability for high-speed printing up to 351 square feet per hour. The Roland Ink Switching System™ allows users to load a fresh pouch without stopping the printer.

Increased convenience and ease-of-use is provided by new Roland Printer Assist—a cutting-edge system that enables the operator to manage production, test printing, and cleaning functions directly from an iPad tablet from virtually anywhere within their shop. 800/542-2307; www.rolanddga.com

D I G I TA L P R I N T I N G E Q U I PM E N T/ S U P P L I E S New Mimaki Hardware for Light Production Signage and Graphics The JV150 Series printers and the CJV150 Series cut-and-print devices from Mimaki USA feature advanced piezo technology printheads capable of print speeds of up to 605 square feet per hour. The JV150 Series model is available in two sizes (54-inch and 64-inch). These printers can use either eight-color SS21 eco-solvent inks or six-color Sb53 dye-sublimation inks. The CJV150 Series printers (pictured) add cut-and-print capability for signage or textile applications and can use either ten-color SS21 eco-solvent inks or six-color Sb53 dye sublimation inks. The CJV150 Series is available in four sizes (32-, 43-, 54-, and 64-inch). SS21 Silver ink, available for the CJV150 Series, can be used to create metallic color effects. This Silver formulation delivers brilliant mirror-effect results that are not diminished even when film overlaminate is applied. RasterLink6 RIP software—standard with CJV150 Series units—includes a swatch palette of 648 metallic colors. www.mimakiusa.com

FASTEN ERS/GROMMETS METALgrommets Hand Press Features New Alignment Fixture The ClipsShop™ CSTEP-2 Hand Grommet Press introduced by METALgrommets.com is designed for heavy-duty use where automated equipment isn’t required but speed and accuracy are. It provides a force-advantaged lever with a foam handle and an adjustable stop and can accommodate grommets #XX00 and larger. Featured is a new alignment fixture that has a roller bearing slide with high-contrast English-metric graduations, a knurled thumbscrew for adjustment, and an adjustable table. Designed for easy setup and operation, the GrommetSniper™ Alignment Fixture is a rigid fence that lets users uniformly locate the distance between grommets from two to twenty-four inches to center and application depth from three inches to center. The ClipsShop CSTEP-2 Hand Grommet Press is portable and easy to operate, and its adjustable bottom stop prevents crushing and assures a consistent grommet application. www.METALgrommets.com

L A M I N AT I N G E Q U I PM E N T/ S U P P L I E S Wide Format Roller Laminator is Designed with Print Shops and Small Facilities in Mind Available in a sixty-three-inch laminating width, Drytac’s JetMounter™ Fuzion XD offers interchangeable, large-diameter, non-stick silicone rollers; a heat-assist top roller with digital display for Celsius/Fahrenheit; a heavy-duty lift mechanism for precise, calibrated pressure control; adjustable speed control up to twenty feet per minute; and four auto-grip supply or take-up shafts with adjustable brake tension on the operator side for roll-to-roll lamination.

Additional features include a center release; a fold down feed table with a “lay flat” paper in-feed guide; a latching storage compartment on each side of the stand; a maximum nip opening of one inch; and heavy-duty lockable casters for greater stability and maneuverability. www.drytac.com

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Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

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SignSHOW LED MODULES/TUBES/STRIPS High-quality LED Modules Providing Superior Lighting for Channel Letters LED module manufacturer Light Source Solutions (LSS) sells direct to sign companies that need superior lighting and lower costs. LSS modules are manufactured using brand name LED chipsets (Samung™, Solleds™, IST™), IP68 waterproofing, 50,000 to 85,000 hours life, uniform illumination using one-rank chips, and carry a five-year limited warranty. Its modules are offered in two modules per foot or three modules per foot (mini). White modules are available in either 6500 or 12000 Kelvin and produce 126 lumens per foot. Color modules are offered in Red, Green, and Blue and have color-coded housings to ensure mistake-proof installation. Mounting is with 3M VHB Tape™ plus mechanical if needed.

855/809-1100; www.lightsourcesolutions.net

Put On the Color Jacket Non-neon Flexible LED Lighting Outwater’s new Color Jacket Non-Neon Flexible LED Lighting has been designed to replace old glass neon light tubes, allowing one to easily and inexpensively create and install illumination wherever desired without any particular knowledge of electronics. Offered in seven vivid colors in 120V and 24V formats, Outwater’s Color Jacket Non-Neon Flexible LED Lighting is durable, extremely flexible, and can be cut and connected in the field to produce lighted signs, lit building outlines, and other types of innovative interior or exterior lighting. Boasting up to 70 percent greater operating efficiency over comparable forms of lighting, with an approximate 100,000-hour lifespan, Outwater’s Color Jacket Non-Neon Flexible LED Lighting is not only virtually unbreakable, crush-resistant up to 450 psi, and impervious to harsh environments, but it provides superior brightness and extremely balanced illumination without any generated hot spots for uniform, easy to implement luminosity. www.outwater.com

PA N E L S AW S The SSC165H: An Affordable, Multi-function Cutting Solution The new SSC165H available from Safety Speed Manufacturing was developed as a vertical panel saw and substrate cutter all in one. This revolutionary machine combines a dust-free cutter with a panel saw, allowing sign makers the ability to cut just about any material up to 1-3/4 inches in their shop. Customers can cut multiple sheets, v-groove aluminum composite, score acrylic, and rip sheet goods up to ten feet all with one machine, which saves thousands of dollars in equipment purchases and labor. In addition, the SSC165H was recently awarded the Product of the Year Award in the Finishing Equipment Category at this year’s SGIA Expo. www.safetyspeed.com

ROUTERS/ENGR AVERS Announcing the Availability of the LaserBits Exhaust Fan The Laser Exhaust Fan (XUS 035) from LaserBits is a top-quality fan designed for exhausting smoke and fumes from a laser engraving system. Connection to the ductwork is made easy using standard four-inch inlet and outlet duct fittings.

The continuous-duty fan features an industrial bearing motor and powder-coated steel enclosure. The Laser Exhaust Fan is pre-wired for 110-volt with a three-prong plug and double pole on/off switch. The Laser Exhaust Fan meets or exceeds laser manufacturer’s specifications for CFM and static pressure for laser systems with a table size up to 39-by24 inches. Complete how-to instructions for installing a safe and effective laser exhaust system is available in the Tech Tip section on the company’s Web site. www.laserbits.com

New Benchtop CNC Router Helps Sign Makers & Engravers Automate Production Techno’s new BT1212 Benchtop CNC Router’s key features are its heavy-duty construction with precision ball screws on all three axes, an 800-Watt (1 HP) Kress variable speed spindle with 8,000-24,000 RPM, and a brushless micro stepper motor control system. The process area is 11.8 inches (X) by 11.8 inches (Y) by 4 inches (Z). It is operated with a hand-held controller and is compatible with industry-standard G and M codes. The machine comes complete with an aluminum t-slot table and includes 1/8, 1/4 collets and wrenches. The Techno BT1212 Benchtop is well suited for sign making and engraving, especially for those with limited space in their shop. This unit will route and engrave wood, plastic, foam, and even light metals. Whether the application requires the precision and detail for inlay work and engraving, or the demands of cutting metals like aluminum and brass, it is designed to handle everything that sign makers typically work with.

631/648-7481; www.technocnc.com

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Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

signshop.com

SignSHOW SERVICE TRUCKS/CRANES/EQUIPMENT Elliott Equipment Rolls Out a Wider and Improved Product Offering Elliott Equipment, manufacturer of truck-mounted cranes and aerial work platforms, now offers solutions ranging from 48 to 140 feet (pictured, the eighty-five-foot G85R model), featuring large, self-leveling work platforms and material handling. Elliott’s hydraulic systems offer maximum flow for quicker set up, take down, and ultra-smooth operation.

Elliott’s “Office In The Sky” platforms can be equipped with the most tools in the industry including 110V, air, welding, oxy/acetylene, and pressure washing to increase productivity and safety. Elliott products can be customized with a range of boxes and bodies. Backed by a lifetime structural warranty, Elliott units have the highest resale on the market. www.elliottequip.com

S O F T WA R E - D E S I G N / P R I N T/ R O U T E R / E ST I M AT I N G Is Your Custom Sign Manufacturing Software Built for People Who Make Signs?

In the past, software for small- and mid-sized sign manufacturers meant heavy investment, painful implementation, and complex, costly upgrades—all for a set of functionality that wasn’t even designed for your business. In addition, functionality gaps still meant working manually with other systems (spreadsheet tracking, meetings, and white boards) to fill the gaps. But with the Web-based (Cloud) delivery of KeyedIn® Manufacturing-Sign Edition, the costs and implementation time take a nosedive while your ability to work together and manage every aspect of your business skyrockets. If you want to see the difference between a clunky, expensive, generic system that was built for large companies but marketed to small ones and a solution that wasPT built with direct input from successful sign manufacturing leaders, get in touch today to book a demo with one of KeyedIn’s Solutions’ experts. www.keyedin.com/sign_demo

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December 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

15

HOW-TO

BY PETER PERSZYK

Electric

No Comparisons When gauging neon versus LED, where’s a sign designer to turn for a reality check?

I

n my opinion, one of the problems these days with comparisons between LEDs and neon (Photo 1) is that you really can’t make a fair comparison. It’s apple and oranges.

In fact, there really is no comparison.

Unfortunately if you investigate this topic via the Web, you’ll find instances of lopsided, generalizing comparisons. Those who have long lists of the many LED “pros” and only a few “cons” appear to be merely in a mode of not selling neon.

But there are a few instances where LEDs are 100 percent better than neon, and at this point in history, we can be specific and limit it to a few specific types of signs.

SMALL SIZE The real key to using LEDs is when it comes to size and simplicity.

One of the main characteristics of LED sign modules is that they excel at fitting in, i.e., they’re a light source that easily goes into a tight

spot. So a set of closed letters where LEDs work well are small or thin letters or letters where the font has a very narrow stroke (Photo 2).

If we really look at what LEDs have become, they’ve turned into a good source of illumination for enclosed channel letters—channel letters in malls; reverse-lit channel letters with white plastic backs; and anything well diffused, completely covered, or where the viewer cannot directly see the source of light.

There are even some very good lighting modules that have come out to retrofit fluorescent-lit signs, especially useful for those signs that are hard to reach, complex to service, or past their initial electrical life and need a complete upgrade. (Note: Again, in these applications, the LED light source is not directly visible to the intended viewer.)

With LED lights behaving more like bright little packs of spot lights or uniform rows of little spot lights, they fail when the light reflection and/or light diffusion is not up to par (Photo 3). Replacement

1 16

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

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Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

of the inherent light scattering across several feet of a round T12 fluorescent light, for example, often leads to a spotty job of illumination with LEDs. To get a continuous illuminated look comparable to neon or the fluorescent tubes, you’re going to need additional components.

It’s all too easy to walk into a shopping center and see a sign that’s made with LED lighting (Photo 4). The round linearity of fluorescent and neon make them ideal for smooth, uniform lighting in multiple directions. But LED lighting requires diffusion, distance, or density to achieve the same uniformity of light.

Don’t get me wrong. I personally don’t have a neon plant, nor am I someone who produces neon. I also don’t work at a company with an in-house neon bender. But I am someone—like many in the sign, graphic, and design industries—who understands what lighting works in specific applications.

One of the keys with LED lighting success is the fact that a lot of sign companies apparently don’t produce neon in-house and LED gives them the freedom to produce not just a complete set of letters, but the entire sign.

This also translates into a sign that’s easier to ship and install without the risk of breakage.

Now this isn’t as big an issue with stock-size fluorescent lamps, but it’s a much bigger one with custom-bent neon. It’s also important for sign producers that are creating and sending out a national sign program. signshop.com

EIGHT COLORS OF CRAYONS? One of the shortcomings that time will eliminate is the color spectrum for LEDs. The harsh blue-white color of LEDs is often a plus in getting a sign to look bright, but it’s a different color white than that of fluorescent tubes, which have existed for years and we’ve grown accustomed to.

If we look at LEDs, we see that there are very few colors for it compared to the spectrum that neon tubes produce. This is a major shortcoming in the “LED vs.

Neon” comparison.

Technology is a hurdle here that the sign builder is remote from.

One plus for LED is that possible solutions exist with the use of RGB (Red Green Blue) modules.

Simply dial in the color. This color is often a close approximation. It’s also something that can be changed as needed or permanently set (depending on the manufacturer and the process of controlling the level of lighting with the three colors of LEDs).

As you can imagine, this process is more expensive because you’re essentially putting in three sets of LEDs unified in a single run or a single chain of modules. Adding the controlling circuit to adjust the color correctly comes at a higher cost (when compared with single, defined-color LED modules or strips).

Direct experience has shown that the longevity of LEDs isn’t always as described. The lamp, the actual diode, and the actual light producing item appear to last as long as expected, but the conductivity, the circuit strip, the circuit board, the copper conductors, and the electronic components associated with these light emitting diodes can be very problematic.

Failure mid-stream from the manufacturer’s connections will require replacement from that point on or the need for splicing in a section of modules. Failure of a partial section of LED makes the sign look like a lamp is out.

One site I recommend looking at is signletters.com from Gemini, Inc., particularly their catalog that touches on LED letter illumination. The company pairs eight different face colors to only five LED colors for the best result (Photo 5). One interesting note is the reverse channel letter example shown. signshop.com

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December 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

19

HOW-TO

BY MIKE SANTOS

Regulations

Proposition 65 and the Sign Industry

Labeling the reasons behind California’s

months to comply with warning requirements.

California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) developed numerical guidelines know as “safe harbor levels” for determining whether a warning is necessary.

A business has “safe harbor” from Proposition 65 warning requirements if exposure to a chemical occurs at or below these levels. These safe harbor levels consist of “No Significant Risk Levels” for chemicals listed as causing cancer and the “Maximum Allowable Dose Levels” for chemicals listed as causing birth defects or reproductive harm.

The OEHHA has established over 300 safe harbor levels to date and continues to develop more levels for listed chemicals.

Proposition 65 has provided residents with information they can use to reduce their exposure to listed chemicals that may not have been adequately controlled under other state or federal laws.

This law has also increased public awareness about the adverse effects of exposure to listed chemicals. For example, Proposition 65 has resulted in

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Proposition 65.

I

t’s amazing how a California environmental law enacted in 1986 can affect the sign fabrication industry nearly twenty-nine years later, but that’s the case with what has become known as “Proposition 65.”

Proposition 65 imposes requirements on companies doing business in California that have products containing specifically listed chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm. This list includes naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals, along with additives or ingredients in pesticides, common household products, food, drugs, dyes, solvents, and chemicals used in manufacturing and construction.

These companies must provide a “clear and reasonable” warning before knowingly and intentionally exposing anyone to a listed chemical.

This warning can be given by a variety of means— such as by labeling a product, posting signs at the workplace, or publishing notices in a newspaper.

Once a chemical is listed, businesses have twelve

20

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

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USE FABRIC TO CREATE SIGNS THAT INFORM AND INSPIRE

Photo courtesy: Serge Ferrai/Soltis 86

Signs are essential in branding retail locations so people can find their favorite coffee shop, lunch spot or grocery store. Signs should also complement the surrounding architecture and help tell the business’s brand story. Fabric—with its diverse array of colors, weaves and finishes—gives sign makers the ultimate versatility to achieve these goals for their customers.

With eradicable vinyl fabrics, fabrics that take pressure-sensitive film and printable fabrics available today, there’s no limit on creativity.

SIGNS THAT MARK THE SPOT Backlit signs are the ultimate location finder for passing motorists and pedestrians. Whether it’s a backlit sign raised high or an awning with a business name and logo, these signs work hard both day and night. Using a backlit fabric such as Eradi-Lite®, available in 13 colors, is the most economical way to create a branded sign. It has an eradicable surface for simple lettering and logos and a special blend of plasticizers and elastomers that maintain flexibility while resisting plasticizer migration, staining or abrasion.

Or select Cooley Brite®, available in 20 colors, with an eradicable ink top surface; the White/White Cooley Brite is solvent, UV and latex printable.

“Eradicable fabrics make it simple to create eye-catching designs and add logos to backlit signs and awnings,” said Steve Daegling, Awning Products Manager for Trivantage. “It’s durable, easy to handle and makes economic sense for many signage needs.”

SIGNS THAT INFORM AND PROTECT Printable fabrics make awnings, canopies and shade structures into signage for hospitals, hotels, restaurants and nursing homes, where entrances may require weather protection and identification.

Herculite® Natura™, a vinyl composite supported by a polyester substrate, has the look and feel of a woven cloth on both sides for a classy appearance, and it can be digitally printed. It features Rain-Kleen® II protective finish

that resists stains and mildew and with an eight-year warranty is a good choice where the application calls for durability.

Cooley Weathertyte®, a polyester fabric with a vinyl/acrylic finish, also has the appearance of a textured decorative fabric and is digitally printable.

It has an eight-year warranty and when used on awnings and canopies, provides weatherproof protection.

CREATE A SOPHISTICATED LOOK Function drove the invention of the awning, but while today’s shade structures still offer practical benefits, they do so with sophistication thanks to technical advancements in fabric. For example, Sunbrella® awning fabrics create a stylish look while offering excellent fade and weather resistance. With a 10-year warranty, Sunbrella fabrics are durable against the elements, and graphics can be applied using Sunbrella Graphics System (SGS) Thermal Digital Film.

Simply print the design on SGS film and using an SGS machine, apply it to the fabric for a clean, refined look. SGS film is also available in black for applying lettering to awnings, umbrellas and other shade creations.

“Over the years, municipalities have restricted where backlit signs can be used, especially in downtown areas,” said Drew Nelson, Printable Fabrics Product Manager with Trivantage. “The Sunbrella Graphics System has a high-end appearance that helps businesses put their best foot forward and is ideal for installations that incorporate top lighting.”

GET CREATIVE Printable premium mesh fabrics, such as Serge Ferrari Soltis® 86, Soltis, 92, Soltis 93 and Soltis 99 offer sign designers a method of shading a building while creating an immersive brand experience: print images, graphic designs, school colors or whatever your imagination conjures up to tell your customer’s story. Soltis fabrics are ideal for tension shade structures where you want to maintain a view from underneath the shade structure or inside a building but need to block some sunlight. From the outside, passersby see only the design printed on the fabric.

“Signs can inform and inspire if you tap into the wide variety of fabrics available,” Nelson said. “And your creativity will help your customers’ businesses grow.”

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greater awareness of the dangers of alcoholic beverage consumption during pregnancy. Alcohol consumption warnings may be the most visible health warnings issued as a result of Proposition 65.

Proposition 65’s warning requirement has provided an incentive for manufacturers to remove listed chemicals from their products. For example, trichloroethylene (which is known to cause cancer) is no longer used in most correction fluids.

In addition, Proposition 65 prompted

manufacturers to decrease the lead content in ceramic tableware and wineries to eliminate the use of lead-containing foil caps on wine bottles.

Proposition 65 has also succeeded in reducing air emissions of listed chemicals, such as ethylene oxide and chloroform.

Although Proposition 65 has benefited Californians, it has come at a cost for companies doing business in the state. These companies have incurred expenses to test products, develop alternatives to listed

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Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

chemicals, reduce discharges, provide warnings, and otherwise comply with this law. Penalties for violating Proposition 65 by failing to provide notices can be as high as $2,500 per violation per day!

Proposition 65 is enforced by the California Attorney General’s Office. Any district attorney or city attorney (for cities with populations exceeding 750,000) may enforce Proposition 65. And any individual acting in the public interest may file a lawsuit against a business alleged to be in violation of the law. These “concerned citizens” are then entitled to a portion of the penalties paid by businesses, creating a hefty incentive for them to file as many lawsuits as possible.

Compliance with this ever-changing law is tricky. State regulators have added more than 800 chemicals to the list of those that must be labeled under Prop 65. Then there’s over 300 “safe harbor levels” established for these chemicals to further muddy the waters.

How do I know so much about Proposition 65? Well my company has firsthand experience dealing with legislative compliance of this law.

An architectural firm in California requested material content information for Novacryl® PT Series. We were confident our Novacryl PT Series did not require labeling, but the request forced us to act and confirm with certainty that we are in compliance with Proposition 65.

We hired an independent third party to evaluate our sign material and sent them samples for comprehensive testing.

We recognized a lot was on the line here.

The consequences of not meeting Proposition 65 standards meant that all the material we stocked and shipped to California would require the necessary labeling.

We were even more concerned about the environmental ramifications. Are we selling a product deemed hazardous?

This experience raises a number of questions relating to the sign industry and how it impacts all companies shipping products to California. Is your wayfinding signage in compliance with Proposition 65? How many architects and sign fabricators check with material suppliers to make sure products are properly labeled? Are the products you’re using safe?

Mike Santos is director of Sales & Marketing at Nova Polymers (www.novapolymers.com). signshop.com

all Photos: indigo signworks.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

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wned and operated by the White Earth Ojibwe tribe, the Shooting Star Casino, Hotel, and Event Center (SSC) in Mahnomen, Minnesota is a Midwestern home to Las Vegasstyle gaming, entertainment, shopping, and dining.

But after fourteen years of the same branding, the tribe wanted a new look here.

Their rebranding was also going to require updating all the exterior signage found throughout the SSC campus. This was divided into two phases. Phase One involved the design, build, and install of a new, sixty-five-foot-tall pylon sign on an existing single-pole structure.

The tribe wanted to come in under $1 million for the entire project, and they didn’t want to gamble on this signage redo not paying off in the end.

Jackpot! Enter Indigo Signworks, Inc. (www.indigosignworks.com), a state-of-the-art sign design, fabrication, installation, and service company headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota (with other offices in surrounding North Dakota and Minnesota locations).

Indigo built and installed this pylon sign. It includes the following components: ☞ A 15-by-20-foot, double-sided Daktronics 16mm full-color display; ☞ Custom Daktronics LED pucks populated into the Shooting Star “badge” logo at the top of the sign; ☞ Combined halo- and face-lit channel letters; ☞ Glass bead epoxy texturing; ☞ Complementary EPS “stone” accents for the sign cladding drawn from the casino’s exterior architecture; ☞ SloanLED ColorLINE blue LED lighting bordering the pole cladding and uppermost top section;

December 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

25

The casino’s colors and architecture played factors in the design.

Skeletal steel framework for the uppermost section of the sign was built first.

The full-color 16mm LED display has the capability of showing videos, graphics, text, and animation.

☞ Four narrow-focus SkyTracker spotlights manufactured by Ballantine and Strong that create a “triangular beam” of light that can be seen for miles around; and ☞ Precision-carved/routed HDU tribal logo work and plaque at the base of the sign.

The Beginning

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A few sketches later, the final sign design was agreed upon.

In fact, the remaining building and secondary signage for this fall’s Phase Two were designed off this new pylon sign design: a single-face channel letters-and-cabinet sign system at the main entrance, an LED-accented pylon sign along the highway, rear entrance halo-lit and face-lit letters, and a new awning makeover at the front of the casino that will use aluminum instead of canvas for a more rigid, metal-looking appearance.

O

For the past decade, Dan Combs, project manager at Indigo Signworks, had established a strong working relationship with SSC and assisted them with site signage on many occasions (including an LED EMC pylon sign and illuminated canopy for the SSC’s StarMart C-Store).

When the signage makeover project came up, Combs and Eric Sterling, designer for the project, met with casino officials to discuss concepts. They learned that even though the casino wanted to replace the outdated pylon sign that was then up and running, for cost reasons, they still wanted to keep its existing foundation.

Before this meeting, both Combs and Sterling visited the SSC campus, evaluated the site, took photos of all the signs, and paid close attention to the environment. “There’s a lot of field stone and cultured stone used on the exterior of their facilities,” says Combs, “and we thought the new signage should reflect this.”

26

A sixty-foot interior ladder system was built to allow crew to climb the pole.

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

Design

Indigo Graphic Designer Greg Nelson worked closely with the fabrication department. He used Gerber Omega 5.0 software to create the vector shapes for router files, vinyl cutting files, etc.

“The initial working sketch files artwork was exported from Omega 5.0 into EnRoute 7.1, our CNC editing/routing program,” says Fabrication Manager Dave Barker. “The signage was then sliced and diced into sections for the various departments to properly fabricate and later assemble.”

Main ID Sign Body

Indigo Signworks built the main 11-by-31-1/2-foot sign body—dubbed the “Winnebago”—in two sections. This alsignshop.com

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SloanLED modules were populated in the letters using Aries LED Wizard 7.1.

The faux-stone on the pole cladding and sign top is made out of EPS foam.

lowed production to flip, rotate, or relocate the components during the production process. “If assembled in one piece, it would’ve weighed too much to do this,” says Combs, “nor would it have been able to fit into our paint spray booth.”

They started with the skeletal steel frame for the face portion and built half of it, just past the pocket. They built another frame to match it off one-foot metal sawhorses.

Lead Fabricator Tim Welter explains, “After each ‘half’ was built, we fit it together and drilled the holes into it so that it would eventually bolt together.”

Meanwhile, due to the height of the sign and the power supplies and wiring that were going to be placed in the main sign portion, after the frame was built and supported in the center, Indigo constructed a sixty-foot ladder system inside it for crewmembers to later use to climb the pole.

Skinning the “Winnebago” involved many pallets of aluminum sheeting to cover the inner steel structure. This required exact fitting, drilling, and riveting.

Once the sheeting was completed, all of the mounting points for the large Shooting Star channel letters were plotted on a pattern using Signlab 7.1 and then pre-drilled prior to painting to assure proper and accurate placement.

“This would ensure a non-compromised painted surface during letter installation,” says Welter. “We filled the holes drilled into the sign with studs and standoffs that support the lettering.”

O

Pieces were placed on a low-body, flatbed trailer for shipment to the site.

Video Screens Electronic display carriers were fabricated to help mount the 15-by-20-foot screens to their frames. “We built these in sections,” says Combs. “We assembled them later on-site, to ensure an easy installation process in the field.”

LED puck elements are found at the top of the sign and complement the video screen below. They are completely programmable on their own or can share “screen space” with the larger video display below.

Indigo’s production department used a MultiCam CNC router to precision-route the custom faces to accept the LED puck system for the logo. “These pucks and their power supplies required a precision touch to ensure the mapping of the future graphics is correct and unaltered,” says Combs.

As part of the agreed-upon contract, custom digital content is generated by Creative Services, a department of Daktronics.

“This includes their logo and animation,” says Combs. “So if you take their shooting star badge or text, Creative Services will build animated content from that artwork.”

Channel Letters Indigo Signworks Digital Fabricator Alissa Stotts generated the channel letter files using EnRoute 7.1 and afterwards they were routed out of .063 aluminum (returns) and .177 acrylic (faces) using 0.25-inch single flute cuts on the MultiCam CNC and Onsrud

A Company of Western Engravers Supply, Inc.

28

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

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As pieces of the original sign were removed, they were sent to be recycled.

Crews worked in baskets to guide the crane-lifted pieces in place.

bits from ABC Sign Products.

They created the five-inch-deep returns for the letters using an Accu-bend CNC letter-forming machine, while an AccuClinch assembled the metal components.

Meanwhile Indigo produced the edging of the acrylic faces (later decorated with blue and white 3M™ vinyl) using a CLN Quick Trim Notcher. The silver Jewelite trim cap is one inch.

The sign shop populated the interior of

the letters with SloanLED modules. For the letters that are both face-lit and backlit, the company installed a clear divider inside them that allows the lighting to escape through both faces of the channel.

Stand-offs were attached to the backs of the letters, to help with later attachment.

Power Supplies The power supply banks for the LED letters and video display were mounted onto alu-

To read further details about this project, visit www.signshop.com. minum sheets and then placed in the main ID sign on both halves of its upright braces.

This was done so no one inside the sign would hit them. “There are a lot of things placed inside here, such as the power boxes for the searchlights above,” says Welter.

With the amount of power supplies inside, precision router-cut vents were added to allow the sign to breathe.

“Proper airflow from top to bottom of the sign is critical in keeping the LED power supplies, the electronic message center, the LED puck systems, and the SkyTracker promotional lights cool and dry in all seasons,” says Combs.

Cladding and Epoxy Finish Due to the size of the system, the cladding for the pole cover below the Daktronics 16mm EMC was fabricated in three separate sections—assembled “faces first” and then split apart to incorporate the edges of the sign. The frames were built back to back, and once they were completed, they were split apart and the steel struts that create the “depth” of the cages added.

“The aluminum skin of the cladding sections started as ‘mill-finished’ but left the spray booth with a primer coat to protect the steel from rusting,” says Combs.

Signs By Benchmark created the fauxstone brick structure of the sign using expanded polystyrene. “After the stone was completed and the product was ready to skin and texture, they were given their final coat of coloring to match the rendering,” says Combs.

Painter Kris Rud used glass bed epoxy finish throughout. The first coat consisted of PPG epoxy primer, the second coat 30

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

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Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

grade PPG paint, while the gradientfade was airbrushed.

(Note: Indigo sub-contracted the tribal logo element of the project out to WoodMaster Graphics of Lynwood, Illinois, due to past experiences with them.)

The element was installed to the base of the sign, as it neared completion, with aluminum threaded studs and nuts on the inside of the cladding. The studs were patterned onto a piece of paper, which was then transferred to the base of the sign.

Holes were drilled to accept the studs.

This portion of the sign was bolted into place firmly to deter any vandals.

Installation

2012 Tech Awards. Tunnel structure: John Murray Productions; Projections: McCune AV. Photo courtesy Charlotte Fiorito Photography.

32

The SSC wanted the required tribal logo plaque to be visible, low to the ground, durable, and prominently displayed to any foot traffic passing the structure.

The logo was made from expanded polystyrene foam, which allowed fabricators to sandblast the design into the substrate better than wood. With the different masks and filters, they were able to achieve a “wood grain” appearance in some of the design’s elements. It was then hand-painted using automotive-

Indigo Signworks partnered with Wanzek Construction of Fargo, North Dakota for the mid-June installation.

Before installation began, the older sign had to be removed. This went off without a hitch thanks to thorough preplanning site visits. Due to the massive size of the components and the weight of the pieces, it was important that Indigo and Wanzek had the proper trailers, trucks, and oversized road permits to transport the sign pieces away. signshop.com

The new sign components were assembled piece by piece on the existing pole and foundation. This began with the bottom three pole cladding pieces and continued upward into the large digital sign screen, followed by the “Shooting Star” channel letter cabinets, and finally the stone top that houses the dynamic LED puck system. This took approximately one week to complete.

The primary crane used for this install was a 120-ton LinkBelt Hydro crane, not only because of its lifting capacity but also its reach. (Note: Ninety-seven- and eighty-seven-foot Manitex cranes were employed too.) “With the sign being over sixty-five feet tall and some of the components being over fifteen feet tall, we needed a ‘lift height’ of over one hundred feet to clear the pole top, as the components slid into place,” explains Combs.

The LED screens were delivered to site as four individual components. It was critical to ensure that each screen was assembled together on the double-sided steel carrier so that no seams were visible once the signs were installed.

After a little bit of adjustment to each unit, the double-sided screen component was then lifted in place by Wanzek using the 120-ton crane over the single pole structure and secured to the sign body and foundation.

Finally SkyTracker manufacturers visited the site the following week, after electricity had been connected to these fixtures, to assist in aiming and narrowing their beams on top of the structure. “These power supplies were mounted inside the sign prior to it leaving our manufacturing facility, and the fixtures were installed at the end of the project, once all components were in place,” says Combs.

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Conclusion With Phase One officially finished, work has now turned to manufacturing and installing Phase Two signage. Everything is well within budget, and excitement hasn’t diminished.

(Note: See “UpFront” on page 4 to read how Indigo Signworks uses the Web to keep SSC officials excited throughout the entire production and installation process.)

“The pride that all our firm has that we were chosen for this job and that the customer is happy with our results has been a bright feather in our cap,” says Combs. signshop.com Allwood Signblanks - final.indd 1

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CREATING A

WALL GRAPHIC

BACK TO SCHOOL FOR A SIGN PROJECT.

I

am fortunate to live within a couple of miles of my former high school, J. Frank Dobie High in Houston, Texas. Compared to the facility I attended in the ’70s, its new campus is massive.

Although it’s not the exact-same campus I graduated from in 1973, I still have my “Dobie Pride” when it comes to supplying and installing signs and graphics inside the school.

My buyer at the school is very creative and likes to see nice signs and wall graphics to enhance the school sprit. For this assignment, she wanted my shop to create a wall mural promoting the “AVID/ WICOR” school curriculum program.

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December 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

35

It only took us a few short hours to complete and install the graphics for this project. Let’s get started showing you how we did this!

Since the lighting in the hallways is very bright, I decided to use matte finish black PVC sheets for the background.

These sheets are perfect for indoor applications, as they cut down on the glare of the fluorescent lights.

To attach the PVC sheets, we used 3M™ VHB™ tape. I call this “nuclear tape,” because it’s almost impossible to remove from a glazed brick surface.

Beginning on the left-hand side, we removed the protective tabs from the tape and prepared to affix the first section of the sign panel.

Carefully lifting the panel into place, we used my forty-eight-inch level to check the ninety-degree placement.

Once I was happy with the alignment, I gently “pounded” the PVC sheets with the palm of my hand from left to right and top to bottom.

Now that we had a smooth, matte black surface, we began taping the individual lines of graphics in the design that was furnished to us, starting with the main “AVID/WICOR” text.

Beginning at the top left, we taped each line of copy into place, closely following the layout.

After all the copy was firmly taped into place, we flipped the lines of copy up against the PVC surface and removed the liner paper.

Carefully removing this liner and holding the “glue side out” of the graphics, we adhered each line one-at-a-time with a nylon squeegees. Working the squeegees down toward the floor with ample pressure resulted in a flawless “bubble-free” graphic.

The remaining lines of copy and the “WICOR Man” were adhered in the same fashion, with equally successful results.

After the application of the graphics to the substrate, my shop performed a final cleaning of the entire sign surface.

School personnel was thoroughly pleased with our efforts and said the final result was exactly what they wanted.

Mark K. Roberts is the owner of The InterSign Group (www. theintersigngroup.com) in Houston, Texas. He can be reached by email at markrobertsigns@gmail.com.

36

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

signshop.com

TOOLS

TECHNOLOGY

CONNECTIONS

The winning combination of tools, technology and connections.

All the sign industry’s most competitive players will be in Las Vegas in April — getting the next-level tips and tricks that will drive their businesses.

You can’t win big if you don’t play hard. Register now for ISA Sign Expo 2015.

WHERE YOUR BUSINESS WINS Education & Networking: April 8–11 • Trade Show: April 9–11 • Mandalay Bay Convention Center • Las Vegas, Nevada

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DOOH Network Lessons Learned…

The Hard Way

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he Digital Out of Home (DOOH) “Lessons Learned” session at the 2015 Digital Signage Expo will focus on the fortunate and unfortunate experiences network operators face after their network has launched. The session will cover the good and the bad of tech-

nology decisions, deployment strategy, monetization plans, and general business strategy. The panelists will be instructed to be as candid as possible, as lessons learned from errors can be This session is intended for individuals that are not afraid to hear people tell it like it is. Each topic will begin with a real-life anecdote and, thereafter, flow into a free-form candid discussion of the issue.

The moderator will encourage audience participation throughout the hour and attendees should be prepared to share their experiences as well.

The goal of this session is for network operators to feel empowered to make well-informed decisions and escape the pit38

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

falls that others had encountered in the early stages of their business.

Discussion topics will include a section about technology.

Decisions such as connectivity plans (DSL vs. VSAT vs. Fiber Optic), equipment lease vs. buy strategies, warranty, screen technology, sound solutions, and system monitoring will be discussed during this section. If warranted, we will be prepared to answer detailed technical questions.

Under the deployment strategy section, we will delve into signshop.com

ALL PHOTOS: DSE.

just as valuable as those that come with the correct decisions.

//

PHOTOS: TECH IMAGE.

New Video Wall Provides Backdrop for Children’s Hospital

How does one brighten the experience for seriously ill children staying in the hospital? One colorful, state-ofthe-art answer can be found in the recently installed “Discovery Zone” interactive video wall display.

The Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware unveiled the “Discovery Zone” this past September in a brand-new, five-story atrium that was part of a campus-wide $270-million renovation project. It is made up of forty-five NEC X464UN forty-sixinch direct LED-backlight LCD displays set up in five bays of 3x3 grids that are synced together to create a narrative storyline. This 50-foot-wide-by-9-foot-high video wall uses Microsoft Kinect2 gesture technology to allow up to thirty younger patients (and their relatives) to interact at one time with on-screen magical creatures, landscape, flora, and fauna and, in the process, escape the harsh realities of their hospital stay.

The video wall was designed by Kinesis Studio of San Francisco, which creates large-scale gestural technology experiences frequently deployed as entertainment and therapeutic stations in children’s hospitals.

Here’s how the display works: Each bay of monitors is connected to a computer. A Microsoft Kinect2 camera (the same used in Xbox and Dance-Dance controllers) is installed at the base of the wall and is also connected to the same computer. Then the camera’s infrared sensors track body movements (up to two at a time) and sends it back to the computer, which then reinterprets it as a silhouette and integrates the resulting avatar into the LCD display to interact with the digital landscape.

Kinesis Studio coded the entire immersive narrative, collaborating with Nemours educators, nurses, doctors, occupational and physical therapists, and a select youth advisory council and incorporating their feedback to create an experience Sherri Nevins, executive producer of Kinesis Studio, dubs, “creative therapy.”

The intention is to move the needs for repetitive motions in therapy from a cold, static room into a digital landscape where children can actively create something.

“If a child needs to raise their arms above their head a lot, they can wave them in the Discovery Zone and create

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a rainbow on the screens,” says Nevins. “Their whole mind is transported from ‘I’m doing therapy,’ to ‘I’m doing play.’”

The X464UN displays have a bezel gap of just 5.7mm. With DisplayPort 1.2 multi-streaming, they are delivering ultra-highdefinition resolutions across the entire canvas of displays.

“The Discovery Zone is a marriage of gesture technology, animation, and creative story-telling, the biggest install of its kind in a hospital,” said Greg Richey, CEO of Kinesis. “We wanted displays capable of delivering brilliant imagery, and NEC Display fulfilled that promise.”

To read more about this project, visit http://bit.ly/1pZAwTZ.

December 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

39

topics such as maintenance programs from third parties, speed of deployment, responsibility for hanging the units, and hostbrand (retailer) relationships. We will analyze, discuss, and debate errors and strategies related to deployment.

In the monetization section, the panel will delve into subscription and advertising models that ensure a consistent revenue inflow. We will also discuss errors made by network operators that prevent their monetization strategy from being realized.

Finally, in the business planning section, we will discuss how best to staff and scale the organization based on corporate goals.

We will also candidly discuss some of the major problems that occur during business planning—including backing into revenue numbers based on promises made to investors, revenue numbers based on over-aggressive deployment goals, undercapitalization of the organization, hiring third-party sales staff for commission only, and not properly adjusting to the realities of the marketplace.

We will of course open the floor for a free-form conversation and a question-and-answer session to include as many perspectives as possible.

Participants will be encouraged to open up about their successes and failures and ask the panel the difficult questions. No topic brought up by the audience will be discouraged.

The panel for this session will not be named until January 2015, but it will include experts from all facets of place-based media.

We look forward to your attendance at the “lessons learned”

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panel at DSE. The session will be candid, honest, fast-paced, educational, and fun. The panel will be happy to discuss and debate all topics put in front of them, but they will not give specific recommendations of products, brands, or solutions. I hope to see you there.

Author and media pioneer Rob Silvershein, president and CEO of Early Phase Media, will be facilitating a panel discussion in the DSE 2015 Pre-Show Digital Out-of-Home Strategy Summit entitled, “DOOH Network Lessons Learned,” on Tuesday, March 10, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. To learn more about this session or to register for this and other educational presentations, visit www.digitalsignageexpo.net.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

Misplaced your favorite issue of ?

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:Digital Displays A SUPPLEMENT TO SIGN BUILDER ILLUSTRATED

DIGITAL SIGNAGE & THE SIGN INDUSTRY

DIGITAL BYTES

DIGITAL SIGNAGE: News

The latest news related to digital signage systems in the sign market.

HELPFUL HINTS & TIPS: Taking LED Photographs What do LED signs, UFOs, and the Loch Ness monster all have in common? All three are notoriously difficult—and some might say impossible—to photograph.

While LED signs may not be impossible to photograph, there are certainly enough bad sign photos to know it can be a challenge. And it’s an important step to get right.

Bad sign photos just don’t do justice to the beautiful images LED signs can display. In the worst cases, these photographs show blurry, distorted, and washed out images, even when the LED sign looks great in person.

By understanding a few concepts and making adjustments to your camera’s settings, your LED sign photographs can improve significantly.

The first thing to try is setting the camera to Shutter Priority Mode, commonly denoted as “Tv” or “S” on the camera’s dial. This will automatically compensate the ISO and aperture to get a good exposure. That way you only have to adjust one setting.

If Shutter Priority Mode doesn’t get the results you want, the next step is to try full Manual Mode. Just turn the dial a few more clicks to the “M” position. Don’t worry. This isn’t as scary as it seems. Here are some other hints: 1. Slower shutter speed. The most critical step is to lower your shutter speed to 1/15s, 1/30s, 1/60s, or possibly 1/125s.

Keep in mind that the lower the shutter speed, the steadier the camera will need to be to prevent blurry images. The general rule is that, if you’re shooting any photo with a shutter speed below 1/60s, you should use a tripod or prop the camera on a steady surface (like a wall or the roof of your car).

2. Lower the ISO. Once you’ve changed the shutter speed, you may also need to change the ISO, which adjusts your camera’s sensitivity to light. Allowing the shutter to stay open longer lets more light into the camera; this means you’ll often get blown out photos, especially on bright sunny days. One way to prevent this is to set your camera’s ISO setting as low as it will go (typically 100).

3. Adjust the f-stop. Similar to shutter speed, your camera’s aperture setting (or f-stop) controls how much light can reach the image sensor inside the camera. When you’re using a lower shutter speed, you’ll likely need to increase the f-stop to prevent washed out, overexposed photos. We recommend using the highest f-stop number available on your camera (typically f/16 to f/22).

While using the appropriate settings will make a big difference, you’ll still want to pay attention to the ambient light and the environment. Here are a few adjustment tips to consider: ☞ Try to avoid taking photos of LED signs in bright sunlight.

On most consumer cameras, it’s difficult to get the settings 42

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

By using the appropriate settings on your camera and paying attention to the ambient light and surrounding environment, you can be sure to capture great photos of digital signs every time.

dialed in correctly with that amount of ambient light. ☞ Take photos of the shaded side of the sign to get a better exposure. ☞ Compose your photos so that you can see the whole sign structure, not just the LED sign. ☞ Take a few photos from slightly different angles to show the cabinet depth and construction. ☞ Take photos of the various artwork displayed on the sign.

Try to capture the most colorful or impactful images. ☞ Pay attention to clutter in the background (cars, power lines, other buildings, etc.). Take a moment to walk around the structure and look for angles that eliminate, or at least diminish, these background distractions.

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DIGITAL SIGNAGE: News

Shopping Center Takes Advantage of LED Technology

New Corel Digital Signage Offers Effortless Digital Display Solution Powered by SmarterSign, Corel Digital Signage™ from Corel® helps small businesses create and display compelling content in a matter of minutes.

This powerful yet easy-to-use, Webbased software program allows users to showcase dynamic, high-quality content such as menu boards, videos, local weather, special offers, and Twitter feeds for one low monthly cost, with no long-term contract. Corel Digital Signage contains a variety of easy-to-use features that allow users to quickly create and display personalized, relevant, and up-to-date information on a TV screen. It includes hundreds of customizable, professionally designed templates and a simple drag-

and-drop workflow that lets anyone create impressive digital signage in minutes. Once users are happy with their results, it only takes one click to get the digital sign live. Simply connect a computer with Windows 7 or 8 to a TV screen, and the content will display.

It’s easy to modify and schedule content from any Windows or Mac OS computer with a Web browser, no matter where you are. www.coreldraw.com/digitalsignage

DSE Encourages Young Women to Choose Career in Digital Signage The Digital Signage Federation® has established the “Geri Wolff Scholarship Fund” to be earmarked specifically for young women who are committed to majoring in computer sciences as a way in which to interest them in choosing a career in the digital signage industry. Awards may be used to defray the cost of university education but, to ensure an ingoing requisite familiarity

with the digital signage industry, may also be allocated to help pay for DSF student membership or DSCE certification for students prior to graduation.

Geri Wolff, DSF director of Marketing Communications & Membership said, “As a professional woman, I feel privileged to work with the DSF and all my friends and colleagues in the digital signage industry. I invite others to join me in ‘paying it forward,’ as I pledge an annual $1,000 donation to this fund.” bit.ly/1wOiuG7

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Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

Wuxi Inter IKEA Center Property Company Ltd., in Wuxi, China, installed a large, state-of-the-art video display and covered a three-story glass elevator shaft with freeform LED elements from Daktronics. The installation covers three sides of the elevator with Daktronics ProPixel® freeform elements on 50 millimeter line spacing. The back section measures 15.46 meters high-by-7.6 meters wide, and each side section measures 15.46 meters high-by-2.6 meters wide. The store can now provide relevant, timely advertising and messaging to shoppers in a space that is commonly used for static signage. The main video display measures 9.8 meters high-by-6 meters wide and features 10 millimeter line spacing of SurfaceMount Device (SMD) LEDs. SMD displays allow for tighter LED spacing to provide crisp, clear imagery and video with exceptional contrast and wide-angle visibility. www.daktronics.com/en-us/ video-gallery/Wuxi-Inter-IKEA

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Software Makes it Easier Than Ever to Create Stunning Channels for Any Digital Screen X2O Media, a provider of real-time visual communications solutions, has announced the release of X2O platform version 5.5. Designed to streamline the content management workflow dramatically, the company’s newest release significantly simplifies the creation and management of media-rich channels for playout on any screen including digital displays, videowalls, tablets, and smartphones. The X2O Portal has been redesigned into a sleek, easy-to-use graphical user interface featuring solid colors, flat design elements, grid-style layouts,

and a task bar atop each page that allows users to switch between commonly used tasks quickly. A simple drag-and-drop interface lets users easily plan, review, and assign events across specific players. The new Animation Timeline Editor results in more impactful visual communications and smoother broadcast-quality content playback. Improved creation of advertising and promotional campaigns using a color-coded grid system permits network operators and advertisers to quickly see an overview of their campaigns, target ads to appear on specific players, and immediately identify what slots are available to sell more ads. www.x2omedia.com

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DIGITAL SIGNAGE: News

Digital Signage Offers Significant Growth Possibilities for Traditional Sign Companies The International Sign Association (ISA) has released a brand-new white paper, “Dynamic Digital Signage Opportunities for Sign Companies.” Sponsored by Roland DGA, this white paper examines the size of the market opportunity and includes case studies of sign shops that have incorporated this rapidly growing line of business. Digital signage will

grow to $17.1 billion in worldwide sales by 2017, according to the white paper.

About one-third of that will be in the United States. Digital signage provides solutions for numerous end-users— with retail currently as the top market, followed closely by quick-serve restaurants, corporate, and health care applications. In many ways, digital signage does not require an entirely new skill set for sign companies or print providers.

The white paper includes considerations for print providers expanding into the

market and shows the numerous skills that sign companies already possess. www.signs.org/digital

Complete, Affordable DSS Designed Specifically for PSPs Designed for sign makers, the Roland DGA DisplayStudio digital sign system transforms a wide variety of graphics into eye-catching digital presentations that can be changed on demand, while giving users the option to manage them remotely. Roland DisplayStudio is a turnkey solution featuring all the ele-

ments needed to get started in digital signage, including: content management software; a powerful, compact digital media player; mounting hardware; and a choice of high-resolution, commercial-grade LCD displays ranging from thirty-two to fifty-five inches. www.rolanddga.com/displaystudio

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DIGITAL SIGNAGE: Content | BY ASHLEY BRAY

Thinking “Outside”

PHOTO: (TOP) DAKTRONICS; (RIGHT) CIRRUS LED SYSTEMS.

O

MAKING SURE DIGITAL SIGNS STAND OUT.

utdoor digital displays are benefiting from developments in both hardware and software. Gone are the days when a waving American flag graphic or scrolling text reading “come on in” were enough to get a customer’s attention.

Sign shops today are tasked with helping their clients find bigger, better, and bolder ways for their electronic displays to stand out.

The end goal is to be different, but all outdoor display projects should start at the same place—finding out just what a client wants to accomplish with their display. David Rycyna, CEO of Cirrus LED Systems (www.cirrusled.com), suggests having clients ask themselves, “What do I want to put up there? How do I want to use this? What’s going to be best for my business?”

On the hardware side of those considerations, shops are no longer bound by a rectangular or square shape. “The hardware is becoming more and more flexible,” says Rycyna. “The hardware is no longer the limitation; it’s the limitation of that installer/integrator and how they want to put things together.”

The shape of the digital sign will, of course, affect the content and how it’s displayed, so shops should also get an idea of what a client wants to put on their display.

Content like scrolling text or a full-color graphic of a hamburger will require screens with different resolutions and difsignshop.com

December 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

47

ferent price points. By knowing ahead of time what a business wants to display, shops can help them avoid purchasing a display that is too small or doesn’t have the right pixel pitch.

Location of the sign should come up next since it too has a big impact on the screen resolution.“If you’re at the side of a highway, you don’t even want to spend money on the really low pixel pitch displays, in other words high-resolution, because it’s just lost on your audience because they can’t see it,” says Rycyna. “They’re going too fast from too far away. So there are optical limitations that you’re dealing with.”

Local regulations on outdoor digital displays are a final consideration. Outdoor displays are regulated in ways that indoor ones are not, and sign shops should be aware of any restrictions before beginning a project. “Every single town has a different expert who wrote a different set of rules,” says Rycyna. “The conversation starts focusing more on what you can’t do than what you can do.”

When the goals, parameters, and details of an outdoor digital sign project are determined, shops and clients can start to look at content. Technology and software have come a long way, and there are more tools than ever to generate content.

“You hate to say it,” says Rycyna, “but it’s almost like an arms race of who’s [going to] put cooler stuff up on their screen.”

Shops should offer a software with plenty of content options—

both for advertising and entertainment purposes. Clients should have no problem taking these features and running with them.

“The user doesn’t have to invent it. They just have to see it there and say, ‘Oh, I’ve got a great idea for that,’” says Rycyna. “Doing things that are atypical to standout—that’s a big part of it.”

And new advances like the Cloud are making it even easier for your clients to use the features available to them and to update their sign from any device with a Web connection.

“It’s a sign. It’s there to attract attention, and it’s there to advertise a business,” says Rycyna. “What they have on it, moreso than ever, is a reflection of who they are as a business and their brand.”

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PHOTO: CIRRUS LED SYSTEMS.

DIGITAL SIGNAGE: Content | BY ASHLEY BRAY

Watchfire Signs can add another use to the list: proposing marriage.

Justin Arndt, a janitor who works at the Harrisburg Mall in Pennsylvania, proposed to long-time girlfriend Liz Wine via a message on the mall’s twenty-eight-foot LED Watchfire outdoor sign, complete with an a cappella group, champagne, gifts, and even a virtual fireworks show displayed on the sign.

The idea first came to the Harrisburg Mall Director Bill Russell. Knowing Justin was thinking of a creative way to propose, Russell approached him with his big idea of doing so during the mall’s forty-fifth anniversary event. “Justin thought it was an awesome idea and that Liz would love it,” said Russell.

The planning of the proposal, however, didn’t pan out as easily as they had first hoped.

The first hurdle was the location. The event was to be held both inside and outside the mall, with most of the activities taking place out-of-sight of the digital sign. But because Russell is a man of “doing things right or not at all,” the mall management team moved the entire stage and podium to be directly in sight of the sign.

Russell then devised a plan to get Justin on stage with his soon-to-befiancé. He told Liz he needed her help to bring Justin on stage to receive a surprise award.

The last task to conquer was the content of the sign itself.

Strickler Signs, who sold the mall the sign, cued a special PowerPoint presentation on the digital billboard.

The final slide “proposed” a rendering for future construction before showing copy reading, “...and one more proposal today.” Two red hearts and the words “Liz, will you marry me?” scrolled across the screen. Liz said yes.

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December 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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PHOTO: WATCHFIRE SIGNS.

Couple Fell in Love with a Digital Sign

DIGITAL SIGNAGE: Content | BY ASHLEY BRAY

How Accessing Cloud Services Can Improve Business Operations Even in a buoyant market, running a sign-making business is not without its challenges. The demand for jobs to be produced faster and cheaper offers a constant reminder of this, as does the

inability to predict exactly what level and type of work will come through the door.

While the main focus in sign-making may be on hardware, leading software providers know businesses need

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Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

solutions to facilitate production and improve efficiency. The Cloud is proving to be one such solution.

Indeed our own introduction last year of Flexi Cloud software offers users feature-rich applications that sit conveniently on their desktops or laptops. These enable easy text layout and vinyl-cutting capabilities along with the ability to generate job reports and quotes, while benefiting from Cloud storage. This is complemented by a companion mobile app for smartphones and tablets that lets business owners monitor production while out of the office.

Though the “Cloud” has attracted a lot of hype, its benefits are real First it adds a level of security to jobs. Storing files in multiple locations was always a good idea, but using Cloud storage simplifies safer off-site backups. Moreover files in the Cloud can be easily accessed across workstations and securely when out-of-the-office, which saves time, adds value, and enhances the customer experience.

In the past, when one bought a business or technical software package, it was a capital investment.

For suppliers, production and distribution were costly and timeconsuming, and the software itself often had a very short life-cycle.

Software downloaded from the Cloud is always the latest iteration and automatic updates are included.

The Cloud has the potential to change the nature of business for suppliers and customers. In our industry, its development will include further improvements in customerto-sign maker communications.

There are also opportunities to compile examples of best-practice and establish benchmarking information for self-improvement by businesses.

—Gudrun Bonte, product director, SAi

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DIGITAL SIGNAGE: Video Displays | BY MIKE ANTONIAK

Artistic License

ART MEETS ADVERTISING ON BALTIMORE’S BIG LED BILLBOARD.

ALL PHOTOS: SHANKLIN MEDIA.

T

he City of Baltimore is one of the biggest technology, arts, and gaming hotbeds in the world, and it may be proving ground for an innovative use of LED billboards as a window where art meets commerce and the entire community benefits.

The Baltimore LED Art Billboard measures 50.5 feet high-by-42 feet wide for 2,116 square feet of display area. It’s situated in a well-traveled area (the Station North Arts District) that can host thousands for outdoor concerts and festivals. The big screen is installed atop a building opposite the city’s Penn Railway Station and is signshop.com

also visible from the adjacent North Charles Street Bridge.

“Most LED billboards are only used to 20 percent of their capabilities,” says Will Shanklin, president of Shanklin Media (www.shanklinmedia.com), owner and operator of this high-profile big screen. “I wanted to provide something that’s not just a display for advertising but that promotes the arts as well.”

It’s a mission he’s realizing through the combination of location, content, and size, which makes the city’s largest LED billboard hard to miss.

Three years ago, Shanklin started planning to put up an LED billboard to re-

place a traditional billboard that had been a fixture on the building for more than sixty years. He wanted to make it more than just an advertising venue though.

Aware of the varied display capabilities of giant LED screens, Shanklin saw its potential as a digital art gallery too.

His long-term goal was to time the unveiling of the screen with Artscape (www. artscape.org), an annual Baltimore event and also the nation’s largest free arts festival that draws an estimated crowd of 360,000 in a showcase of all forms of creative expression.

Shanklin researched companies that specialize in outdoor LED technology,

December 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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Your Direct Source for Sign Information 3 Easy Steps

Receive vital product and service information from manufacturers and distributors by completing the adjacent card or visiting www.signshop.com/infodirect

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3M Commercial Graphics . . . . . 3, 43 Ability Plastics, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 53 AdamsTech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Allwood Signblanks Ltd. . . . . . . . . 33 Alpina Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . 58 Alpina Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . 58 A.R.K. Ramos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 A.R.K. Ramos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 AXYZ International . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Brinks Mfg. (Van Ladder) . . . . . . . 56 Brooklyn Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 CAO Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Central States Signs . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Duxbury Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Elliott Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 ER2 Image Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 FASTENation, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Gemini, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 GH Imaging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Hartlauer Bits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 International Sign Association. . . 37 J Freeman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Kern Laser Systems . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Keystone Technologies . . . . . . . . . 13 Light Source Solutions . . . . . . . . . 19 LMT Onsrud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Magnum Magnetics . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Mimaki USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 MultiCam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 National Banner Co., Inc. . . . . . . . 59 Nova Polymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ORAFOL Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Orbus Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Orbus Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Outwater Plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Principal LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Rapid Tac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

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39 Seiko Instruments USA . . . . . . . . . C2 40 ShopBot Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

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InfoDirect #

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Companies in Sign Show

41 Sign America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 42 Sign-Mart Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

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43 Sign-Mart Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 44 Signs365.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4

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45 SloanLED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 46 Small Balls, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

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47 Southern Stud Weld . . . . . . . . . . . 49 48 Stamm Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

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49 Stouse Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 50 Techno CNC Systems LLC . . . . . . . 32

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51 Trivantage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 52 Trotec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

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53 US LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 54 Vision Engraving &

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3M Commercial Graphics . . . . . . . 15 Drytac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Elliott Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Fisher Textiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 KeyedIn Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . 14 LaserBits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Light Source Solutions . . . . . . . . . 12 MACtac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 METALgrommets.com . . . . . . . . . . 10 Mimaki USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Outwater Products . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Roland DGA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Safety Speed Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Techno CNC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Routing Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 55 VKF Renzel USA Corp. . . . . . . . . . . 58 56 Wilkie Mfg., LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3

Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

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DIGITAL SIGNAGE: Video Displays | BY MIKE ANTONIAK

consulted with several, then selected Formetco (www.formetco.com) for the build and installation.

From Formetco’s viewpoint, it wasn’t the scope of the screen but rather the setting and intent that made this such a special project. “You don’t see many LED billboards this size being installed on a one-hundred-year-old structure,” notes Vice President of Sales Jock Gibb.

Gibb says what also made this project really unique was that Shanklin wanted to control the board himself. “We had to

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write special software that would allow him to run full video and full static images, rotate the content, and also display images on one part of the screen while video plays on another,” he says.

Shanklin also requested the ability to add real-time data feeds and social media into the mix for event-driven content. “We set it up so it’s integrated with Wacom graphics tablets,” explains Formetco Vice President for Digital Products Todd Heller. “Artists used them to draw, and their work would appear on the screen as they were doing it.”

Six weeks out from the July festival, the project moved into full production, although the actual installation took only one day.

“Everything in the building had to be brought up to code and today’s engineering standards,” reports Heller.

“Most of that time was spent on engineering analysis, getting pieces customfabricated, and preparing the framework to support the billboard.”

The billboard itself was constructed from eight pre-built sections, which

December 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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DIGITAL SIGNAGE: Video Displays | BY MIKE ANTONIAK

filled three tractor-trailers. Once attached to the underlying framework, they interlocked into a single high-resolution display, comprised of nearly two million individual LEDs. A control room with equipment was created inside the building, and from

there, the system operator or video DJ could mix and manipulate content onscreen. Formetco’s Real Time Data module added more options, including live feeds via social media. “It’s set up so you can actually control it from anywhere over the Internet,“ notes Shanklin.

“Because of the speed of our Trotec Speedy 300, if we quote against a competitor’s laser, we can get the job every time.”

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Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

Available in 30w - 120w 29” x 17” working area CeramiCore ceramic laser source (40 watts and above) JobControl X InPack TechnologyTM Ready for flexx

Showgoers were able to view live video of the festival and works of participating artists, illustrators, sculptors, graphic designers, and animators were showcased on the screen in all their detail and colors.

Attendees were also encouraged to submit their own photos and comments over social media from their mobile devices to have them displayed to the crowd. Even Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings got involved, submitting her photos and heralding the Arts Billboard as a beacon for her city’s creative community.

That buzz continues. Now that the Art LED Billboard is a fixture in Baltimore, it’s realizing Shanklin’s original goals as both entrepreneur and proponent of the arts.

Formetco’s technology allows him to integrate a steady flow of art into the regular ad rotation. There are six ad slots, as well as the one slot for displaying art.

All appear for ten-second intervals, with a work of art displayed every thirty seconds (or between every three ads). The work of five artists appears around the clock for about two weeks; it is then rotated out as new artists are featured.

In addition to the digital gallery on the LED screen, four 10-by-20 large format prints-on-vinyl of featured work can be fitted to the back of the billboard.

For advertisers, it’s a win-win mix.

Their purchase of ad time makes it possible to showcase the art, benefitting the entire community. The art, in turn, makes the audience more receptive and aware of their ads.

As Shanklin notes, “LED signs are becoming so ubiquitous that some people simply tune them out. With the art, people are actually watching to see what’s up there next so they are more attentive and more appreciative of the advertisers.”

For artists trying to make a name and gain a following, this display is a godsend. Not only is their work seen on Baltimore’s most prominent billboard, it’s also featured on a companion Web site, LEDBaltimore.com. On the site, viewers can browse a gallery of all artists featured, with links to their portfolios, contact information, and rates. signshop.com

DIGITAL SIGNAGE: Case Study | BY BETH GARD

Driving Innovation and Clean Cars CAR WASH INSTALLS OUTDOOR DIGITAL MENU BOARD.

ALL PHOTOS: PEERLESS-AV.

I

n late spring 2014, Clean Image Car Wash made the decision to update their facility’s signage. Their static services board, located at the entrance of the car wash, required regular upkeep due to weathering and service changes.

In addition, each and every promotion designed to increase sales and upsells at Clean Image Car Wash required the printing of a new sign and the manual removal and replacement of signs on a regular basis.

Clean Image decided it was time to find a digital signage solution that would look sleek and modern, while offering a cost-effective option. Another major requirement of this new solution was the ability to withstand the elements—including any water and cleaning products associated with the car wash, as well as any natural elements such as dirt, dust, wind, rain, or snow.

They selected Peerless-AV’s Xtreme™ Outdoor Digital Menu Board with Peerless-AV Xtreme™ optically bonded LCD display. Clean Image has the ability to swiftly change promotions on a daily basis, without the creation and removal of signs or any manual labor.

Installation of the Xtreme Outdoor Digital Menu Board was quick and painless—taking only a few hours in total. Boasting a thin profile of only eight inches, Clean Image Car Wash’s new services board required a two-man installation process, without the need for renting or purchasing cranes or forklifts.

As the services board requires a minimal amount of power, installers did not need to trench a power line under the ground. They simply removed the existing static menu board signage and replaced it with the Xtreme Outdoor Digital Menu Board—utilizing the same concrete pad. Making the services board customizable, the modular design allows Clean Image Car Wash to add displays at a later date without disrupting their current services board.

The structure as a whole is comprised of a kiosk enclosure and the Peerless-AV Xtreme display. The kiosk enclosure is made of aluminum construction and is powdercoated with a formula that resists fading. The unit also features a rain cap, which doubles as a solar shield to reduce solar load within the kiosk.

The Xtreme Outdoor Digital Menu Board’s display is optically bonded for sunlight readability with ambient light sensors, guaranteeing that information being displayed is visible, signshop.com

December 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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DIGITAL SIGNAGE: Case Study | BY BETH GARD

Installation of the Xtreme Outdoor Digital Menu Board on the car wash property took two installers only a few hours to finish.

regardless of time of day or weather. So as to not be blinding, the light sensors automatically adjust the display so that it is bright enough even in the most intense sunlight and dim enough at night.

The Peerless-AV Xtreme Outdoor Digital Menu Board also employs a topper and sidekick support to display static Coroplast® and magnetic digital prints for short-term promotion items, which can be easily replaced.

In just two months, Clean Image Car Wash has experienced a noticeable increase in upsells. With promotions displayed prominently in a visually appealing, well-lit services board, more and more customers spend their time in line perusing service package offerings.

“The increase in upsells has been notable, not to mention the drastic increase in visual appeal,” said Greg Augspurger, co-owner of Clean Image Car Wash. “The freedom to create new promotions on a whim is fantastic.

“And it’s also reduced our operational costs. From May to July, we have already seen a 10 percent increase in car wash packages and a 30 percent increase in the number of specialty services added. We couldn’t be happier.”

For additional information, visit www.peerless-av.com.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

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B Y A S H L E Y B R AY

Casco Signs of Concord, North Carolina

C

asco Signs, Inc. (www.cascosigns.com) is a full-service sign shop that makes use of its 52,000 square feet of production/manufacturing space to do everything from awnings to wraps to custom LED lighting.

But fabrication and installation aren’t the only things that make up its full line of offerings—giving back to the community via charity work is also an important part of the shop.

“We’ve been blessed as a company,” says Cheryl Crutchfield, CEO, Casco Signs, “therefore we need to pay it forward to other people. We want people to realize that it’s not always about us; it’s about other people and what we can do to help them.”

Some of the ways in which the company has “paid it forward” include volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and the Special Olympics.

Much of the charity work also has a personal connection. Casco supports MS organizations in honor of an employee’s son who was diagnosed with the disease, and the shop also works with the Arc of Cabarrus, the leading advocacy organization for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their family members, as a result of Crutchfield’s lifelong desire to help disabled children.

In fact, one of the most recent charity projects the shop worked on was also a very personal one.

Over the past decade, Crutchfield’s best friend

and stepmom were both diagnosed with breast cancer, so she has felt a connection to Susan G. Komen’s goal of finding a cure. Every October for the past few years, Casco has decked its location out in pink for breast cancer awareness, and it sends a team of employees (deemed Casco’s “Girls”) to participate in the Komen Charlotte Race for the Cure® event.

But this year, the shop wanted to go bigger.

Casco wrapped its new, customized 2013 Altec LS63 crane truck in pink vinyl. Shop installers donated their time to get the wrap done, applying pink 3M™ Wrap Film Series 1080 vinyl to the truck cab, along with vinyl decals of the cause’s pink ribbon and a Casco’s “Girls” logo.

“We were quite impressed with the way it came out,” says Jennifer Harper, project manager, Casco Signs. “The guys here were very willing to step in, and the drivers and their crew all wore a pink shirt everyday through the month of October.”

They took the truck to the local Race for the Cure event and invited survivors and those fighting the disease to sign it. “It was a lot more emotional than I expected it to ever be,” says Crutchfield. “I think it also allowed people, who are just beginning the fight, to see that there’s hope.”

The wrap stayed on through November, and the truck participated in the local Christmas parade to further honor those impacted by this disease.

A sign shop wraps its crane truck in pink for an important cause.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2014

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PHOTOS: (TOP) CASCO SIGNS; (BOTTOM) KAREN GOFORTH/IRRESISTIBLE PORTRAITS BY KAREN GOFORTH.

Paying It Forward

The Wilkie Model 58XRB Is designed from the start with your needs in mind.

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