Sign Builder Illustrated July 2015

Up in the air

Installing with Service Trucks

carving signs

Spread Your Dimensional Wings

www.signshop.com

Number 241 | July 2015

How-To

Design on Display:

Brilliant Color

Simple.

Superior.

Direct.

Introducing Duets Direct™ Manufacturer-direct engraving, ADA and architectural signage substrates from Gemini.

Durable ADA, laser and rotary substrates n The colors, finishes and sizes you need n Premium quality with factory-direct value n

Order your Duets Direct Sample Swatch Binder and request free color swatch and material samples at DuetsDirect.com or call 800.548.3356.

QUALITY ENGRAVING, ADA AND ARCHITECTURAL SIGNAGE SUBSTRATES MADE IN THE USA BY GEMINI ©2015 Gemini, Inc. Duets Direct is a trademark of Gemini, Inc.

July 2015

S6

33

24

Supplement: SBi In-Touch

S1

Wayfinding: Regional Eye Surgery Center

S2

Going Mod

Helping patients navigate through a building on their own.

BY LORI SHRIDHARE

The expanding realm of modular and custom architectural signage.

S6

Material Choices

BY MIKE ANTONIAK

ADA compliance challenges sign makers to match material to setting, budget, and goals.

S10

Steps for Good Wayfind Design

BY CHARLES J. KELLY, JR.

Helping visitors navigate wayfaring systems.

SC4

News & Notes Products and projects related to the ADA, wayfinding, and architectural industries.

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. 12 issues per year. Non-qualified subscriptions Print version, Digital version, Both Print & Digital version: 1 year US/ Mexico/Canada $50.00; foreign $99.00. Agency subscriptions: 1 year US/Mexico/Canada $45.00; foreign $89.10. Single copies are $15.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid in full in U.S. funds only. Prices are subject to change.

Copyright © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2015. All rights reserved. Contents may not be

2

Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

24

Color-centric

BY LORI SHRIDHARE

Managing the best color out of your printer.

28 33

Depth Perception

BY JEFF WOOTEN

Production techniques for different 3D signs.

Reaching Profits

BY ASHLEY BRAY

Increase the ROI of your service vehicle.

38

The Drive to Retrofit

BY JEFF WOOTEN

A sign shop pulls up for an area LED lighting project.

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, (847) 763-9686, Fax (847) 763-9544, e-mail signbuilder@halldata.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.

signshop.com

Photos (left): elliott equipment company; (top right) rowmark.

A special section guiding you through the field of ADA/ wayfinding signage.

GREAT ART. Finally, it’s ok to touch.

Don’t just make good art… use your creativity with tactile printing to deliver texture and depth you can see AND feel. Experience printing like never before. Whether you are creating wall art, building a sign, point-of-purchase display, or adding graphics to a gift item, let GoVivid UV-LED printers inspire you.

Where will GoVivid take you?

Agenda

How-To Columns

SEPTEMBER 2015 September 13-16: Graph Expo ’15 is taking place at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. (www.graphexpo.com) September 24-25: NSSA’s New England Sign Expo 2015 will be held at the Twin River Casino Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island. (www.nssasign.org)

16

Sign-making Mavericks

20

16 Sign-making Mavericks

BY MARK K. ROBERTS

It takes wild horses to create a new look for a high school marquee.

20

Temporary Plans

BY DAVID HICKEY

A new guide helps planners and communities better understand temporary signage.

Temporary Plans

Departments 6

UpFront

8

Dispatches

12

Sign Show

The newest products and services from sign manufacturers.

September 30-October 1: CorpCOMM Expo 2015 (CCE), the only conference and tradeshow exclusively dedicated to technologies that specifically serve the needs of corporate professionals, will be co-located with EduCOMM Expo (ECE) at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. (www.corpcommexpo.com)

42

SBI Marketplace

OCTOBER 2015

It’s about the journey and the destination. Editor Jeff Wooten previews this month’s SBi In-Touch ADA/Wayfinding supplement.

The latest news from around the industry.

UP IN THE AIR

Installing with Service Trucks

CARVING SIGNS

44 Shop Talk

Spread Your Dimensional Wings

www.signshop.com

NUMBER 241 | JULY 2015

Photo (Top): Svetlana Larina / Shutterstock.com.

Advertisements and announcements from the sign trade.

HOW-TO

Ashley Bray details how the key to breaking into the digital sign market is education and the right partner.

DESIGN ON DISPLAY:

BRILLIANT COLOR

On the Cover These colorful banners show off high-resolution hues using HP Latex technology. Photo: HP. 4

September 24-27: A Celebration of Craft, a Letterheads Meeting that includes walldogging, sign painting, panel jamming, pinstriping, carving, gilding, etc., takes place at the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio. (www.letterheads40.com)

Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

October 11-12: The National Signage Research & Education Conference: Signs From Hand Painted to Digital, sponsored by the University of Oklahoma, College of Architecture, will be at the NCED Conference Center near Oklahoma City. (www. thesignagefoundation.org) signshop.com

Meet Your Designated Driver

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Keystone Technologies | Montgomeryville, PA | 800-464-2680 | KeystoneLEDSolutions.com Engineering lighting power drivers for over 70 years.

Up FRONT

by jeff wooten

July 2015, Vol. 29, No. 241 Sign Builder Illustrated (ISSN 0895-0555) print, (ISSN 2161-0709) digital is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

The Sign Maker’s Journey

Photo: rowmark.

“I

t’s not the destination, but the journey that matters.” It’s not much of a stretch to consider that this long-time philosophy might also prove popular to those of you doing ADA and wayfinding work. (Okay and possibly even singer Steve Perry). It’s kind of a shame really that author Joseph Campbell, when devising his famous concept model of the hero’s adventure throughout myth and literature, didn’t get around to analyzing the role of sign builders in this field as well.

While I’m not comparing the sign makers’ quest to heroes of yore like Odysseus, Frodo Baggins, or Luke Skywalker, it’s not out of the realm of possibility to imagine your role in ADA/wayfinding signage achieving a similar great payoff.

The first challenge on your path would be working with your clients to better understand this field. Chris Bayer of CAB Signs finds that, when it comes to ADA-compliant signage, his customers sometimes don’t understand its legal requirements and specifications.

“We have to explain that what they’re asking for is not up to ADA code,” he says, “and then detail for them why and where it needs Braille and the such.”

That’s where In-Touch: SBi’s Guide to ADA/ Wayfinding comes in. This special section inserted into this month’s issue will help navigate you through the world of ADA, wayfinding, and interior architectural signage, with information about materials, designs, and standards.

In addition to case studies and product announcements, you’ll also find these articles: Page S2—Modular: We discuss the best practices a shop should follow when it comes to educating their customers about interior architectural signage. “This type of system allows for changing the message portions of

6

Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

Getting more “In-Touch” with ADA/wayfinding. a sign after it’s been installed, and it can be seamlessly added to, even years later, as an extension of the original sign,” says Ron Gibson of Appenx.

It will also help you decide which type of architectural system to select—custom or modular.

Page S6—ADA: Speaking of selection, there are many options for ADA sign substrates—acrylics, photopolymers, metals, melamine, even stone. And each comes with its own respective advantages. This feature will help you get a better feel for the factors to consider in choosing the appropriate ADA material for each job.

One thing you’ll learn is that most ADA materials are selected based on the production process being used—whether direct printing, applied, sandblasting, etching, etc.

In this regard, Gary Harder of Duets Direct cites laser engravers as having “revolutionized” the ADA industry and what sign makers can do with them on substrates. “As their cost has come down, you’re seeing a proliferation of these lasers,” he says, “making it attainable for many to do engraving stock and ADA-type signage.”

Page S10—Wayfinding: Our closing feature focuses on the art of interior wayfinding systems. And what constitutes wayfinding signage? It’s the ability to give visitors, patients, customers, and even staff visual benchmarks to realize that they’re on the right path.

Charlie Kelly, Jr., of Clarke Systems will interview noted designers about how traditional signage types, visual cues, inspired design, and, in some cases, new technology can be combined to get people to their destination.

Make sure to use our In-Touch supplement on your ADA/wayfinding journey. While you (and possibly Steve Perry) may not be able to design and build signs of these types any way you want it, don’t stop believin’ that you can still end up being a hero in this field.

executive offices

President and Chairman Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Publisher arthur j. sutley 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

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, David Hickey, Jim Hingst, Charlie Kelly, Jr., Mark Roberts, Lori Shridhare, 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

Ian Littauer

212/620-7225; fax: 212/633-1863 ilittauer@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 Art Sutley at 212/620-7247 or e-mail asutley@sbpub.com.

Circulation Dept. 800/895-4389

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A NEW DIMENSION IN CREATIVITY

Dispatches

Partnering Up to Produce an Exhibit

C

handler, Arizona—The East Valley JCC is a staple in its community and offers a number of programs (including a preschool, summer camp, and cultural arts series). The Jewish Community Center has also hosted a number of exhibits.

“This year we wanted to try to do something different. We wanted to try to create an exhibit from scratch,” says Steve Tepper, CEO/executive director of the East Valley JCC (pictured, right). “We wanted to take three topics that no one has ever examined concurrently.”

With this in mind, the JCC came up with an exhibit called “Then They Came for Us,” which examines the experience of both Black and Jewish people in Europe and the civil rights movement in the U.S. All three events are examined simultaneously across a timeline from the early 1910s to the early 1950s.

8

Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

With the help of a group of five local educators, the JCC sketched out the exhibit on paper. “We rolled a piece of butcher paper out about twenty-five feet, broke down the decades, and then started placing materials in each area,” explains Tepper.

“We did it like a collage.”

The exhibit was designed so that visitors could choose to be led through by a docent or to use QR codes to view videos on a self-guided tour. “So when we were creating the text, the exhibit, and the flow, all of it was made to be done either selfguided or docent-led. We had to create it for both, which was a fun challenge,” says Tepper. (Note: A local agency provided a graphic designer to help design and lay out the graphics.)

When the initial layout was complete, Tepper took it to Mutoh to discuss printing. Mutoh explained how the project could best be accomplished. “It was a difference maker for us, signshop.com

Winners of the LFI Innovation Awards Announced

because otherwise I might still be walking around with that roll of butcher paper,” says Tepper.

Mutoh was so taken by the project that they donated their services for free. “Being able to contribute to the local community has always been something Mutoh is interested in,” says Dave Conrad, director of Marketing at Mutoh. “Once we heard about the display and the significance of it—not only to the local community but to the rest of the country and beyond the borders—this was definitely a project Mutoh was proud to be involved in.”

The first fabrication hurdle was finding a substrate that would do justice to the exhibit graphics. Mutoh recommended FiberMark of North America’s Flexart 280, a 12-mil, stretchable, non-woven alternative to textile canvas. The exhibit graphics signshop.com

were printed on the material using a Mutoh ValueJet 1638X with Eco-Ultra inks. The total printing process took eight to nine hours.

Thanks to a community center volunteer’s connection, the JCC was able to secure stands for the graphics at a deep discount.

The JCC shipped the graphics to the stand manufacturer, who sewed pockets onto them so they could be fit to the stands.

The portability of the stand system was an added bonus as the JCC staff can move and set up the exhibit in minutes.

In the end, the exhibit was a success that sparked discussion about how we treat each other. “For Mutoh to step up in this way and make this exhibit a reality not only has effects for us and our agency,” says Tepper, “but really has ripple effects going out throughout the community.”—Ashley Bray

New York City, New York—The prestigious LFI Innovation Awards®, highlighting the industry’s most innovative products and designs introduced during the last twelve months, were announced at LIGHTFAIR® International held May 5-7 at the Javits Center in New York.

The 2015 LFI Innovation Awards saw 286 entries spanning fourteen categories, with each submission judged by an independent panel of lighting professionals.

Winning entries exemplified the best in lighting-related innovative design and thinking.

Among the fourteen winning companies are these key awards: + OSRAM (OmniPoint™): Most Innovative Product of the Year—the program’s highest award, and one that recognizes the most innovative new product; + Hubbeel Lighting, Inc. (Architectural Area Lighting KicK™): Design Excellence Award— honoring outstanding achievement in design; and + OSRAM (OSLON® SSL 730 nm): Technical Innovation Award— acknowledging the most forwardthinking advancement in lighting technology For a full list of the 2015 winners of the LFI Innovation Awards, visit bit. ly/1SBZeof.

July 2015 // Sign Builder Illustrated

9

Dispatches + Success: “With Roland” Video Contest Results Irvine, California—Roland DGA has announced the Grand Prize winner of its month-long With Roland video contest, which gave North and South American Roland users the opportunity to win valuable prizes by sharing their success stories through creative five- to sixty-second videos.

Roland’s judging panel named Luis Soto of T & S Ltda., in Punta Arenas, Chile the Grand Prize winner based on the enthusiasm, creativity, and execution quality demonstrated in his video. Soto won a Roland product of his choice from a selection of sixteen new Roland devices and decided upon a VersaUV® LEF-12 flatbed UV printer.

“We were so excited to hear the news that Roland selected us as the Grand Prize winners, we all began crying with joy,” said Soto. “Since we already have one VersaUV LEF-12…[allowing] us to create unique, high-quality promotional products for several large corporations, having a second one will enable us to double our production capability.”

Jorge Enrique Rodriguez Campos of Arauca, Colombia-based Circle Inversiones S.A.S. won the With Roland “People’s Choice” prize, an award based on the votes of those who viewed the video entries at the contest’s gallery Web page. Campos’ prize consists of two free passes to Roland DGA’s imagiNATION 2016 inkjet user con-

ference, which will take place April 20, 2016 in Orlando, Florida at the Orange County Convention Center.

In addition to the Grand Prize and People's Choice awards, weekly “Participation” prize winners were selected at random during the contest period: Chris Arthur of Sign EFX, Trace George of VSP Marketing Graphic Group, Danyell Butler of Dynamic Art LLC, and Rich Senff of Action Sports, each received a $500 credit for use at the Roland DGA online store.

“The With Roland contest served as the perfect platform for our users to showcase their creative talents and

share with the world how Roland products have helped their businesses succeed,” said Roland DGA President Rick Scrimger. “We congratulate our prize winners and thank all the users that entered our contest for telling their stories in such unique and compelling ways.

"The fact is, they are all winners, and Roland is proud to have played a key role in their growth and success.”

To view all the videos entered in the With Roland contest, visit www.rolanddga. com/promo/2015/withroland.

Cruise Winner Announced Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania—Ryan Van Deraa, manager of Consolidated Electrical Distributors in Appleton, Wisconsin, is the winner of a cruise sweepstakes sponsored by Keystone Technologies.

“It was a ver y long winter in Wisconsin, so I was really excited when I heard that I won the cruise,” said Van Deraa. “We sell a lot of Keystone products at CED, and we are loving Smart Wire. It’s a no-brainer for sign ballast replacement.”

10

Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

Keystone sponsored the cruise sweepstakes in conjunction with the launch of their new product, SmartWire Electronic Sign Ballasts.

SmartWire sign ballasts are designed to replace magnetic sign ballasts, which can no longer be manufactured due to recent government regulations.

Because Smart Wire is super lightweight and has identical wiring to the outlawed magnetic sign ballasts, it is quick and easy to install.

signshop.com

3M Envision Substrate with 3Mwith Envision Flexible Flexible Substrate FS-1 FS-1 ™

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* Unprocessed 3M™ Envision™ Flexible Substrate FS-1 provides nearly twice the light transmission as unprocessed 3M™ Panagraphics™ III Wide Width Flexible Substrate. See Product Bulletin FS-1 for details.

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And because LEDs require less maintenance, sacrificing performance. because LEDs require less maintenance, customers with hard-to-reach pylon signs can feet on the ground. customers with hard-to-reach pylon signs can keep their feet keep on thetheir ground. ™ ™ In short, 3M Envision Flexible Substrate FS-1 is one very In short, 3M™ Envision™ Flexible Substrate FS-1 is one very bright idea. bright idea.

3M™ Envision™ Flexible Substrate FS-1 is nearly twice as transmissive*.

Bookmark KNOW IT: ThatBookmark means more efficient use3Mgraphics.com/switchon of LEDs and energy. Go greener without 3Mgraphics.com/switchon KNOW IT: Visit the website for complete product details including Product Visit the website for complete product details including Product sacrificing performance.

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SignSHOW A D H E S I V E S / TA P E S Drytac Adds a New Double-sided Wall Adhesive to Its Line of Mounting Adhesives ReTac Duo® from Drytac® has a one-mil clear polyester carrier and features a permanent adhesive on one side and ReTac ultra-removable adhesive on the other. Designed specifically for removable wall and window graphics, ReTac Duo can be used to transform most graphics into removable decals. With “ReTac on the Back,” graphics remain firmly in place and can be repositioned as needed without loss of adhesive strength during removal. Additionally there is no adhesive residue left behind, nor does damage occur to wall or window surfaces. ReTac Duo is available in widths up to fifty-four inches and is currently in stock for immediate shipment. www.drytac.com/retacr-duo.html

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 ER2 Image Group is "Wide" Awake with Possibilities Thanks to New Superwide Inkjet Printer ER2 Image Group, one of the largest full-service grand format printing companies in the country, has always offered a wide range of printing options. Now those options are even wider, with the company’s recent installation of a VUTEk GS3250LX Pro with UltraDrop Technology. This superwide inkjet printer can print on both flexible and rigid media up to 126 inches wide and 2 inches thick. The highlight for many customers, though, will be the VUTEk’s incredible color and resolution. With eight-color plus two white ink printing and resolutions of true 600-dpi or 1000-dpi, images achieve outstanding smoothness in shadows, gradients, and transitions. This inkjet printer allows for the best resolution on a huge range of media sizes and materials. The VUTEk GS3250LX Pro also boasts a very high efficiency, allowing for tight turnarounds when needed. 630/980-4567; www.ER2image.com

D y e S u b limati o n Get Creative with Mutoh’s New ValueJet 1938WX Dye Sublimation Printer The new VJ 1938WX 74-inch printer from Mutoh America, Inc., is tailor-made for high-production dye sublimation printing. From custom apparel to tradeshow graphics, soft signage, and more, the ValueJet 1938WX can expand a print shop’s offerings. It features high-quality printing (1440-dpi for amazing clarity and details); staggered dual heads (print speeds up to 1,327 square feet per hour); eight-color ink capability; an automatic sheet off that cuts your material off once your print is done so you don’t have to; an optional standard, heavy-duty take up system; and Smart Printing featuring Intelligent Interweave (that virtually eliminates banding), DropMaster ink technology, and the ValueJet Status Monitor app (for mobile printing monitoring). www.mutoh.com

ROUTERS/ENGR AVERS Techno’s HD CNC Router helps Sign Shops Expand their Creativity and Bring in New Business Techno’s CNC Systems HD CNC Router can handle a number of sign-making tasks, including: carving signs, creating architectural letters, and routing acrylic faces and aluminum backs for illuminated channel letters. The router is suitable for routing wood, plastics, foam, non-ferrous metals, and more. Users can create their own graphic designs using design software and then create the tool paths and execute the program on the Techno HD CNC Router.

Additionally sign makers can cut their own components, frames, posts, and borders and therefore keep their entire sign-making process in house. www.technocnc.com

Vision Engraving & Routing Systems Now Offers Becker Vacuum Pumps Vision Engraving & Routing Systems has been building quality-made rotary systems for thirty-two years. Their machine lineup features small desktop-size engravers to large four-by-eight-foot CNC routing/engraving systems that offer industry-leading features and accessories. Inspiring further confidence, the company is pleased to announce that all of its vacuum table routers (Vision’s 2550 and VR48 models) will now come equipped with Becker brand vacuum pumps.

Becker is a world leader in vacuum pump and compressor design and offers a variety of vacuum pump types that cover a wide range of operating pressures and require minimal maintenance. 888/637-1737; www.visionengravers.com

12

Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

signshop.com

we just changed the sign industry...

LED DRIV

ERS

SignSHOW AXYZ Enhances the Capabilities of Digital Finishers to Get the Job Done Faster The robust, high-speed, steel frame Trident machine from AXYZ International allows small and mid-size enterprises to take on an extensive diversity of projects that traditionally required two or more machines, additional space, and several skilled operators. The processing area can range in size from four to seven feet wide and over forty feet long.

The exclusive live vacuum deck automatically switches zones for optimal material hold-down. The helical rack and pinion system on both the X- and Y-axes guarantees precision. Servo drive motors on all axes provide high-speed motion. Trident features a streamlined triple-head carriage design. A 10hp router delivers the extreme power necessary to take on very demanding projects such as cutting non-ferrous metals, acrylic, wood, and composites. The oscillating knife slices material such as soft or hard foam easily while delivering clean-cut edges. The tangential knife cuts the harder and heavier materials such as card stock, foils, corrugates and most laminates. Numerous interchangeable blade attachments provide maximum versatility. www.axyz.com/trident

SIGN frames Outwater Offers Fully Assembled Front Loading Aluminum Frames Outwater’s updated series of Fully Assembled Front Loading Aluminum Frames come ready to use with an included frosted protective cover that prevents glare, along with an integrated back panel (which adds further frame rigidity and helps to safeguard promotional pieces). The Fully Assembled Front Loading Aluminum Frames incorporate spring-loaded hinges that enable one to quickly change graphics without having to disassemble the units, which makes the frames well suited for use in a broad range of commercial venues. Outwater’s Fully Assembled Front Loading Aluminum Frames are manufactured with pre-drilled screw holes on their back panels (allowing for portrait or landscape mounting) and come with screws and drywall anchors. The frames are offered in many new profiles and finishes in an array of popular and custommade sizes that can now easily accommodate wide format graphics. www.outwatercatalogs.com

NEW CJV150 SERIES

GO BEYOND expectations.

The new Mimaki CJV150 Series cut and print devices go beyond extraordinary to deliver a wide range of applications. Utililzing ecosolvent inks – including Silver, advanced printing technologies, superb quality, color fidelity, and flexibility – plus cutting capability – you’ll go beyond the expected to increase your business and deliver more than your customers can imagine. The CJV150 is available in four versatile media widths – 32”, 43”, 54”, 63”.

mimakiusa.com

info@mimakiusa.com

888-530-4021 © 2015 Mimaki USA

14Mimaki_CJV150_H_SBI0115.indd Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015 1

signshop.com 12/8/14 9:51 AM

STA N D - O F F S /M O U N T I N G E Q U I PM E N T New Product Offerings from Gyford Gyford announces the availability of a number of new products. The Chrome StandOff Mounting Kits include everything you need to complete an installation, including a set of four chrome StandOffs, the proper hardware to support a range of material thicknesses, all-purpose wall anchors, and instructions. The new kits are available in 1-inch and 5/8-inch diameters. Also available are the new HTUBE products, which provide a way to create strong signage, dividing walls, or displays with minimal visible hardware and the flexibility to incorporate any of Gyford’s existing hardware. The SL-A2.5BM provides a single, hidden mounting point on the floor, while the SL-2.5HTUBE-96 can be custom-tapped to attach mounting hardware exactly where you need it. www.standoffsystems.com

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July 2015 // Sign Builder Illustrated

15

HOW-TO

By Mark K. Roberts

Dimensional

Sign-making Mavericks It takes wild horses to create a new look for a high school marquee.

I

have been fortunate to be a recognized vendor with my local school district for over thirtyeight years now. My shop, The InterSign Group in Houston, Texas, offers a wide variety of school identity products for use outside their buildings, as well as inside their halls.

One recent assignment called for the addition of some unique elements to a double-sided identification sign/ electronic message center (EMC) at nearby Pasadena Memorial High School.

I thoroughly enjoy creating custom-shaped 3D mascot logos for schools, and fortunately, this project involved the carving and shaping of two distinct-looking horse heads out of highdensity urethane. (Note: The school’s mascot is the “Mavericks.”)

To begin this project, we set up a meeting with the principal to show her our idea for adding a set of dimensional Maverick heads to their sign.

Our proposed measurements were heads that

were forty inches long, twenty inches high, and one-and-a-half inches deep.

After review, she agreed to let us take on the job.

The school sent us a JPEG of their Mavericks mascot, and we applied these patterns to a slab of Coastal Enterprises Precision Board™ HDU. From there, we used our high-speed scroll saw to cut all around the perimeter of each Maverick head. The cuts were clean and ninety degrees, which is always nice.

We then took our wood rasps and rounded the top surface of the precision-cut HDU heads to show some curvature. Although this step is relatively simple, we had to be careful not to work too fast. Taking it slow and steady always results in a nicer shape.

Once we were satisfied with our rasping work, we softened the roundness of the edges with 100-grit sandpaper. And from there, we

A

Carved HDU maverick heads add some dimension and flair to this high school’s outdoor sign.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

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Top: Shaping the maverick head with a rasp file.

Right: Applying latex paint to the maverick head. progressed to 150-grit sandpaper for additional soft rounding.

(Note: The black shadows shown on the saw-cut HDU horse heads are actually achieved via sub-surface carving with a 0.75-inch bottom-to-top size.)

After some additional fine sanding with 150-grit sandpaper—as well as some patience to get it right—we finally arrived at two very nicely carved Maverick heads.

We next applied Ronan Aqua Coat water-based paint to these HDU shapes

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via foam brushes.

My technique to apply the Aqua Coat paint is to “pad” the foam brushes in the paint and then “pad” the paint onto the surfaces of the HDU Maverick heads.

This procedure is very effective in laying a nice, semi-textured coat of paint.

We usually apply one good coat of the

Aqua Coat and then add another coat in an hour or so. (Note: Keep the painted objects out of direct sunlight, or you will risk uneven drying, which is no good at all.)

We filled our grooves of the Maverick heads with teal latex paint and then painted the perimeter of the Maverick heads with black latex paint.

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After all the production and painting was finished, we gently turned each component of the Maverick heads over onto a foam pad.

From there, we adhered 3M™ VHB tape (red liner) on the backs of both carvings, as well as a few of the letters of the school name that we replaced using saw-cut HDU. Finally we adhered the Maverick heads and pad-painted the existing aluminum letters, which were already in place. This look really complements the updated EMC sign the school decided to install in-between the columns of this premise-mounted sign.

As I mentioned earlier, I enjoy our school assignments, and I always strive to make any marquee sign look its absolute best. I f you adopt this philosophy, your clients will keep you in mind when new signage requests come up.

Mark K. Roberts is a thirty-eight-year sign veteran living and working in Houston, Texas. If you have any questions or comments about this article, email markrobertsigns@gmail.com.

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July 2015 // Sign Builder Illustrated

19

HOW-TO

By David Hickey

Regulations

Temporary Plans A new guide helps planners and communities better understand temporary

Association, Moeller understands the value that signs bring to communities.

Whenever jurisdictions start restricting temporary signs, another issue is certain to pop up—the value these types of signs bring to small businesses and community groups.

It makes sense that temporary signage is often an issue. With its low cost, these signs provide a great way for small businesses to advertise products and specials. They are invaluable to community groups who use them to let the public know about events.

However at the other end of the spectrum, these types of signs can sometimes remain up too long or be placed in areas that are supposed to be free of signage.

Of all the issues in sign codes, this may be the prime hot spot in the battle between business interests and community aesthetics.

Honestly we all win when we find a balance

all Photos: Shutterstock.com.

signage.

O

ne doesn’t have to look too hard to find places across the country where local officials are cracking down on temporary signs.

In recent weeks, commissioners in Joliet, Illinois voted to ban several types of temporary signs and put limits on how long others could appear.

Meanwhile in Roscoe, Wisconsin, the same issue and the same bans occurred on certain kinds of temporary signs.

And in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, an overhaul of the sign code starts with regulating temporary signs because sign administrators say this is the most confusing aspect.

That’s one of the reasons the Signage Foundation Inc. (SFI) is releasing Best Practices for Regulating Temporary Signs, a guide created by prominent planner Wendy Moeller, AICP. A former chapter president of the American Planning

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Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

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between the two extremes. Temporary signs have a place—but their use cannot be left unchecked.

Finding that balance requires a level of knowledge that sign code officials (the ones charged with regulating and enforcing the codes) may not always have.

Planners receive very little formal education on the topic, and city officials may have none. They may not even agree on what constitutes a temporary sign or even all the various types of signage that

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Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

fall into that category.

For the guide, Moeller assessed ninetynine communities in thirty-one states to garner input for the best practices for regulatory aspects of temporary signs.

The publication will help communities determine how to administer and enforce their sign codes. It also addresses new sign types and offers best practices for individual types of temporary signs.

It’s likely that we’ll be hearing more about temporary signage in the coming weeks.

At press time, we’re awaiting a Supreme Court decision that involves temporary signs and marks the high court’s first ruling on a sign code issue in more than two decades.

Regardless of how the court rules, though, this is an issue that will continue to confound communities. We’re hoping that this resource will help find a reasonable balance.

Working together to provide resources that help regulators craft reasonable sign codes has been a model that the International Sign Association (ISA) and SFI have used before. We’ve created two model sign codes that have significantly influenced communities around the country.

We expect Best Practices for Regulating Temporary Signs will do the same.

While ISA will be using this guide in the work that we do around the country, we would urge you to use it as well.

Feel free to share it with planners and city officials with whom you work regularly, use it to train new employees on the various sign types, and share the guide with your end-users to help them better understand these types of signs.

Planners have been asking for resources to help them deal with temporary signs and to regulate them effectively. This reasonable guide will prevent rash decisions that often lead to harsh restrictions on various kinds of temporary signs.

This is a logical common ground that can create a win for both sides in the often-contentious battle between business interests and community aesthetics.

To get a copy of the guide, visit www. signs.org/tempsigns.

David Hickey is vice president, Government Affairs, at ISA. He can be reached via email at signcodehelp@ signs.org. signshop.com

A supplement to sign builder illustrated

: ADA/Wayfinding

In-Touch:

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IN-TOUCH: Case Study

Wayfinding:

Regional Eye Surgery Center

R

Cover Photo: Rowmark.

ebel Graphix (rebelstamp.com) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana recently partnered with SignPro Systems (www.signprosystems. com), a division of Orbus Exhibit & Display Group, to manufacture and develop several left-to-right curved wall solutions for the Regional Eye Surgery Center, also of Baton Rouge.

Regional Eye Surgery Center was in need of an elegant interior wayfinding signage system that would enable patients and employees to find their way through its building.

This signage needed to identify several key areas within the center—including maintenance areas, room identification, and stairways and exits.

Officials at the Regional Eye Surgery Center wanted to maintain a streamlined and consistent look with all signage, so an all-encompassing system was ideal.

The sleek profile of the frames met the center’s expectations for an elegant solution, while the many sizes available provided unique solutions for each area within the center that was in need of

identification.

In addition, SignPro’s ADA-compatible frames allowed for the opportunity to include ADA-compliant lenses for a complete solution.

The clearly visible, easy-to-change signage provides a means for patients to easily navigate the center on their own.

“We are extremely happy with the results from this project,” says Ashlee Dugas, business manager at the Regional Eye Surgery Center. “The expertise provided by the staff of Rebel Graphix made the final result more than we could have hoped for.”

The clearly visible, easy-to-change signage in this system provides a means for patients to easily navigate through the center on their own. signshop.com

July 2015 // SBI In-Touch

S1

IN-TOUCH: Modular | By Lori Shridhare

mod Going

The expanding realm of modular and custom architectural signage.

W

hen presenting the option of architectural signage to an end-client, the first question that may come to mind is, “Why am I calling it architectural signage?”

And this is usually followed up by, “How does this differ from regular signage?”

Architectural signage implies form, structure, solidity, and matching components.

Perhaps the sign’s substrate—teak or pine—complements the conference room table or the design motif. Perhaps a cornice reflects elements of the building style.

This basic description may cover most architectural signage, but the definition of this sign category seems to vary amongst sign professionals.

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SBI In-Touch // July 2015

“Simply stated, we define ‘architectural signage’ as a functional sign or sign program that complements or enhances the architectural nuances of its environment,” explains Jim Nordquist, president of Florida-based wholesale sign manufactuer Viscom Graphics (www.viscomgraphics.com). “This signage conveys more than a message and not just a brand, even though it may subtly integrate branding in its design.”

These types of signs are usually associated with corporate, healthcare, hospitality, religious, government, and educational facilities.

Once architectural signage is deemed the category of choice, the next question arises: How to move forward—modular or custom?

There are advantages to either option, signshop.com

depending on the end-client’s needs and the location the signs are needed for.

“There is no ‘one product type that fits all’ when it comes to facility signage solutions,” says Ron Gibson, president of Michigan-based wholesaler Appenx Inc. (www.appenx.com) “Generally, the best solution is a mix of modular and non-modular signs with a common thread of design and materials utilized throughout a facility.”

Since the mid-1980s, Appenx, a veteran-owned small business, has worked with interior signage in diverse marketing areas, and it specializes in office cube panel applications.

“Since [our] primary focus is interior signage, we prefer to team with other either local (to the customer) companies or company affiliates that specialize in exterior signage and specialty products,” he says. “It is this aggregate of products and expertise that provides value to both our dealers and our end-users.

“Appenx considers our dealers as partners and protects their interests in both the sales process and product support.”

As Good as it Specs Ron Gibson, president of Appenx, offers several tips that may be helpful for those embarking upon architectural signage programs:

Photos (this page & opposite page): appenx inc.

DO: Find a signage manufacturing company that offers a modular system and one who values product support for dealers. For product support, call the manufacturer. If you do not get a live person immediately, you might think twice about their support.

DO: Realistically evaluate your in-house capabilities as opposed to having a manufacturer include a process in your order. Too many times, there is a need to maximize profit and ultimately decrease quality, which reflects on everyone—the manufacturer, the sign dealer, and your client.

signshop.com

Architectural signage implies form, structure, solidity, and matching components. Don’t sacrifice form for function— focus on products that offer the best of both worlds.

Working with sign systems such as Dot Dash®, Outsert® modular and nonmodular, and Xsite™ curved surface signage product lines, the company’s focus is on sustainability.

“With our modular message tiles—especially our tactile ADA-compliant message surfaces—the color is on the back side (second surface). Using acrylics extruded specifically for our products, we are able to offer a background that doesn’t have a painted, wear-face surface, especially for tactile messages,” says Gibson, emphasizing that the tactile quality of the sign serves both an aesthetic and functional purpose. “After all, would you paint a light switch or a door knob?”

An advantage to modular is the ability

DO: Work with a manufacturer that supplies detailed specifications for each sign type in your project. These specs should be so good that you are proud to show them to your customer.

They should also reflect your expertise in the field. A good manufacturer of interior signage should keep detailed records so when your client calls some years later requesting the same signs, the order becomes a simple task.

DO: Work with a manufacturer who can assist with the sign design, materials, and function. A good sign system transcends aesthetics, addressing each element and the integrated whole.

DON’T: Supply your own lens material for curved surface signs. Instead purchase these from the manufacturer.

The basic premise of curved surface signs is the tension of the lens material.

As the sign dimensions get larger, the lens has to incrementally increase in thickness to keep the same tension.

Unfortunately lens material is only offered from suppliers in limited thicknesses, and this can make a big difference in the ability to insert or remove the lens.

DON’T: Transcribe customer specifications—and especially copy requirements—when communicating with the manufacturer. This can only introduce costly errors. It is always a good idea to use the customer’s copy as the source document.

DON’T: Use manufactured products that incorporate materials that absorb moisture either as product “fillers” or decorative back supports.

You will easily lose a customer with this approach.

July 2015 // SBI In-Touch

S3

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IN-TOUCH: Modular | By Lori Shridhare

Photo: Howard industries.

to change the signage as the message or graphics requires updating.

“An example of an aesthetically pleasing sign system that requires little maintenance is the HID sign system,” says Bill Freeman, vice president of architectural sales at Howard Industries (www.howardindustries.com), a national wholesale manufacturer based in Pennsylvania that offers both exterior extruded aluminum wayfinding systems and interior wayfinding/ADA signage. “The changeable inserts and caps available in a range of colors and materials help provide several options, while also being ADAcompliant.

“My advice is not to sacrifice form for function. Instead focus on products that offer the best of both worlds.”

In setting up an architectural signage program, it’s important to assess whether there’s an existing program or if a new one should be created.

“Most companies make requests that range from matching our sign types to existing signs already in use to solving a customer’s problem they may have in directing traffic in a particular direction,” says Freeman. “We do the best we can in matching our aluminum extrusions to a photo of the existing sign provided to us, or a photo of the location where the problem is occurring.”

After receiving approvals, Howard manufactures the products within two weeks or less.

“Designs are based on matching existing signs, architects specs, company logos, or building designs, using 6063T alloy aluminum extrusion with panel

signshop.com

thicknesses ranging from .050-inch to .125-inch,” says Freeman.

Gibson adds that architectural signage can involve working with versatile materials including injection-molded ABS, acrylic, and aluminum extrusions.

“We also offer photopolymer face surfaces, which are especially important for clear lenses,” he says. “Other materials are used based on design specifications and the look the customer wishes to express based on their facility and culture.”

Shops should be cautious though about using uncommon substrates on custom architectural signage jobs.

“When it comes to the use of materials, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should,” says Nordquist. “The facility may have made use of some exotic marble tiles imported from Italy, and these might be the perfect style for the signage, right?

“Well, probably not, as this might be close to impossible to source in small quantities and worse yet, fabricate into certain shapes.”

Nordquist cautions that although tempting, it is best not to move forward with unsustainable design options.

“Using two or three materials correctly can do wonders for the design and especially the design budget,” he says.

“Remember the “KISS” [Keep it simple, stupid] method.

“And you can always Google ‘architectural signage’ to browse the many different options and styles available.”

Another important takeaway in launching a new architectural signage project is to fully understand the environment, evaluate the location, and understand the ordinance in the area.

“Review of the local sign ordinance is a must,” says Freeman. “You do not want to put a lot of time and effort into a project only to find out the type of sign you designed or even ordered is not acceptable for the location.

“Call any utilities to mark any hidden surprises before you start to dig. Provide as much information as possible to the customer for approval before proceeding with the order.”

July 2015 // SBI In-Touch

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IN-TOUCH: ADA | BY Mike Antoniak

Material Choices

W

ith ADA signage, sign makers don’t enjoy the same creative license as with other projects.

These placards must comply with stringent guidelines about how they look; the alignment of Braille, fonts, and icons; and how they effectively convey their message over distance. (Note: See sidebar on page S9.)

The challenge often comes in selecting the best material for each job, as it impacts the look, feel, and life of the sign. And each material comes with its own advantages.

To some degree, production methods—direct printing, applied, sandblasting, etching, or engraving—further narrow the choices.

There’s much to know, and producing S6

SBI In-Touch // July 2015

ADA-compliant signage can be a specialty in itself.

ADA compliance merely insures that it communicates with all groups, including the blind and disabled.

However ADA signs must also complement their surroundings and fit in and effectively serve for years.

Often a client will specify which material they want for the project; others will look to their sign suppliers.

Shop owners who don’t have the capability or commitment in-house can look to material suppliers and wholesalers for guidance on the “right” substrate for the project.

Preferences vary, but most agree on

Consider aesthetics for ADA signs. signshop.com

Photos (top left & right): viscom; (left) appenx inc.

ADA compliance challenges sign makers to match material to setting, budget, and goals.

the factors that must be weighed when deciding on the best material.

Environmental Factors The setting and the environment must be considered because ADA signage is often a permanent installation.

Signs that convey a location or any message in Braille will be regularly touched. So durability has to be examined—whether that raised lettering is applied, etched, or engraved into the sign.

ADA-compliant signage installed inside schools or public buildings can also be targets for vandalism and graffiti, so scratchand graffiti-resistant are desired qualities.

“Before we look at which product to choose, we like to talk to clients and find out what environment those signs will be installed in,” says Mike Santos, director of sales for Nova Polymers (www. novapolymers.com), which specializes in photopolymers (photosensitive synthetics that can be affixed to a base substrate).

Santos recommends photopolymers for high-traffic areas like schools and hospitals where some wear and tear is likely.

“A sign on photopolymers has to be etched and is much more durable than

one in which the graphics are applied and can be peeled away,” he says. “That’s going to mean a longer life and lower cost of ownership for the sign owner.”

“Photopolymer is much more popular with our customers, since it allows for customization,” says Chris Bayer, CEO and president of ADA and engraving specialist CAB Signs (www.cab-signs.com) in Brooklyn, New York.

Wholesaler ADA Central (www.adacentral.com) also prefers an outdoor photopolymer or occasionally melamine for exterior installations where durability is critical.

“Melamine offers the same aesthetics as photopolymers, but price-wise can be a little cheaper,” says ADA Central President Derrick Anderson.

In addition to photopolymers, Bayer states that his company does a great volume of metal, aluminum, and brass ADA signs with appliqué and raster Braille.

“We also use all Rowmark, Gemini, or equivalent plastics,” he says, “as well as Plexiglas®. When an appliqué is used, we find non-glare p99 Plexiglas with a matte finish works best.

“This is true because it allows for cus-

There are many material options for ADA signs, including acrylics, photopolymers, metals, melamine, and even stone. signshop.com

July 2015 // SBI In-Touch

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IN-TOUCH: ADA | BY Mike Antoniak

tom paint colors, which seems to be a big part of how ADA signs are used.”

When choosing a durable material, budget can be the most important consideration. With a sufficient budget, a sign on a metal such as magnesium or aluminum can be a preference for long-term installation outdoors and in high-traffic public settings. These materials hold up well and can be treated with protective coatings.

Conversely the surface of these signs can also be scratched, allowing the underlying metal to shine through, so placement should be a factor when considering a metal substrate.

“If the sign is going to be used for the exterior, sandblasted materials or stoneware are also popular options,” says Hank McMahon, president of wholesaler SignMojo.com (www.signmojo.com), which guarantees its custom-printed ADA signs will last the life of the building.

Acrylics are another choice, and in An-

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SBI In-Touch // July 2015

derson’s estimation, “They perform best when installed in a controlled environment, where there’s little risk of exposure to the elements or chemicals.”

But there are acrylics that work well outdoors, too, according to Jessica Heldman-Beck, marketing manager for Rowmark (www.rowmark.com) and its GoVivid division (www.govividusa.com).

“Normally acrylic sheet materials are best suited for outdoor ADA projects based on superior durability, plus they are very easy to fabricate,” she says.

“Many of [our] ADA-compliant engravable sheet material options are both UVstable and outdoor-weatherable.”

Aesthetic Factors Matching the materials to intent and surroundings is important also.

SignMojo offers choices for most décors and can produce signs with anything from the look of finished leather on fiber-

glass to sandblasted stone. “It’s something we started doing for hotels,” says McMahon of his company's stoneware tiles. “But they can be used anywhere the client wants to present a high aesthetic.

“In buildings and lobbies especially, the look of the signage can be as important as ADA compliance.”

Acrylics can be a good choice for a sign shop looking for design options. “It fits most applications and gives the customers a lot of color options,” says Anderson.

“And the more color options, the more design choices are available to the sign maker,” says Heldman-Beck.

The choice of materials will soon expand—significantly. GoVivid launched a line of UV LED printers specifically designed for production of raised ADAcompliant signage.

“Creating ADA signage with UV-LED printing saves significant time when compared to other ADA sign production

signshop.com

methods, with less manual work and less steps involved,” says Heldman-Beck.

It also expands the choice in substrates and color options to include materials impractical in the past—including wood, foam board, and canvas. “[It’s] the flexibility to reproduce full-color photography, designs, and imagery with stunning clarity on any colored substrate as a complement to ADA-compliant sign elements,” says Heldman-Beck. “Using white ink technology will be another benefit.”

As with durability, budget comes into play when considering aesthetics as well.

“As a general rule, the more pieces there are in an ADA sign, the more expensive it’s going to be,” says McMahon.

Awareness Factors Of course, before they can take full advantage of the many choices now possible for ADA-compliant signage, building

owners, architects, and engineers have to be made aware of them.

These signs are required by law for new construction and in any public setting, but they can oftentimes be an afterthought.

Anderson deals with two types of customer for ADA-compliant signage: (1.)

Those who plan ahead and spec the material and color they want; and (2.)

Those who just don’t care.

“People wait until the last minute, and even then, they just need any ADA signs to be in compliance,” he says. “They don’t care about the color and materials."

Anderson believes there needs to be more awareness of ADA requirements, so third parties such as his can plan ahead.

“If they had just a week to plan, they would find they have a lot more options,” he says. “The earlier you can get to your customers and let them know you have the capability to provide these signs and the choices they have, the better.”

ADA-compliant Design Rules The Department of Justice’s revised regulations for Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) were published in the Federal Register on September 15, 2010. These regulations adopted revised, enforceable accessibility standards called the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, “2010 Standards,” and went into effect on March 15, 2012.

Some general design rules for signage covered by the law: +A ll signs must have non-glare backgrounds and characters (with the exception of reflective parking and other traffic signs).

non-decorative nature. Condensed or extended typefaces are not allowed. Strokes are medium—not too bold, not too thin.

+ All signs that contain visual characters must have a high darkto-light (or vice versa) contrast between characters and their background. Dark letters must not be featured on a dark background, while light letters cannot be featured on a light background.

+ Tactile signs require uppercase characters in sans serif typefaces.

(Helvetica is not required; other sans-serif typefaces can be used.)

The characters can be from 5/8inch to two inches high and there should be 1/8-inch minimum space between them.

+A ll signs must have "easy to read" typefaces.

+ The Braille must be positioned below the characters and must be Contracted Braille (formerly known as Grade 2 Braille).

+ Directional and informational signs can use upper and lower case letters and “simple” serif typefaces of a

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July 2015 // SBI In-Touch

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IN-TOUCH: Wayfinding | By CharleS J. Kelly, Jr.

Steps for Good Wayfind Design

A

s sign industry professionals, we tend to think of signage as the key to successful wayfinding programs. No argument there, but project design gives a great deal more attention to the human experience.

A person’s wayfinding adventure begins with orienting oneself to his or her current position, asking “Where am I? In what direction am I facing?”

Each step through the process imprints itself with a landmark and provides a point of reference for the next steps.

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SBI In-Touch // July 2015

The accumulative effect is the development of a personal cognitive map, a coherent mental image reinforced by each repeated movement through memorable spaces.

Back in 1992, authors and wayfinding experts Paul Arthur and Romedi Passini called this “spatial problem solving.”

While signage plays a vital, linking role in the process, visual cues, inspired design, and, in some cases, new technology impact the results as well.

Craig Berger, consultant, educator, and author of Wayfinding: Designing and Imple-

menting Graphic Navigational Systems, says, “People tend to use a variety of visual cues when it comes to navigating a building.The science of how they do this is beginning to pick up momentum in the industry.”

According to Berger, the recent focus in wayfinding has put a strong emphasis on landmarks; therefore items like donor recognition walls, stained glass windows, and kiosks are now considered to have a more meaningful role in the process, effectively doing double duty.

While there have always been elesignshop.com

Photo: clarke systems.

Helping visitors navigate wayfaring systems.

Photos: (top) howard industries; (bottom) clarke systems.

ments of building design that enhance the navigability of a space, it would appear today that small details that once gave continuity to fine design are being sacrificed to bolder statements.

Houston-based wayfinding designer Steve Neumann, founder/principal of The Design Office of Steve Neumann and Friends, says past attention to “repetitive detailing” has been abandoned for the sake of budget, construction time, and craftsmanship.

“Now we signage designers create our own enhancements,” he says, “which then allow the signage to become the unifying element within the buildings.

“Unfortunately it is a ‘disposable’ element rather than something [that] traditionally was semi-permanent.”

Berger cites three areas of impact relative to visual cues.

First designers are beginning to look at things like the use of special wall coverings, including super wall graphics that might be themed to the business at hand or present a larger-than-life numeral to identify a parking deck level.

Secondly he re-emphasizes the value of a handsomely displayed, large donor wall to draw attention to a location, as well as amplify the value of giving to the institution.

And thirdly, he describes the “directory on steroids”—no longer limited to a basic column but now a major decorative element meant to be noticed.

“Now we see monumental art, sky-lit atriums, feature walls, etc., verbally used as homing and reassurance devices to advise the public on its journey,” says Neumann.

Wayfinding visual cues today include items like decorative elements meant to be noticed (above) and larger-than-life numerals to identify a parking deck level (left).

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Berger sees this as a maturation of the industry, where the elements of wayfinding are more “infrastructural,” all of which “requires a higher level of design.”

So where do signs fit in all this? Specifically, at the decision points—beginning with the initial directory or map and proceeding from there.

Placement determination comes after a comprehensive site study and collaborative research conducted with designated stakeholders (including visitors and vendors).

While the landmarks and design play a vital role in establishing the environment, the sign package is the ribbon that holds it all together and provides the detail that’s lacking. Signs give the clarity, reassurance, and controlled messaging necessary to make the decision.

A decision point generally requires the person to make a choice. If a location leads to a frequently sought destination or department—or if it is a point of ref-

erence for another location—it is considered a decision point.

If signage can differentiate those choices and provide the information necessary to proceed, it should be placed there. The ultimate goal is to get the person to the desired destination and back again.

As far as the impact of digital technol-

ogy goes, Berger is “still skeptical.”

“Has anyone been able to show a real, strong degree of success in technologysupported wayfinding in the healthcare or educational arena?” he says. “I see passive digital screens—ones that supply some motion in the background—as a visual cue or landmark, since the eye

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SBI In-Touch // July 2015

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Photo: howard industries.

IN-TOUCH: Wayfinding | By CharleS J. Kelly, Jr.

metomic_THIRDPAGE.pdf

gravitates to movement.

“However people don’t instantly engage in the interactive environment unless they walk up to a stationary setting, like a front desk.”

You have to stop to watch the motion if you want to pick up information. Conversely static sign copy is easier to catch as you move through space.

“In reality, we need things that reach out to you, not you to them,” says Berger, discounting interior GPS. “Wayfinding is much more passive.

“People expect the environment to support them. They don’t want to work.

They want things simple.”

While Neumann sees the technology of visual communication today as “almost boundless” and providing instant changeability and communication (either hardwired or carried in our pockets), he also recognizes the negative.

“Cost and longevity are technology’s worst enemies,” he says. “While a sign can be made permanent and evolutionary with non-destructive and zero annual cost, the LED monitor does have a purchasing impact, along with annual maintenance and subsequent replacement, just like a lightbulb.

“Only we don’t stock replacements like we stocked 60-watt bulbs in the past.”

In truth, there is a place for both.

Modular architectural signage continues to serve the wayfinding market well, performing reliably 24/7 when professionally placed in optimum locations.

Dynamic digital signage serves as an educational and advertising tool where people gather in waiting rooms and an information tool for people who stop to check schedules, meeting room locations, and regional info.

Ultimately signage must be user-focused.

Understanding human behavior and expectations (as well as the principles of good design) are key to successful wayfinding.

In the process, the wayfinding experience is as much of an adventure for the sign maker as it is for the wayfinder!

Charles J. Kelly, Jr., is president of Clarke Systems (www.clarkesystems. com) in Allentown, Pennsylvania. signshop.com

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July 2015 // SBI In-Touch

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IN- TOUCH: News & Notes Your ADA/Wayfinding Needs: Gemini Duets Direct Duets Direct, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gemini, Inc., is your factory-direct source for premium ADA, wayfinding, and engraving stock. Instead of the finished sign, you’re buying the raw material directly from the manufacturer.

The company uses state-of-the-art technology, as well as Gemini’s long-time manufacturing process knowledge, to create these substrates. “We produce in a clean room,” says Gary Harder, director of Duets Direct. “Any little bit of dirt or dust will cause an imperfection in the sheet and affect its quality. Workers have to be wearing a Tyvek® suit. To prevent dust or particles floating around, outside air only enters the room via our filtration system.”

Storage rooms also happen to be temperature- and humidity-controlled; this is done to maintain long-term sheet flatness. “Acrylic particularly is hydroscopic, so it will absorb water,” says Harder, “and when it does so, it warps.”

Only the highest-quality product leaves the Duets Direct facility, and it’s shipped directly to you. Whether you need to reload your Duets Direct sample swatch binder, present a

number of color options, or bring your customer’s concept to life with a live prototype on actual stock—you can request samples online or call your Duets Direct representative. 800/548-3356; www.duetsdirect.com

Rowmark: New Color Snap Match App Rowmark LLC is excited to be the only material manufacturer to launch a mobile app designed to aid customers in finding the perfect color-matched plastic sheet for their laser, rotary, or printable application or design…in a snap!

Through an easy-to-use filtering tool, Rowmark’s Color Snap Match app will help users discover Rowmark materials that match their color need in two simple steps.

First simply take a photo of the color that you would like to find in the Rowmark range or select a photo from your device’s photo gallery.

Then select from a list of predetermined “product filters” based on the project needs (e.g., laserable, front-engravable, ADASC4

SBI In-Touch // July 2015

compliant, outdoor weatherable, etc.).

The Color snap Match app returns suggested Rowmark “color match” materials—including product names, item codes, and plies—along with an image of the color or pattern. It also returns complete color details, including the CMYK, RGB, Pantone, and Hex numbers of the color.

A user can also request a Rowmark sample of their “color match” directly from the innovative app.

Rowmark’s new Color Snap Match is free for users. To download it, visit the Apple iTunes app store via your iOS 8 version Apple iPhone® or iPad®. www.rowmark.com

More Than Cutting: Esko Kongsberg Tools Esko announces a new range of Kongsberg tools that are available for customers for usage on the Kongsberg XN, Kongsberg V, and Kongsberg XL Series of digital finishing systems. One such tool, the Braille tool, is loaded with clear acrylic “Braille spheres” that are inserted into small holes. These holes are milled with a special spindle to create raised dots that are readable with fingertips. The Braille tool will work on most rigid materials more than 1mm thick and is used to produce signage requiring directions or inscriptions in Braille. www.esko.com/store

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Color Once understood, color management is a process that is relatively easy to put into practice for reliable, consistent, and repeatable color.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

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Having a color-managed workflow ensures that you’ll be able to hit the colors your printer can, time after time.

- centric Managing the best color out of your printer.

photos (left): hp; (top) ap photos/HP.

F

or most sign professionals involved with graphics, color is central to success. Incorrect printer output can cost a shop a job and tarnish its reputation.

But even if your shop has mastered the color management process, there are still a few things you need to be aware of that have evolved over the past year.

The first is the push towards a more gray balance focus with digital inkjet printing (G7, as the process is known).

“G7 has been around for a while, and it is gaining more traction in the wide format printing arena with more providers taking the time to become a Certified G7 Professional,” says Ray Weiss, digital imaging specialist for the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA). “For those doing ‘brand’ printing, it is coming closer to a requirement.”

(Note: You can find out about the process of becoming G7 certified at the IDEAlliance Web site, www.idealliance.org.)

Weiss adds, “The M1 Measurement Illumination Condition, found in ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 13655:2009 is also becoming more prevalent. M1 is designed to reduce variations in measurement results between instruments (spectrophotometers) that can be caused by fluorescence, either by optical brighteners in paper or fluorescence

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of the imaging colorants.”

We spoke further with Weiss to help shops better understand the important process of color management.

What advice do you have for print providers when it comes to color management in the printing process?

Ray Weiss: Process control is so important in color management. Taking the time to establish procedures to follow is the first step in this process. Even something as simple as printer maintenance and calibration (often overlooked) will make a big difference in your color management process.

Regular linearization of the printer, so that you’ll have a baseline to return to over time, is critical. You’ll need a spectrophotometer device for this, but it’s an investment that’s well worth it. Don’t try to evaluate color visually.

Understanding how spot colors are set up and managed with your RIP manufacturer is important; some have built-in PANTONE® libraries.

Lastly I would include some form of print verification in my procedures. Whether it’s to print a color bar on every print or to run an evaluation once a day, just to know that your printer is performing properly will ensure more accurate and repeatable color.

Tucanna’s RapidCheck and ColorMetrix’s ProofPass are two verification softwares that are offered by SGIA members, and each do a great job in giving feedback regarding the print July 2015 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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The more consistent your printers, the more flexibility you’re going to experience, as well as the more consistent your final color output.

Do you have any advice regarding document saving or manipulation?

I would suggest a Portable Document Format (PDF) workflow, if you aren’t already there. A PDF is designed to look identical on every platform (print, proofing, and online). ISO came out with ISO 32000-1:2008, which is a standard that is for the exchange and viewing of electronic documents.

It is important to note that there are now subsets of PDFs. For the graphic technology/prepress industry, PDF/X (PDF for Exchange) is the one to focus on and specifically PDF/X-4, which supports color-managed, CMYK, gray, RGB, or spot color data along with transparency and layers.

The only caution with PDF/X-4 is that some RIPs don’t support it, and in those cases, I’ll back-save to PDF/X-3.

However more and more RIPs are getting up to speed on PDF/X-4, so this will become unnecessary in the future.

What are the challenges involved with ensuring proper color management with an inkjet printer?

When you get into the inkjet arena, you open up a world of different ink sets—solvent, eco-solvent, UV, latex, aqueous, not to mention the world of dye-sub. There’s also a myriad of material choices—fabrics, vinyl, papers, backlit, etc.

26

Using solvent and eco-solvent inks brings heat into the equation. And with mercury arc lamps (still used by some UV printers), you need to factor in lamp temperature versus the newer LED lamps.

All of these options introduce variables

that need to be controlled to ensure good color management across your devices.

What mistakes can shops make when it comes to color reproduction through inkjet printing, and how can

Color Management: Calibrating Platforms Print shops have evolved and so too has the equipment they use. It’s only logical that color management has become more important than ever.

“One of their biggest challenges,” says John Fulena, vice president of production printing business group at Ricoh Americas Corporation, “is consistency across printers and consistency across the prints.”

Calibration of multiple devices is important. The more consistent your printers, the more flexibility you have and the more consistent your color.

Tools like spectrophotometers can help with consistency in individual printers and across fleets of printers.

Color also varies across substrates.

“You can actually calibrate toward one media and then have it print on a separate type of media and have a dramatically different look,” says Fulena, noting flatbeds can pose a lot more challenges because of the wider variety of substrates one can print on.

In addition, materials all have a

Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

different white point, as well as slightly different absorption levels and interaction with the ink. “Having the right print profiles and having the right color management is key for trying to print across multiple devices and multiple technologies,” says Sandy Gramley, product manager for Latex & Scitex Inks at HP. These experts agree that it makes sense to invest in education and software to drive color consistency. “This is not the place to skimp because, in the long run, wasted materials and wasted time is much more expensive,” says Gramley.

Fulena advises first setting a standard in your organization— PANTONE, G7, or ICC. “Once you’ve set your standard, find out what your devices do well and what they don’t,” he says, “and then formulate a plan on how to maintain and how to calibrate those devices to fit your standard.”

To read more, visit bit.ly/1MWo1Ot. —Ashley Bray and Jeff Wooten

signshop.com

photos (left): roland dga; (right) craftsmen industries.

condition of the output device.

they prevent them?

In the interest of space, I’ll focus on three of them: (1.) Managing color at the output device as opposed to having good process control is a big mistake. There are a number of organizations that do just this—they ask their device operator to play with the color, or they have a dedicated prepress person doing “color matching.”

Managing color at the output device is a huge material- and time-waster and a disaster waiting to happen. Without a standard process, the likelihood of duplicating these efforts down the road is practically impossible.

Having a color-managed workflow where you control the variables and know what your printer is capable of producing will streamline this process and ensure that you’ll be able to hit the colors your printer can hit, time after time.

(2.) Viewing conditions or lighting is another mistake that is easy to fix, yet few take the time or effort to do it. Having a viewing booth or light wall will allow you and your customer to view the proof in the same lighting conditions.

If you have fluorescents in your shop area and the client is going to be displaying the print in a retail environment with different lighting (incandescents, for example), the likelihood that the print will look different is almost certain.

With some light booths, you can recreate different lighting conditions so that you and the client can view and approve the proof in lighting that’s a better match to where it’ll be displayed.

earlier? The reason some are doing this is because they’ve handicapped their printing device by selecting the wrong target. So they spend time and materials “tweaking” their colors and settings when they might easily hit the color they want if they had the right target selected.

And be sure to understand rendering intents (colorimetric, perceptual, saturation) and know what it means when you have one selected.

What advice do you have for making colors match the design proof when it comes to inkjet output?

This question goes back to having a process or standard and knowing what targets are being used. Knowing the reference print condition (was the proof made to SWOP or GRACol?) and the color space (did they use sRGB or Adobe RGB?)—or knowing whether either one was used at all—will at least get you on the path towards matching a proof.

If you know the reference print condition, you can set your printer up to match that print condition. (Note: See “Calibrating Platforms” sidebar on opposite page.) And if your printer has

been color managed or even just gray balanced, then you have a good chance of matching the proof.

Any final thoughts?

If you don’t understand what is going on with your printer’s color management, take the time to become informed.

You’ve invested a good deal of money in your digital inkjet device, why not invest some time and money in making sure you know how to get the most out of it?

And remember, color theory is just that—a theory. There will be differing opinions that guide RIP manufacturers in establishing what they determine are the best or ideal settings for managing the color on your digital inkjet device.

Don’t let that stop you from establishing a process or standard that works best for you. Having a process is half the battle, and having a process that you follow will put you ahead of the curve.

Color management is not some deep dark secret that only a few know about.

It’s a process that, once understood, is relatively easy to put into practice for reliable, consistent, and repeatable color.

(3.) Understand the importance of targets or input/source profiles.

There are a few RIP manufacturers that still use SWOP (Specifications for Web Offset Publications). If the RIP is using SWOP, this target has a reduced gamut map as opposed to GRACol (General Requirements for Applications in Commercial Offset Lithography). Using a target with SWOP means that you’ll most likely be limiting the ability of your digital inkjet printer by mapping it to a smaller gamut, resulting in fewer available colors that you’ll be able to hit.

Remember when I talked about people trying to manually manipulate colors signshop.com

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D i m e n s i o n a l S i g n s / By j e f f wo ot e n / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

This raised image sign is made from fifteenpound urethane foam, a material that CNC routers love.

Depth

Z

perception

Production techniques for different 3D signs.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

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T

here are a number of reasons why a sign maker would want to offer dimensional signage: The freedom to provide more custom designs, the ability to work with a wide range of substrates, and the opportunity to increase profit margins.

And to these, veteran sign maker George Zienowicz adds, “When I’m fabricating a dimensional sign, it feels great—like I’m a twelve-year-old kid again, putting together a model kit.”

George owns Zienowicz Sign Co. (www.zsigns.com), a full-service, threeperson shop of “independent thinkers” and “problem solvers” in Chambersburg, New Jersey.

He has been in the sign industry for more than thirty years now, and his shop handles all sorts of signage projects for small and large clients (including mom&-pops, real estate offices, restaurants, and even the governor’s residence and New Jersey State House).

Among these projects are illuminated signs and vinyl. But it’s the custom dimensional types that really pique George’s creative energies. One look at his history helps explain why.

George started his career hanging out in sign shops designing and hand-lettering real estate signs. But after growing up enjoying woodworking and carpentry, he would eventually combine these

York Street House employs a sandblast stencil, gold leaf lettering, and a sculpted rose.

Kusnirik Law Office’s panel may look five inches thick, but it’s one-inch foam that has been hollowed out on the CNC router.

Pic Pocket is an imageappropriate MDF sign that’s been shape-routed on the CNC, painted with bulletin enamel, and lettered with vinyl.

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July 2015 // Sign Builder Illustrated

all photos: zienowicz sign co.

This specially designed weather vane for a client was CNC-routed out of aluminum and copper.

Metals can take a little longer to cut on a router.

29

Z

Even with all the high-tech technologies available today, Zienowicz still finds time to make some signs the old-school way. skills with graphic arts (using lettering quills, jigsaws, and cans of paint) to become a full-fledged sign maker.

For George, dimensional signs just “look classier” than a flat sign. “Not only do they look more detailed, but they also show off that the sign maker has put a little more time and effort to the customer’s project,” he says.

George also finds that a plain, flat sign with vinyl letters can prove “boring” to the sign maker (and customer) if repeated frequently over time. “I always strive to increase the ‘cool’ factor of a sign,” he says, “and dimensional allows me to do this.”

One piece of equipment that has really aided George’s shop is a four-byeight-foot ShopBot CNC router that they’ve been using for ten years now.

“The router has revolutionized the way signs are fabricated in my shop—as they have at other shops probably,” he says.

“A V-carved sign might take two days to carve using chisels; the CNC router can do it in one hour.”

George has also added many modifications to his ShopBot, like a vacuum hold down, two-stage dust collection, proximity switches for zeroing, and separate dedicated circuits for the router head, control box, and computer.

When it comes to materials his shop cuts on the ShopBot, George recognizes that every job has different needs. “For example, HDU is a nice material to work 30

with and cuts easy. But you wouldn’t want to use it for a sign that’s going to be located low to the ground where it could easily get damaged by landscapers or road debris,” he says.

George stresses longevity and how long the client wants the dimensional sign to last as important factors when choosing a substrate and finish. “You have to consider where it’s being installed and the amount of UV exposure it will get,” he says. “Signs take a constant, brutal assault from the sun. So will it be in the shade? And if not, which direction does it face— east to west or north to south?”

Although George likes carving PVC, aluminum composite, and aluminum

Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

(probably the toughest material to cut on a router), he really loves urethane foam (citing Sign•Foam 4, in particular). “It’s lightweight and not difficult to paint,” he says. “It has a nice, smooth finish. You can carve nice, crisp details, and there’s very little grit-type dust associated with it.”

Preventative maintenance of his CNC router is important to George too.

He stresses to keep the CNC tabletop clean. “You want the blank to sit flat on the table,” says George. “If you’ve got leftover shards on it, this could lift the piece up, say, 1/8-inch higher on one end or lower it 1/8-inch on the other.

“And this could cause problems.”

George uses the vacuum system signshop.com

For the doves, Zienowicz made a pounce pattern, cut the dove shape using a band saw, and sculpted them by hand using rasps and die-grinders. hooked up to the router head to remove 90 percent of any debris from a piece, while he brushes off the rest.

When it comes to CNC router operation, George finds that creating the vector files for cutting is where the real work is done. (Note: Zienowicz Sign uses Aspire software to create these files.) “You have to tell it what size bit you’re using,” he says, “and then move on to how many passes you want it to make and how fast you want the router head to go and so on.

“Since we’re fabricators, we also design within our capabilities.”

Speaking of sign designs, one type George likes accomplishing on his ShopBot are V-carved signs (carving the letters into the sign blank using a Vshaped bit, resulting in a raised surface and other raised elements).

But he finds that combining different elements on a dimensional sign always generates interest, as well.

Take adding gold leaf to V-carved signs. “We coat the boards, put a mask on top of it, route through the mask, apply the gold leafing, and finally pull the mask off,” he explains. “And different burnishing techniques [like engine turning] always adds a little spice.”

For a recent sign featuring V-carved lettering, gold leaf, and a rose made from foam for the York Street Bed and Breakfast (pictured, page 29), he first cut the shape on his ShopBot CNC. He then applied a sandblasted stencil of the lettering and blasted it.

He attached the hand-sculpted, handpainted rose to the piece and finished the lettering with gold leaf.

George warns newbies that it’s important to understand gold leafing techniques before attempting to apply gold leaf to a sign. “There’s a lot you can mess up if you don’t know what you’re doing,” he says.

Then there are the extras one can offer for a client’s dimensional sign.

George designed the whole Black Dog Media sign (pictured, page 28) from scratch using Artisan software. signshop.com

The artistry of 3D signage enhanced with a ShopBot. Where: Appalachian Signs Boone, NC Website: appalachiansigns.com Tool: ShopBot Full Size CNC

At Sarah Evans’ and Laura Shoemaker’s Appalachian Signs, they design and build a variety of custom signs, from combination CNC’d and hand-carved wood signs, to lettering and logos, to printed vinyl signs. The desire to do more complex dimensional work led to the purchase of a CNC tool. “We chose ShopBot for its smart design and reputation for reliability,” Sarah said. “The tool has met and exceeded expectations. CNC has enabled us to come up with whole new engineering concepts.”

• ShopBot is powerful and affordable CNC. Our tools enable carving, milling, and cutting in wood, MDF, plexi, aluminum, vinyl, foam, HDPE and more.

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See samples of their work at ShopBotBlog.com. And give us a call! We’ll help you choose the right CNC tool for your sign business.

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31

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Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

He carved it with the ShopBot but also custom-made the bracket for it out of aluminum using MIG welders in his metal shop.

The shop epoxied I-hooks into the sign and attached S-hooks and chain link to give it some swing.

“We drilled holes into the building and put the bracket up first with screws,” explains George. “We then attached the sign to this bracket.”

If a hanging sign of this type is really big in size with a lot of wind load on it, George will usually bolt it through the building. “But on something smaller like the nice, strong brick façade hosting the Black Dog Media sign, you can get a good bite using screws,” he states.

Dimensional signs are not just about the ease and convenience of a CNC router. Zienowicz Sign also uses jigsaws, band saws, die-grinders, rasps, and chisels when the need arises. “Even with the computers and technologies available at our disposal, sometimes it’s just easier to do it by hand,” says George. “Besides it feels good to get dusty every now and again.”

Take the V-carved gold leaf panel signs for Iglesia Asamblea De Cristo (pictured, pages 30-31), a project George dubs “interesting.”

While the main sign is V-carved with gold leaf lettering, there are doves featured at both ends of the sign, and the client’s design had these birds pointing toward the center. “We had to mirror the two doves,” says George. “And with all the curves and accents on them, it would’ve taken too much time to model the doves out on the router.”

So he drew the silhouette of the birds onto a paper pattern and perforated it.

He then took this pounce pattern and rubbed it onto the board. George next cut it out on a band saw and finished it with die grinders, rasps, sandpaper, and chisels.

“To do the mirrored bird, we took the same pattern but just flipped it over,” he explains.

As you’ve learned, George is well versed in the tools of yesteryear and today and employs them to complete his custom dimensional signs. He intends to keep using these equipment and accessories to continue producing dimensional signage for his clients well into tomorrow. signshop.com

S e r v i c e T r u c k s / B y A s h l e y B r ay / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Service equipment is the cash flow machine for the industry.

Reaching Profits Increase the ROI of your service vehicle.

photo: elliott equipment company.

A

service truck can be one of the biggest investments a sign shop makes, so it’s important that, in turn, the truck makes the shop a good profit.

There are a variety of ways to ensure this is the case.

First a company needs to choose the right service vehicle. This means buying rugged equipment that’s built to last, as well as choosing equipment that has enough height and side reach to work on

signshop.com

a wide range of jobs.

Buying something specifically engineered for the sign industry makes a difference too. “If you get something that’s not designed for the sign business per se, you may lose out on some of the features and functionality that helps you be more productive and get jobs done quicker,” says David Phillips, Global Business D e ve l o p m e n t m a n a g e r at E l l i o t t Equipment Company (www.elliottequip.

com). “If you get the right vehicle, you will be able to do more work, simply by quicker setup, more tools available in the platform, more uptime, and greater resale value.”

That greater resale value is often overlooked, but it’s a big part of a vehicle’s ROI. “When you’re ready to trade up to something new or to move it out of your fleet, [make sure] you have it spec’ed out and laid out in a way that is in high de-

July 2015 // Sign Builder Illustrated

33

photos (left): elliott equipment; (right) wilkie manufacturing llc.

mand by the industry,” says Phillips.

The way a shop lays out a truck is also important for how efficiently workers operate. “Look exactly at what the workers do on a daily basis [at] these jobs and try to spec the trucks and aerial devices out in a way that maximizes their access to the tools they need and to the space they need to do the job,” says Phillips.

Shops should also look at what tools they use and equip their trucks with 110-volt plug-ins for hand tools.

Storage space is also very important.

Most shops fill them with toolboxes from one end to the other and above and below the body of the truck.

“When they equip the machines, they order them very custom,” says Randy Robertson, director of Sales & Marketing at Manitex (www.manitexinternational. com). “They want that piece of equipment to be more or less a multi-tool.”

Many even include specialty toolboxes like ten-foot-long lamp bins for carrying lighting, since channel letters are a big part of most shops’ business.

Bryan Wilkerson, vice president at Wilkie Manufacturing L.L.C. (www. wilkiemfg.com), has some tips on loading the truck right for these jobs.

“Planning can be a big part of a channel letter job and cheap moving blan34

kets can go a long way in protecting the channel letters,” he says. “Also the last letter loaded on the truck should be the first letter off the truck.”

Some trucks, like Elliott’s, even include jib winches, which can retrieve letters and hold them in the air during install to make channel letter jobs easier.

“Previously a lot of companies had to bring two vehicles on the job,” says Phillips. “They’d have to bring a small crane and a little bucket.

Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

“But with this jib winch, they’re able to do the lifting and the personnel access work with one machine.”

Of course, the right tools and hardware aren’t everything. Carrying the right supplies to accomplish channel letter jobs and beyond is crucial too.

“Keeping a running inventory of what is on each truck before it leaves the shop—along with a good parts list for items required for each job—will pay for itself in saved time on returned trips,” says Wilkerson.

With all of the materials and tools on the truck, vehicle owners need to be aware of weight restrictions (33,000

photo: manitex.

The aerial lift of a service vehicle will often include storage spaces and plug-ins for tools, which helps to make installation jobs easier.

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pounds for service trucks). These costly fines can cut into profits.

“We really recommend that they go through the truck every couple of months or so, clean it out completely, and see what they’re not using and what they are using and refill their boxes so they don’t overload these trucks,” says Phillips.

There are also ways to reduce weight when building the truck—such as alternatives to steel toolboxes.

“A lot of our clients are using aluminum boxes or fiberglass boxes or different things like that to bring weight down and increase what they can carry,” says Phillips.

Aside from building a truck for efficiency, a shop should also consider the branding value of its appearance. “[Service vehicles] are basically a rolling advertisement,” says Phillips. “They get a lot of return on investment if they build a truck that has some high promotional value.”

Ways to “bling out” a truck, as Robertson says, include vinyl wraps, custom paint jobs, and lots of shiny chrome and aluminum.

“Those guys are very attuned to developing and tailoring artwork, graphics, and signage for their clients, so they’re the same way when it’s time for them to buy equipment of their own,” he says.

“They want it to be different than anything else out there.”

Above all else, a shop’s contact information should be clearly displayed.

“If you cannot read it from thirty feet away, people are missing your advertisement on the truck,” says Wilkerson, adding that trucks should be regularly cleaned.

Keeping a truck looking good is as important as keeping it running well.

To avoid costly repairs that can take a truck off the road, shops should complete the recommended daily, weekly, and monthly checklists for the vehicle. Some problem areas to look out for include extension cables, clutches on manual transmissions, and wear and tear on hinge and cylinder pins.

In addition to routine maintenance and inspection, Phillips recommends assigning a truck to a specific set of installers.

“Give them a level of accountability over maintenance and repairs,” he says.

“We find the trucks tend to last a lot longer and have a lot more value upon signshop.com

resale versus taking a truck and passing it around among a dozen technicians and installers.”

Finally think “outside the box” when it comes to deployment. It’s true that maintenance should be performed on a truck, but understand that trucks can also perform maintenance jobs to bring in greater profits. A truck that’s not out on the road or at a job site is losing money, so in between sign projects, shops can repair signs, replace bulbs, and maintain

and clean signs.

Opportunities even exist outside the sign industry where the reach of a bucket truck is still needed on jobs like tree trimming, parking lot lighting, heating/ AC repairs with local HVAC companies, and more.

“Service equipment is the cash flow machine for the industry,” says Wilkerson. “The more that the equipment is on the job site and on the road, the higher cash flow they generate.”

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866-226-8505 July 2015 // Sign Builder Illustrated

35

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

1. Choose up to 10 categories of interest and check off on card.

2. Select up to 28 suppliers and record InfoDirect # on card.

3. Mail card to start getting info!

InfoDirect #

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 36

Company

Page

Page

InfoDirect #

39 Southern Stud Weld . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 40 Stouse, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

46

InfoDirect #

3M Commercial Graphics . . . . . . . . 11 AB Installations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Ability Plastics, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . S8 ADA Central Signs. . . . . . . . . . . . . S11 AdamsTech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Allwood SignBlanks Ltd.. . . . . . . . . 19 Alpina Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . 42 Alpina Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . 42 Brooklyn Hardware. . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 CAB Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SC3 Central States Signs. . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Clarke Systems. . . . . . . . . S5, S7, S9 Coastal Enterprises/Precision Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 DUNA-USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Duxbury Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Echod Graphics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Gemini, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Gemini, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 GoVivid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Hartlauer Bits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 J. Freeman, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Keystone Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . 5 Metomic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SC3 Mimaki USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Orbus Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Orbus Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic. . 43 Outwater Plastics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Principal LED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Rowmark, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SC2 SGIA Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 ShopBot Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Sign America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 SignMojo.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S12 Sign-Mart Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Sign-Mart Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Signs365.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4 SloanLED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2 Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

Company

Company

Page

Companies in Sign Show

41 TRC Electronics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 42 Trotec Laser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

47

43 US LED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 44 Vista Systems LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

49

45 VKF Renzel USA Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . 43

51

48 50 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

AXYZ International . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Becker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 CLEAR FOCUS Imaging . . . . . . . . . . 14 Drytac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Duets Direct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SC4 EFI/VUTEk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Esko. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SC4 ER2 Image Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Gemini, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SC4 Gyford. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Mutoh America, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Outwater Plastics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Rowmark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SC4 Techno CNC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Vision Engraving & Routing. . . . . . . 12

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Taking on LED area lighting jobs can be a new revenue stream for sign shops.

When the Chevrolet dealership first opened, they used fifteen- and thirtyfive-foot light poles outfitted with fluorescent tubes. In the early 1980s, they switched these tubes out for then-new 1,000-watt metal halide lamps to cover the fourteen-acre property.

Over the decades, the metal halide lamps experienced some issues of their own. Burnouts were occurring in some fixtures, resulting in lots of dark spots across the property (which, in turn, resulted in vandalism).

The Lighting Trade-in

The Drive to Retrofit A sign shop pulls up for an area LED lighting project.

Love Chevrolet in Columbia, three dealerships are currently South Carolina has been in owned under the umbrella Love business since 1961. Over the Automotive/RV by company years, it expanded to two other President Michael Love, whose locations in the city (Mitsubishi grandfather and father started and Buick GMC properties). All the business.

38

Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

“The cost to physically change the metal halide bulbs was huge, around $40 to $60 apiece,” says Love. “And they don’t last long.

“You’d spend days changing out one batch, and then weeks later, ten or twelve more lights would be out.”

Although the lot was illuminated, it really wasn’t consistently lit; this led to frustrations.

“As the older-style lights began to age, they would fade and yellow-out,” says Love. “So we’d have different levels of light and different color temperatures of light from different light poles.” (Note: Love also found the burned-out fixtures didn’t promote a safe experience for customers at night.)

Love Chevrolet is located beside an Interstate, with nearly 700 feet of frontage along this roadway.

“It was very important that we look really good from the Interstate,” says Love. “Our goal with whatever lighting replacement we used was to just fire it up as bright as we could possibly afford on the frontage road and then taper the lights down as you go back away from the street and closer to our neighbors.”

LEDs were playing a large role in Love’s mind for this on-lot lighting, especially since the power company was promoting incentives at the time for switching over to this technology.

This required serious consideration and research.

Mark Lowery, project manager at Columbia, South Carolina-based Flagship Sign Designs, Inc., a large-scale, full-service sign company involved in everything from channel letters and disignshop.com

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

mensional signs to acrylic faces, postand-panels, awnings, and vinyl, had been servicing Love Automotive/RV for years with brand-identity signage and traditional lighting. When Love wanted to upgrade the metal halide fixtures with new technology, the first person he contacted was Lowery.

Flagship Signs worked for over ten years with Dan Hansen, Optec Southeast regional field sales representative from California-based Optec Displays and LED Lighting, who was able to recommend LED luminaires as an alternative to the existing fixtures.

However the dealership was still a bit skeptical at the numbers they were crunching when it came to energy efficiency and brightness.

“Being a car dealership, every day someone walks in the front door with the ‘silver bullet’ that’s going to save us a ton of money, and all we have to do is sign up with them,” says Ben Hoover, general manager of Love Chevrolet. “So LEDs were literally too good to believe.”

Test Drive Love wanted to update 310-some-odd lighting fixtures on their General Mo-

tors property. That’s a big commitment.

To alleviate fears, Lowery suggested retrofitting only a couple of the fixtures with LED lamps to judge illumination and savings (and to decide whether to proceed “full lot” ahead).

So Lowery installed 240-watt LED fixtures on one pole for a demo, and then a 120-watt fixture on another pole, resulting in eight demos. Love and Hoover checked out brightness, appearance…and cost.

“After we put a couple of LEDs up and showed him the return on investment— and coupled with the power company incentives—[Love] realized they could pay it off in 2.4 years,” says Lowery.

Therefore the decision to retrofit was easy.

In the end, Lowery and Love Automotive decided to install Optec’s highoutput, super-bright LED area lights for this retrofit.

Installation Amenities Over the course of a few weeks, Lowery and his crew removed the metal halide lamps and installed the new LED luminaires.

And the retrofit was not just external.

Flagship also retrofitted the complete service department inside the building as well.

Lowery used two installation crews— three for the exterior portion and two for the interior.

“We had a total of eight people at different times,” he says, “but never more than four on the job site at the same time.”

Flagship Signs performed the retrofit in sections throughout the installation.

Some of the easier sections were done during business hours, while Lowery worked after hours and even weekends for the rest. “[Flagship] was extremely accommodating to our needs,” says Hoover.

“They wanted us to experience as little business interruption as possible.”

“We did a lot of the change-outs during the night, especially in certain sections of the parking lot and in their service department,” says Lowery, “because it was easier for us not to have to work around them—and vice versa.”

When Flagship Signs installed the LED luminaires overnight in the service department, they first did one side of the room before following up with the other side later.

all photos: love chevrolet.

New LED luminaires resulted in brighter, clearer, crisper, and more even lighting.

signshop.com

July 2015 // Sign Builder Illustrated

39

“When the service guys came in the next day, the difference in lighting from one side to the other was unbelievable,” says Hoover. “I had technicians wanting to switch sides of the shop because it was much brighter and evenly lit.”

The interior lights are brighter, clearer, and crisper. “Now you can really see how dirty our department is,” laughs Love.

A (Car) Lot of LEDs Ninety-five percent of the dealership is now retrofitted with LED lighting—including branded signage and accents out front. The LED luminaires have been in place for over six months and are controlled with both a daylight/twilight timer and a mechanical timer.

The one-for-one replacement resulted in a more uniform look, even bringing out the color in the automobiles much better, as well as providing more assurance for nighttime customers.

It has also reduced the dealership’s electricity energy consumption by almost 50 percent from a monthly power bill in the five figures range down to four figures.

“Now we have a consistent shade and tint of light,” says Love. “Nor do we have to change the darn things out so often.”

“Our only regret is that we didn’t do it sooner,” says Hoover.

And the benefits are not just for the end-client. Lowery has found that taking on LED area lighting jobs is a new revenue stream for sign shops—especially those already working on channel letters and sign cabinets.

“Signage and LED lighting kind of go together,” he says. “Folks are happy when they get their new signs, and they’re just as pleased when they get their new lights.”

Lowery has been doing LED retrofits for about five years now (mainly warehouses), but this was by far his biggest one yet. Accomplishing this project has allowed Lowery and Flagship to gain greater confidence in putting up more retrofits with increased efficiency.

“We actually have multiple projects going on simultaneously,” he says.

Lowery is also busy retrofitting Love’s two other dealership properties, including adding LED ground floodlighting to highlight automobiles and some more interior lighting. It’s a bright future indeed!

40

Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

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Digital Sign Partner

“N

ever An Ordinary Experience” is Vantage LED’s (www.vantageled.com) tagline, and the company strives to make it a reality for its employees, customers, and the digital sign industry as a whole.

Within its own walls, the company culture is very inclusive as employees at all levels and dealer partners both big and small are treated with respect.

“When you respect people across the board, that reflects not just on who you are as a company, but outside too,” says Deacon Wardlow, director of Special Ops at Spectacular Media and consultant at Vantage LED. Vantage LED surrounds itself with companies that share the same values, and it’s why it chose manufacturer’s representative Yorston & Associates, which came highly regarded.

“You don’t earn that kind of a response without putting the time in and showing that you’re supporting the people,” says Wardlow.

Vantage LED and Yorston & Associates have gone so far as to support dealers with customers who have been left in the lurch by other manufacturers.

“We’ve actually sent out technicians to repair other manufacturers’ systems to help our dealer out,” says Wardlow. “That’s what a partner is— someone who works with people and makes sure that they’re successful.”

And for sign shops seeking success in the digi-

tal signage arena, Vantage LED aims to be a true partner rather than just an “order taker.”

Since a lack of knowledge seems to be keeping shops from success or entering the market at all, Vantage LED seeks to supply much-needed education through its Vantage LED University, which offers videos, brochures, white papers, and more. “We work really hard to educate the industry,” says Wardlow. “I always tell people competence equals confidence.”

That competence is essential since Wardlow says the time to break into digital signage is now, and sign shops should view digital displays as just one more branding outlet to offer customers.

“Digital is the way things are going now,” he says. “People are trying to find a way to reach out to the community that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, and signage is the way to go. Digital signage even more so.”

Vantage LED is also trying to show that digital signage can be a resource for the community.

Thanks to the Cloud, new developments—like the integration of the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) feature managed by FEMA, which automatically displays a variety of alerts—are now possible.

“We’re constantly looking at new technology and integration,” says Wardlow, “at how, not only to improve the product, but how we can improve programs for end-users.”

44

Sign Builder Illustrated // July 2015

all Photos: vantage led.

The key to breaking into the digital sign market is education and the right partner. signshop.com

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