Sign Builder Illustrated August 2012

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August 2012

50

23

SBI at 25

Our How-To Anniversary

56

BY JEFF WOOTEN

Twenty-five years of Sign Builder Illustrated.

26

Plus ça Change

29

The Evolving Graphic Imaging Industry

BY NANCY MAREN

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

BY MIKE ROBERTSON

The wide format industry has undergone some broad changes.

33

An Illuminating History

39

The Revolution is on Display

BY MIKE ANTONIAK

Tracking the course of lighting since our first issue.

BY RICH GOTTWALD

Charting the progress of today’s electronic display technology.

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, 345 Hudson Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10014. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices.

Pricing, Qualified individual working in the sign industry may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year US $105.00; foreign $197.00; foreign, air mail $297.00. 2 years US $149.00; foreign $267.00; foreign, air mail $497.00. BOTH Print & Digital Versions: 1 year US $158.00; foreign $296.00; foreign, air mail $396.00. 2 years US $224.00; foreign $400.00; foreign, air mail $600.00. Single copies are $36.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only.

Copyright © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2012. All rights reserved. Contents may not be

2

Photo courtesy of Master Magnetics.

42

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

42 50

Soaking Up Hand Lettering

BY JEFF WOOTEN

A sign painter makes quite a splash with his brushes.

Let There be Illumination!

BY DAVID HICKEY

How to curtail efforts against EMC brightness.

56

P-O-P Graphics That Pull You In

BY ASHLEY BRAY

Magnets change the way the industry thinks about graphic displays.

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

For Subscriptions, & address changes, please call (800) 895-4389, (402) 346-4740, Fax (402) 346-3670, e-mail circulation@sbpub.com or write to: Sign Builder Illustrated, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sign Builder Illustrated, PO Box 10, Omaha, NE 68101-0010.

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.

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How-To Columns

Agenda

18

SEPTEMBER 2012

Tools of the (Graphics) Trade

13

September 5-6: IMI’s Ink Jet Technology Showcase will be conducted at the Rosemont Hyatt in Rosemont (Chicago), Illinois. (www.imiconf.com) September 21-22: CONSACImagemakers, the Sign Association of Canada’s national tradeshow, will be held at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. (www.sac-ace.ca/consac)

How Calendered Vinyl Films are Made

13

How Calendered Vinyl Films are Made

BY JIM HINGST It takes a wide variety of raw materials to create thin calendered vinyl film.

18 Tools of the (Graphics) Trade

BY LORI SHRIDHARE The right tools can make or break any vinyl sign project.

Departments 6

UpFront

8

Dispatches

Editor Jeff Wooten checks out some changes to sign building over the past twenty-five years.

The latest news from around the industry.

10 Sign Show

The newest products and services from sign manufacturers.

62 SBI Marketplace

Advertisements and announcements from the sign trade.

64 Shop Talk MAKING A SPLASH

AU GUS T 20 1 2

Number 131

www.si g nshop .com

may 2006

Wild

at Vinyl Tools

Number 132

Number 132

NUMBE R 20 6

Number 131

www.si g nshop .com

juNe ju juN e 2006

|

Walk on the

NU MBER 20 6

Sign Builder Illustrated

Sign Builder Illustrated

Sign

Mural Painting: Treat ‘Em Like a Walldog.

A GRAPHIC LOOK

with Paints

www.signshop.com

HOW-TO

Calling all

Inflatables

> ADA-compliant >ADA-compliant Signs

> A Wild Car Wrap >Retail >Retail P-O-P >A

25 > LED Displays >LED

may 2006

j uN e 2 0 0 6

www.si g nshop .com

december 2007

Number 157

Number 150

Number 150

Number 157

www.signshop.com

j uly 2008

> Wrap Galleries

> Cutting Materials

Sign Builder Illustrated

Sign Builder Illustrated

ju l y 2 00 8

december 2007

SIGN BU I L DER I LLU STR ATED

SLED SLED Cabinets SStorm SStorm Repair

Number 164

Sign Builder Illustrated

Buying Into Digital Signs

f e br ua r y 2 00 9

>Green Signage

Sign Builder Illustrated FEBRUARY 2010

> Green Initiative > On-premise Pylon

Number 185

On the Cover

NOV EM B ER 2 0 1 0

Sign Builder Illustrated

Sign Builder Illustrated

a season for

> Vehicle Wraps > Architectural Signs

SIG N BU I L DER I LLLUSTR LUSTR ATED

S i g n B u i l d e r i l lu Str ate d

Backlit

MESSAGES

ADA

Finishing Touch

JULY 2012

on the Road

|

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NUMBER 205

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juNe 2012

may 2012

On Glass

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april 2012

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Painting

With Flourish

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Backstory on

Design

N UM BE R 205

Number 202

Putting on an accent

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> Outdoor Vinyl

How-To

Border lighting

Step Right Up

25

S E P T E M BE R 20 11

> Monuments > Channel Letters Carnival SignS

DER ILLUS IL

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I VE R SA RY

Cinematic Lighting > Pylon Soldiers

>

Sign Cabinets LED Adhesives

>

> Blade Signs Extreme Makeover

OctOber 12-13: The Midwest-ISA Sign Show features networking, education, and a tabletop exhibit hall at the Motor City Casino Hotel in Detroit. (www.signs.org/msa) OctOber 18-20: The SGIA Expo, featuring the industry’s most innovative imaging developments, returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center. (www.sgiaexpo.org)

> Awning Installs

A collage of some of our covers from the past twenty-five years.

JU LY 2012

> m ay 20 1 2

> Wall Coverings Programming LEDs

j u N e 20 1 2

a p r i l 20 1 2

>

OctOber 7-10: GRAPH EXPO 2012 graphic communications exhibition and conference will take place at McCormick Place South in Chicago, Illinois. (www.graphexpo.com)

w w w. s i g n s h o p . c o m

S EPTEM B ER 2 0 1 1

Dive into Sign Panels > LED Retrofit

aug us t 2 0 11

NB SIGN U

Sign Builder Illustrated

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NB SIGN U

NuMBER 195

Number 195

Number 194

SIGN BU

N OVE M BE R 20 1 0

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Custom Routing

w w w. s i g n s h o p . c o m

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DIgITaL D IgITa ITaL SIgnS SIgn gnS S

ANNI

In-depth

S i g n B u i l d e r i l lu S Str tr ate d

m a Rc h 2 0 12

> Rock the Green > Awnings

Nautical enhancements

TH

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> Soft Signage

Number 194

Navigating Digital Printing > Lighting Cabinets

ATED TR

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> Polycarbonates

> Awning Maintenance

How-To

entry signs

School & team signage

N U m b eeRR 220033 NUm

Legibililty

S i g n B u i l d e r i l lu Str ate d

S i g n B u i l d e r i l lu Str ate d

j a N ua ry 2 01 2

f e br ua ry 2 0 12

d e c e mb e r 2 0 11

> Smoky Mountain Opry > ISA Preview > Panel Saws

Adding Logos

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SIGN BU

w w w. s i g n s h o p . c o m

F EBRUA RY 2010

N U M B E R 18 5

Profiting Monuments

In Touch with

j u ly 20 1 1

Tips for buying

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looking l ooking into

How-To

Heat press

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w w w. s i g n s h o p . c o m

j u ly 2 0 1 1

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Rev up vehicles

25

Number 193

Wrap Design

DER ILLUS IL

ANNI

> Digital Signs

Number 193

> Interior Signage > CNC Routers

> LED Retrofits > Video Displays How-To

TH

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Digital Signs on Display > Green Showcase > Monuments

se p t e mb e r 2 01 0

> Vinyl Artwork

w w w. s i g n s h o p . c o m N u m b eR 220011

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JUNE 2011

All-Star

JU N E 2 0 1 1

Specialist

Sign Builder illuStrated

Sign Builder Illustrated

O CTO B E R 2 01 1

> Innovation Awards > Sign Systems

N U M BE R 1 76

DESTINATION:

Digital Signage

O C TOb TO b e r 2 0 1 0

With Print

> LED Retrofits

Branding

may 2 01 1

f e b r au ry 2 0 1 2

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Illuminating Destinations

S Vehicle Wraps S Customizing

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Sign Installs

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NUMBER 192

Sign Builder Illustrated

Sign Builder Illustrated

Number 200

DER ILLUS IL

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HDU

Sign Builder Illustrated

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m ay 2 0 1 1

To Build

Number 192

w w w. s i g n s h o p . c o m

Number 200

jaN Nua ua ry 2 0 1 2

Number 191

> EMC Success

> Digital Signage > Social Media Number 199

Number 191

Time Signs

Electrifying Designs M A R C H 2 01 1

Number 199

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fe b r uary 2 0 11

december 2011

w w w. s i g n s h o p . c o m

MARCH 2011

J U LY 20 1 0

NUMBER 189

Sign Builder Illustrated

Sign Builder Illustrated

> Green Initiatives > Sign Suppliers

Number 198

AN

brewing up

Number 185

Molding Monu MonuMents

au gu st 2 0 10

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Wayfind at the Museum

With

Sign Builder Illustrated

f e b r au ry 2 0 1 1

Number 189

Number 188

Number 188

J uN e 20 1 0

may 2 0 10

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september 2010

S ADA Installs S Neon Ballpark

S Lamination Guide S Laser Engraving

Vehicle Graphics

Number 198

Number 196

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J A N UA RY 2 0 1 1

LET’S WR AP: J A NUA RY 20 1 1

d e ce mb e r 2 01 0

A UG UST 20 12

S Identity Signage S Sign Cabinets

Sign Builder Illustrated

Sign Builder Illustrated

Signage

Number 187

Number 186

ADA O C TO B E R 2 0 1 1

NUMBER 187

Number 184

Branching Into

P p

Sign Builder Illustrated

Sign Builder Illustrated

Sign Builder Illustrated

Green

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A Wrap

Identity

Goes

Get in Touch with

Number 182

S Service Vehicle Regulations

Setting Up an

Lighting L ighting

december 2010

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NUMBER 181

Number 185

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J u Ne e 2010

Number 184

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Number 181

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Number N umber 181

m ay 2 0 1 0

Number 180

Number 179

Years of Sign Making!

Nu m b er 1 7 9

> Hollywood Vinyl

NUMBER 196

Quench Your Thirst for

Theme Signage

www.signshop.com

february 2009

>Super-hero Wrap

> Border Lighting

Number 186

The Art of Durable Paint

Number 164

OCTOBER 2012

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

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“We could not be more pleased with our EMC signs that we have purchased through Formetco. The overall quality was far beyond our expectations in every way. We went from simple ideas of just text messages to full vivid eye-catching graphics.”

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Up

by jeff wooten

August 2012, Vol. 26, No. 206 Sign Builder Illustrated (ISSN 0895-0555) print, (ISSN 2161-0709) digital is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

A Touch of Silver Celebration

executive offices

President and Chairman Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr.

Tracking some changes in sign technology since our first issue.

L

ooking at our cover—and as you’re going to notice from several specially designed articles in this issue— you’ve probably realized that Sign Builder Illustrated launched twentyfive years ago this month.

In this silver anniversary celebratory issue, we decided that not only would we indulge in checking out how our magazine has changed over the years but that it would also be interesting to delve into how certain segments of the industry have evolved since our first issue came off the printing press—areas like digital printing and digital/ electronic signage, for example.

In Mike Antoniak’s “An Illuminating History” (page 33), we analyze how lighting components have “transformed” over the past twenty-five years from incandescents, HID lamps, neon, and fluorescents to today’s solid-state LEDs. For a technical perspective of this market, Janie McClanahan at Scott Fetzer Electrical Group (www.franceformer.com) has compiled a list of some of the most important lighting developments during this timeframe. Here’s a taste: “For neon, the advent of secondary ground fault protection (SGFP) and the UL 2161 standard (requiring transformer manufacturers to develop new power supplies and re-educate those building and servicing signage) has been important. The introduction of self-adjusting ‘service’ transformers covering several voltage ranges meant service companies could replace eight transformer voltages with just two models. And development of electronic transformers for chan-

6

Publisher Arthur J. sutley 345 Hudson Street, 12th floor New York, NY 10014 212/620-7247; fax: 212/633-1863 editorial editor

Jeff Wooten

323 Clifton Street, Suite #7 Greenville, NC 27858 252/355-5806; fax: 252/355-5690 jwooten@sbpub.com associate editor

Ashley Bray

nel letters provided smaller, lighter options to replace magnetic counterparts.”

To read more of McClanahan’s observations, visit www.signshop.com.

Another thing you’ll notice throughout this issue are special, bite-size “Key Dates” pointing out notable events that occurred since our first issue. One recent big one is November 8, 2010, which is when OSHA’s new standard requiring companies using service trucks with winch capacities above 2,000 pounds to employ certified crane operators went into effect. But this isn’t the only big change to service trucks.

“ANSI A92.2 has required companies to add multiple safety features that didn’t previously exist,” says David Phillips, international sales and communications manager at Elliott Equipment (www.elliottequip.com). “These include proximity sensors on outriggers, preventing the use of the aerial device until outriggers are fully extended.”

Bryan Wilkerson, vice president of Wilkie Manufacturing (www.wilkiemfg.com), adds, “Because of the changes in sign ordinances and signs being reduced in size and height, the way trucks are fitted has changed.Twenty-five years ago, the main focus was more toward large fluorescent lamps, large plastic faces, and neon.

“Now a truck’s storage area is a lot more complex—storage on the bed is needed for compact fluorescents to large HPS blubs to electronic message centers and LED displays.”

To read more about these topics (as well as expanded versions of our “twenty-five years later” features), log on to www.signshop.com.

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

345 Hudson Street, 12th Floor New York, NY 10014 401/722-5919; fax: 212/633-1863 abray@sbpub.com contributing writers

Butch “superfrog” Anton, Mike Antoniak, rich Gottwald, David hickey, Jim hingst, nancy Maren, Peter Perszyk, Mark roberts, Mike robertson, lori shridhare, randy Wright art

Corporate Art Director Wendy Williams Associate Art Director Phil Desiere production

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers circulation

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney advertising sales east coast regional sales director

Jeff sutley 212/620-7233; fax: 212/633-1863 jeffsutley@sbpub.com west & midwest regional sales manager

Kim noa

212/620-7221; fax: 212/633-1863 knoa@sbpub.com buyer’s guide rep

Vanessa Distefano 212/620-7263; fax: 212/633-1863 vdistefano@sbpub.com For reprint information contact Art Sutley 345 Hudson St 12 Floor New York, NY 10014 212/620-7247; fax: 212/633-1863 Circulation Dept. 800/895-4389

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I V E R S A RY

Mimaki joins the sign graphics industry in congratulating SIGN BUILDER ILLUSTRATED on 25 years of publishing success!

mimakiusa.com EMAIL INFO

© 2012 Mimaki USA, Inc.

info7@mimakiusa.com

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Dispatches

ISA SIgn DeSIgn

2012 winners

Alexandria, Virginia—From a moving, illuminated macaw in San Diego to a restored Anglican Church sign in Ontario, the 2012 ISA Sign Design Competition winners, announced this past spring, highlighted the breadth of the on-premise sign and visual communications industry.

The competition awarded winners in eight categories. Clear Sign & Design, Inc., in San Marcos, California was named the “Overall Winner” for its San Diego Zoo creation (pictured, above right), as well as “Freestanding Signs, Electric.”

Other winners included: Just for You Signs & Designs, Tara, Ontario (“Historic Reprodution/Restored”); Turner Signs, Calgary, Alberta (“Building Signage, Electric,” right); Foppe Visual Communication and Peachtree City Foamcraft, Mascoutah, 8

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

signshop.com

A Tasty Campaign

signshop.com

photo courtesy of allrecipes.com.

Illinois (“Building Signage, Nonelectric,” above left); Signex Manufacturing, Kenora, Ontario (“Banner Signs and Vehicle Graphics,” “Freestanding Signs, Nonelectric,” and “Wayfinding/Sign Systems," above); and Arrow Sign Company, San Jose, California (“Electronic Messaging Center,” right). “ E a c h y e a r, t h e S i g n D e s i g n Competition showcases the innovative and interesting ways that ISA members serve their customers and communities,” said ISA President and CEO Lori Anderson.

“This year was no different. Behind all of the entries are many hours of hard work and much creative energy.”

The contest has taken place online for the past three years. Entrants are encouraged to share their completed sign project photos via social media to draw votes. In addition, contest participation among members increased for the third straight year.

“By sharing their entries with the public, sign companies are able to encourage a broader base of votes and also use their online tools to promote their own businesses in their communities,” said ISA Director of Marketing Sarah Singleton. “They are able to display their unique creations through new media venues and encourage their customers to participate as well.”

To view all the winning entries, visit www.signs.org/2012winners.

Los Angeles, California—What’s for dinner? Hungry commuters in Los Angeles now have an easy answer thanks to an innovative out-ofhome advertising campaign by Allrecipes, the world’s largest digital food brand.

The “Fix Dinner” campaign features a takeover of the LA 7th St./ Metro Center Station with large images of the most popular local recipes in LA split into categories such as simple/easy, kid friendly, and quick meals. A QR code beside each meal brings up the recipe along with shopping lists that can be accessed from a smartphone or the app Allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner.

With mobile searches at Allrecipes.com spiking between 3-6 pm, the ad campaign targets commuters at the ideal time when many dinnertime decisions are being made. And with nearly 350,000 passengers passing through the station each day, there are a lot of decisions to be made.

The four-week marketing campaign featured five column wraps, five overhead series, two major wallscapes, and two backlit dioram a s . S O L M a r ke t i n g a n d TKO Advertising coordinated the printing and installation details of the campaign, choosing CBS Outdoor to install the images and Blue Ocean Worldwide to print them.

August 2012 // Sign Builder Illustrated

9

SignSHOW B A N N E R S /M AT E R I A L S / E Q U I PM E N T DSA Introduces Innovative LED Edge-lit Display That’s Designed to Illuminate Fabric Graphics The new LED edge-lit display from DSA features bright, white illumination and is built to display lightweight, eyecatching, fabric graphics. Ideal for retail, hospitality, tradeshows, and other commercial applications, the LED source consumes 75 percent less energy and lasts five times as long as traditional fluorescent lamps (up to 100,000 hours), while still providing high-quality, uniform illumination. The LED, fabric graphic display light box features a frameless edge—giving it a clean, aesthetic appearance. It is only 3-7/8-inches deep and has internal transformer or plug options. It is available in a variety of sizes, finishes, and options (including custom options available by request).

310/537-5000, 800/327-3723; www.lightboxes.com

Fisher Textiles Offers 7110 X-Out in Fifty-four-inch Width Fisher Textiles now stocks 7110 X-Out in a fifty-four-inch size. (Note: This material was previously only available in 110 inches.) 7110 X-Out is 6.7 oz/yd2 and is compatible with dye sublimation, UV, and latex printing technologies. The base fabric is Polyester with Viscose/Rayon Flocking. It is flame-retardant; passes NFPA 701, Title 19; and meets Section 13115 of the California Health and Safety Code. Applications for 7110 X-Out include block-out liner and opaque, single-sided banners. Free sample rolls are available for testing. 800/554-8886; www.fishertextiles.com

CUTTERS/PLoTTERS Kern Adds Large Format Vision System to Its Line Kern Lasers now offers the i-cut Vision Pro system as part of their complete line of laser equipment. The i-cut system will automatically adjust the cutting file to compensate for distortion and rotation of your printed materials. Table sizes are available starting at 52-by-25 inches and as large as 80-by-120 inches. An easy-to-use printer driver allows users to send cutting files to the laser from graphics software such as CorelDRAW® and AutoCAD LT®.

218-631-2641; www.kernlasers.com

D I G I TA L P R I N T I N G E Q U I PM E N T/ S U P P L I E S Océ Details the Considerations for Choosing a UV Flatbed Printer The decision to purchase a UV flatbed printer may seem straightforward, as there are many benefits of direct-to-board printing. But choosing the right printer to fit a print service provider’s specific needs is a bit more complex. Potential buyers need to not only find the style and model that suits their business today, but one that will also accommodate future growth. With this in mind, Océ North America has published Choosing the Right UV Flatbed Printer, a guide that walks buyers through all aspects of UV flatbed technology so that they can make intelligent, informed decisions. The guide covers the following topics: Printer format (hybrid moving bed vs. true flatbed); Printhead technology (grayscale vs. fixed droplet); operational considerations (ink costs, power consumption, environmental considerations, etc.); service and support; curing technology; inks; and which RIP to use. www.oceusa.com/DGguideNB

LED MoDULES/TUBES/STRIPS Bright, Color-changing, and Flexible Decorative LED Light for Commercial Applications The fun, versatile MOSAIC™ Flexible LED Light from OSRAM SYLVANIA is an innovative alternative to traditional flex light strips and is designed for decorative effect lighting applications in restaurants, retail spaces, and more. Its adhesive back and flexible body allows the product to attach itself to any clean, dry surface, contour its shape around any object, and make sharp turns around corners. The kit comes complete with up to five two-foot flexible LED light strips, three universal connectors, an AC/DC adaptor, and a remote control that allows the user to create a unique ambience in any room. With the ability to display color-changing patterns in fifteen different colors (plus a range of white options), the LED strips can be programmed for flash, strobe, fade, or smooth color transitions. The MOSAIC Flexible LED Light strips also allow for simple customization, clearly marked at six-inch intervals for precise and even cuts. www.sylvania.com

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Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

signshop.com

S o F T WA R E - P R I N T/C U T/ R I P/ R o U T E / E N G R AV E / E ST I M AT I N G Powerful EnRoute™ 5 Software Includes Over Fifty Modifications to Increase Productivity SAi International's EnRoute™ Version 5 CAD/CAM software builds on the established capabilities of its popular, versatile EnRoute™ family, which delivers intuitive, easy-to-use creative tools and accurate toolpathing for carving and engraving needs. Among the major features of EnRoute 5 is a fully equipped interface containing enhanced nesting options. Relief creation and editing has also been expanded with new offsetting and distortion tools, while new ways to distort contours and toolpaths have been added. Importantly EnRoute 5 is able to handle a wide range of applications via tools that address the needs of high-volume commercial applications (including the ability to nest materials together to reduce waste, as well as cut more parts per hour thanks to shorter production times) and has been designed to undertake detailed 3D work with surface creation and texturing. 801/478-1900; www.saintl.biz

VINyL/VINyL FILMS/SUPPLIES InteriorArts, a New Laminate Collection Chemetal and Treefrog Veneer introduce InteriorArts, a new HPL laminate collection. With seventy-four design laminates in four-by-eight-foot sizes, InteriorArts features thirteen surface textures with dimensional relief, exotic wood looks, and high-gloss finishes. The collection is scratch-resistant and GreenGuard-certified. The new laminates are ideal for applications that require a glamorous, expensive look—without the price. www.ialaminates.com

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HOW-TO

By Jim Hingst

How-To: Vinyl

How Calendered Vinyl Films are Made It takes a wide variety of raw materials to create thin calendered

fluxing, milling, calendering, embossing, cooling, and winding.

Raw MateRials PVC resin is the key ingredient. However, by itself, it’s a very hard and brittle plastic material. Additives—plasticizers, stabilizers, lubricants, pigments, and processing aids—change the film’s physical properties and make it easier to process.

Plasticizers, which are liquids incorporated into the formulation, soften the hard PVC resin and make the films more flexible.

Plasticizers in polymeric calendered vinyls are more complex than those in monomeric films. Monomeric plasticizer is comprised of linear (sometimes branched) molecular chains, whereas polymeric plasticizer features complex, branched chains of a higher molecular weight.

all photos courtesy of achilles usa.

vinyl film.

I

usually compare the vinyl calendering process to rolling out pie dough. In reality, the manufacturing process is a little more complex than that. In the calendering process, PVC material is squeezed between gigantic, heated, polished-steel rollers that form the vinyl into a sheet.

A modern calendering line is also more expensive than grandma’s rolling pin, with capital equipment investments ranging typically from $10 million to $15 million. In addition, the calendering rolls alone cost several hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The production lines also feature advanced computer controls, which allow continuous monitoring and in-process adjustments of machine functions.

In addition to focusing on the raw materials that create calendered vinyl, I’ll be reviewing the basic steps of the calendering process: blending,

1. PVC resin, pigments, and additives comprising the “dry blend” are combined with the liquid plasticizer in a giant mixer.

signshop.com

August 2012 // Sign Builder Illustrated

13

2. The dry blend and plasticizer are combined in a giant mixer.

Imagine the margaritas that you could make in a blender like this!

3. In the extruder, the ingredients are heated and fused together in what is called the plastification process.

4. In the two-roll mill, the hot plastic rope is squeezed into a thick, rough sheet of plastic.

5. The thick sheet of plastic is fed into the top of the calendering stack.

6. In the calendering stack, the plastic film is squeezed into a much thinner and wider sheet.

7. After the sheet is calendered, it is passed through a series of rollers, which impart a surface finish.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

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The plasticizer’s molecular weight helps determine its stability. The polymeric plasticizer with a higher molecular weight comprises very big, bulky, slowmoving molecules; hence they stay in the film to create a longer-life plastic.

The early, lower-molecular-weight monomeric plasticizer molecules were more mobile. They moved around easily and readily migrated out of the PVC into other adjoining materials (such as the adhesive coated on the film). Modern monomeric plasticizers are less mobile, which limits migration into the adhesive.

Normal vinyl films used in graphics applications contain between 20 percent and 25 percent plasticizer.

The higher-molecular-weight, polymeric-plasticized mixes have a higher viscosity (rheology) than monomeric systems, and are processed at slower production speeds. These plasticizers are more expensive than the monomerics and are less efficient, which means they require more content of a more expensive material manufactured at lower speeds.

Heat and UV stabilizers slow down this aging process caused by heat and UV light. As the film ages, it yellows and degrades. Films can lose their elasticity and become brittle. Although monomeric formulations don’t usually contain UV absorbers, for overlaminating applications, they’re often incorporated into the vinyl (and adhesive) to impart some UV protection to the digital image or photograph being protected.

Lubricants assist the film’s release from the hot calender rolls during production and act as internal processing aides during production. They not only prevent PVC film from sticking to the rollers, but they also improve the compound’s process.

Pigmentation is achieved via inorganic and organic pigments, which are usually first ground into the plasticizer to achieve a specified particle size (for full-color development). The pigment selection will depend upon the vinyl’s end application.

Economical inorganic pigments provide higher opacity than organics. Highperformance calendered vinyls use the same pigment opportunities as the more expensive cast products. signshop.com

8. After the film is wound into a master roll, it is shipped to an adhesive coater.

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6/28/12 11:40 AM

the CalendeRing PRoCess Once all the raw materials are weighed and blended into a very fine powder with the consistency of cake flour, the mix is fed into the extruder’s screw— the machine’s fluxing section. Under heat and pressure, the extruder continues the mixing process, evenly dispersing all the additives with the PVC resin.

In the fluxing or plastification process, all the separate ingredients fuse together into one homogenous mass of plastic called the “melt.” As the fine powder melts (at approximately 300°F), the extruder kneads the material into a hot, twisted plastic rope. The extruder also helps strain out any foreign particles, which could damage the machinery.

Next the hot plastic rope is fed into a two-roll mill bin and rolled into a rough sheet of film. In the manufacturing process, the heat is continually increased, making the film more malleable so it can be rolled increasingly thinner. During this milling process, edge trim can be re-

worked into the mix.

After the two-roll mill, the material passes a metal detector. This inspection step prevents any metal from reaching the calendering rolls. Even the tiniest metallic speck could cause irreparable damage and necessitate roller replacement.

CalendeR Rolls The calender comprises four rather heavy, highly polished, two-foot-diameter steel rolls. Calendering rolls can be arranged into various configurations, such as “L,” “F” (or inverted “L”), and “Z”. The plant I visited utilized a fourroll “L” configuration.

During the calendering process, the heat increases, and the vinyl sheet passes between the rollers. During this process, the film is squeezed into a much thinner and wider sheet.

The calender rolls subject the vinyl sheet to thousands of pounds of pressure per square inch. Such intense forces and rapid production speeds can bend and deflect these massive rolls.

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To compensate for the rolls’ deflection, some complex mechanical-engineering ideas have been incorporated into modern machinery. These include crowned rolls (which are thicker in the middle than on the edges) and rolls that are crossed slightly to one another to counter the rolls’ bending by applying pressure in the counter-direction.

These measures ensure an optimum profile so the vinyl’s caliper remains uniform. After the web travels through the production line’s calender section, the strip-off (or pick-off) roll strips the sheet from the calendering rolls.

To impart the film’s surface finish, the sheet goes through an embossing unit. Here the film is pressed onto an embossing cylinder with a matte-rubber pressure cylinder. The resultant surface finish depends upon this embossing cylinder’s condition. A highgloss surface is achieved from a highly polished chrome cylinder, whereas a matte surface is achieved from a matte-engraved emboss cylinder. The film’s reverse side has an unspecified matte surface.

As the vinyl sheet passes over and under a series of chilling rolls in the cooling section, the vinyl quickly cools. The cooling process anneals the vinyl into its final form.

The vinyl film is then wound, using highly sophisticated, progressive-tension winders, to minimize any tension that could result in any future dimensionalstability issues.

For high-gloss films with a soft feel, it’s important to keep roll lengths to a minimum with controlled winding tension to reduce the tendency for gloss reduction through the roll. This reduction is caused by “cold embossing”—the matte reverse side presses onto the roll’s high-gloss surface. This is temporary “damage,” and the gloss can easily be refreshed with heat during subsequent processing.

Although the facestock is a vinyl film’s key ingredient, it’s only one ingredient in the pressure-sensitive sandwich. How a film cuts, weeds, and handles depends on how all the components work together. Two rolls of the same facestock coated with different adhesives will likely perform differently.

Remember this when you evaluate a new film product. signshop.com

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HOW-TO

By Lori sHridHAre

Vehicle Graphics

Tools of the (Graphics) Trade The right tools can make or break any vinyl sign

forty-inch Vinyl Express cutter get the job done.

As Owners Sharon and Ralph Bendix share, these tools and equipment—some old, some new—have been their best friends for the past sixteen years.

Today My Time Design produces virtually every type of signage except electric and sandblasted. The oldest city in the U.S., St. Augustine sets its signage regulations according to the historical society, which enforces strict codes to preserve the city’s historic architecture. The punishing Florida heat also restricts signage options, and Sharon and Ralph recommend PVC and MDO for their ability to weather the climate.

photo courtesy of my time design.

project.

F

or any vinyl or vehicle graphics company to succeed, there are certain tools, materials, and equipment that are absolutely essential. Most often, the first tool that every shop owner depends on is a simple squeegee.

For My Time Design and Associates of St. Augustine, Florida, their must-have tools and equipment not only include squeegees but also a few other mandatory items. For printing, they swear by their forty-six-inch Mutoh Falcon; for materials, ORACAL’s Orajet and Oraguard films and laminates have worked wonders; and for cutting, the sixty-inch Graphtec cutter and

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Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

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Among their many clients (including eight local cab companies, a local mall, museums, and cruise companies), My Time Design’s longest-standing project revolves around the fleet of buses for the Council on Aging (COA), which includes transportation for the elderly and the Sunshine Bus line. Since there is no public service in St. Augustine, residents utilize the bright yellow Sunshine Bus system, and seniors rely on the Council of Aging buses to make their way around the city.

In 1998, My Time Design began working with St. Johns County to paint the public bus service that they named The Sunshine Bus Company (now managed by the COA). My Time Design stepped in to help differentiate these buses, first painting them yellow to give them a cheery appeal.

When the company began working with the COA in 2000, an idea presented itself to Sharon and Ralph: The large white buses that served elderly riders had virtually empty space on all sides— prime real estate for ads that could generate income for the non-profit. In addition to applying the COA logo, the idea was to transform the sides of the buses into “rolling billboards,” a concept that has generated $12,000-$15,000 per year to help seniors in need—a boon to the community in an age of widespread government cuts.

My Time Design charges a one-time fee to print the vinyl ad and install it on the buses, which can be displayed anywhere from a month to a year. Ads are displayed on the curbside, rear panels, street sides, and access doors. “Since the buses run every day from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, there’s continuous exposure to the community,” says Sharon. “My sales approach is to relay the fact that the price of an advertisement for one year is just about the same price as a full-page ad for one day in the newspaper.”

Sharon also sells all the advertising for the bus line to local vendors. This results in a service that helps the community and brings in additional revenue to support the COA’s other efforts (Meals on Wheels and the senior center).

Currently there are about sixty buses on the road, with all the curbside and rear panels sold. To this day, My Time Design has worked on 125 buses in total.

With all that wrapping experience, signshop.com

August 2012 // Sign Builder Illustrated

19

Tricks of the Trade:

Maximizing Vehicle Graphics

+ Clean the environment. Clean

your substrate. “we use alcohol and clean it twice. also make sure there is no dirt or residue on your felt or squeegees, or it will scratch the vinyl.”

+ Use a sharp knife but pay

attention. “we’ve had too many employees who’ve cut themselves while talking and cutting.”

+ When going out on an installation job, take two of everything. “Put a check-off list into your bucket. time is money, especially if you have to return to the shop for a knife, paper towels, masking tape, etc., or stop at the store and purchase something.”

with over fifteen years of experience in the industry, My time design owners sharon and Ralph Bendix have some advice on how to keep your wrap business running successfully:

potential customer for the future and helped a local business.”

+ Know your limitations. “outsource

+ Network! “if you can’t do the job, try

and find someone who can. You have made a

if needed and make sure their quality and standards meet yours. Your reputation rides on their product.”

+ Tape everything down, whether

it’s an outside installation or on the cutting table. “our preference is 3M™ 0.75-inch masking tape. if you have to leave to answer the phone, a customer walks in, or there’s a gust of wind, nothing moves.”

+ Pay your vendors on time. “we

get really great deals on our products, and these savings can be passed on to your customers. Plus you sleep better at night.”

+ Buy quality products. “skimping

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Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

+ Don’t over design. “sometimes

less is more. Make it appealing, simple to read, and to the point.”

+ Don’t give the farm away. “we

security-lock our proofs when we email them out to our new customers. they can only view them on the computer but cannot print them.”

+ Learn to read your customer.

“You can spend all your time doing layouts for customers and not getting the job. Find out if they’re really interested or just “fishing.” have them email you something—a logo or even a deposit— before starting a design. if they’re fishing, you won’t hear from them.

“and don’t be afraid to ask them if they have received a price from another company. if you’re pricing your jobs fairly, don’t drop your price. stick to your guns.”

signshop.com

photo courtesy of my time design.

CNC Tooling That’s Got The Edge

on quality will bite you in the butt. Maybe not immediately, but product failure is a sure way to lose customers and get you a bad reputation.”

Sharon and Ralph have learned that “less is more.” “Tell them who you are, what you do, and how you can be reached,” she says. “Make it attractive.

You only have three to six seconds to get their attention. Basically the human eye is lazy—if there’s too much to read, it won’t be read.

“If it’s pretty or interesting, people will look at it. So make it quick and informative.”

When it comes to materials, My Time Design sticks with Oracal. History and their own testing of materials has shown them that the Florida sun can be brutal on color—especially red. “Many years ago, a red sign would be in the sun for just ten months and turn to orange,” says Ralph. “Oracal was one of the first companies to introduce a bright red that wouldn’t fade.”

In the past, laminates were also giving the company issues. Ralph and Sharon started seeing jobs returned with the laminate peeling. The couple realized they had to make sure that the printed vinyl and laminate were compatible. “It’s very important to put the right laminate over a product,” advises Ralph.

They’ve also discovered that, when it comes to inks, eco-solvent brands have improved tremendously. “We had to laminate because the vinyl was fading— especially the reds—whereas now the inks last longer,” says Ralph. “We still prefer to laminate everything that leaves the shop, because it’s easier to handle and we know the graphics will last longer [at least for another year].”

Before laminating however, the duo airs out the prints. “We air-dry them for twenty-four to thirty-six hours [depending on ink coverage] to allow for the escape of solvents [out-gassing],” says Sharon. “Living in Florida, even though our eco-solvent inks provide UV protection, we like the assurance the laminate gives.”

Sharon adds that they stick everything they can wet using application fluid (70/30 for inside application and 50/50 for an outside summer installation). “It gives you a smoother installation, and you get a second chance if you make a mistake—especially if a gust of wind comes by and you’re wrapping a bus,” she says.

She recommends squeegeeing all the fluid out of the vinyl from the center to signshop.com

the edge and not to force it. If little bubbles appear, they can be pin-pricked and released. Sharon and Ralph prefer felt squeegees for applying the vinyl graphics, and they typically start with an OSHEE felt squeegee and follow up with an Avery blue felt edge squeegee.

“We also tape everything down,” says Sharon. “Tape is cheap, i.e., if the substrate moves, you can ruin the job in a split second when cutting or sticking it.”

One simple piece of advice for a well-

organized, successful installation is to establish—and adhere to—a cleaning protocol. “We clean up between every single job and start over,” says Ralph.

“It’s a great habit to get into. It really can mess you up, if you grab a bottle of alcohol instead of the application fluid and try to stick vinyl.

“And we clean, clean, clean the substrate with alcohol.”

Sharon adds that choosing quality material is a sound investment in the

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August 2012 // Sign Builder Illustrated

21

long run. “Skimping on quality may save a little money, but your customers won’t be happy in a year when their sign fades or falls apart or the vinyl peels,” she says.

Though they’re content with their current tools, materials, and equipment, My Time Design does have a few items on their wish list: “I would like to see the printable graphic film industry consider a green energy product that incorporates solar cell material that would return energy back to the vehicle or one that can absorb the energy from the sunlight during the day and make the film shine in the dark. I would also love to have a thin lenticular lens laminate that could be used on compound curves on an exterior vehicle,” says Sharon.

Working with their tried-and-true products has given My Time Design a reliable client base in their community, where networking and friendly relations go a long way. “I love when customers tell me it’s like I went into their head and pulled the idea right out and put it onto the sign,” says Sharon.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

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SIGN BU

25

ANN

SBI at 25: The Magazine / By Jeff Wooten ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

ATED TR

DER ILLUS IL TH

I VE R SA RY

our

How-To anniversary

Twenty-five years later, our magazine still aims to help our sign-making readers.

The way I see it, somebody had to do it! As the years pass by, the need for a sign magazine such as this became greater. Even those of us who know most of the procedures from conception to installation often find ourselves not having enough time to constantly train new employees.

And it wouldn’t hurt if we old-timers learned a new trick or two.

“We hope that we can become a forum for America’s typical sign shops…a sounding board, so to speak. We want to load this magazine with information you can use.

25 years: a Key Date

September 1987 The first issue of Sign Builder Illustrated is printed (above) and mailed out!

signshop.com

We hope by the time it gets put on the shelf, it has the fingerprints of everyone in the shop on it. Let it be a tool for yourself and your employees.”

These words were written by Sign Builder Illustrated Founder (and Editor) Stephen C. Atkins and welcomed initial readers to the first issue of our magazine way back in 1987. Atkins had already owned a full-service sign shop in North Carolina for about twelve years when he decided the time was ripe to start up this magazine.

In addition to Stephen, the first issue was also credited to Maureen J. Atkins (Advertising), Ashby Atkins (Circulation), and Elaine Woolard (Production). We like to think that not only was Atkins and his family/staff successful at making this publication a reality, but that we’re still upholding his nutsand-bolts philosophy here in these pages twenty-five years later.

Twenty-five years later? Wow! Time sure flies when you’re having fun and making signs, right?

Publishing-wise, Sign Builder Illustrated has undergone quite a journey here and there to reach its current redesign.

Early black-and-white photography and rudimentary drawings and diagrams in the first issues eventually gave way to two-color presentations and then four-color, higher resoluAugust 2012 // Sign Builder Illustrated

23

Adding Logos

entry signs

www.signshop.com

april 2012 | Number 202

Pricing Your Vinyl

Relive Sign World USA

In-depth

Custom Routing

The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is signed into law by President George H. W. Bush, ushering in the implementation of ADA signage. The latest ADA standards went into effect in 2010. tion photography.

We’ve definitely covered a lot of interesting topics, trends, and techniques in our magazine over the past quarter-century. It should’ve been apparent right off the bat that this would be our course.

For example, the first issue of Sign Builder Illustrated alone covered troubleshooting techniques for ballasts, individual channel letter fabrication using the rivet method, designing four-by-eight-foot electric signs, “taming” the sign ordinance “monster,” and a profile of one-man neon sign shop owner Darryl McNeill.

Other issues released during the first year or two are just as intriguing. I know from first-hand experience fielding calls during my first year here that one of our most popular features could be found in our third issue (“The Amazing 35-foot Homemade Crane,” which was compared in print to an “ugly dog,” but hey, it seemed to work for its time).

Even with the helpful how-to tips presented, it’s also a bit difficult to suppress a bit of a smile when checking out some of those early stories—such as the article that lamented about having to use a Commodore 64 to price a sign or the full-

>

> Wall Coverings Programming LEDs

The

Sign Guru

LCD’s are Here to Stay

Designing

Your Own Ornamental

Flourishes

Creating

Acrylic Sign

Faces

Logging on to the

ma y 2001

July 1990

a pri l 2012

MA RCH 2001

25 years: a Key Date

www.si gn sh op.c om

TH

Color the Scene with

PVC Crayons

may 2001

I VE R SA RY

Sign Builder Illustrated

Cutters/Plotters Buyer’s Guide Buyer’s Guide

25

ANN

Light Up Your Life

S ign Bu i ld e r i llu Str ate d

I VE R SA RY

SIGN BU

LEDs

Nu m b e r 7 2

Nautical enhancements

Number 72

School & team signage

DER ILLUS IL

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S B i at 2 5 : th e m aga z i n e Sign Builder Illustrated

ANN

How-To

w w w .s ig n s h o p .co m N umber 202

TH

MA RCH 2 0 0 1

Number 70

25

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length feature on how “the sign man” was actually “a lady.” I guess we really have come a long way.

And take the trends, for instance. When our first issue came hot off the press, sign makers were probably more likely to be cranking out trusty signs using their reliable Gerber Signmaker IV B than the latest inkjet advances.

But since our first issue, we’ve seen LED lighting make a name for itself in our industry, just as we’re now seeing neon enjoying a renaissance. We’ve witnessed the rise over the past twenty-five years of electronic message centers, personal CNC routers in-shop for dimensional sign making, and the proliferation of automated channel letter notchers and benders. We’ve also viewed screenprinting evolve to the current art of customization.

Nowadays technologies and equipment have cross-pollinated from other industries so that it’s easy to view today’s sign shop as an amalgam of many different talents and markets.

25 years: a Key Date August 2005 The American Sign Museum opens its doors in Cincinnati, Ohio. In June 2012, the Museum officially moved into a renovated 42,000-square foot facility.

25 years: a Key Date

November 1987 The first National Electrical Code, sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association and approved as an American national standard by the American National Standards Institute, is published.

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There are Nostradamus-like predictions we got right in the early years (the emergence of digital signage, getting creative with ADA designs, the evolution of inkjet printing, etc.), and there were things we might’ve misinterpreted. (Did we really devote an entire issue to the topic of fiber optics for sign lighting?).

One area that really changed the sign industry (and the world) since our first issue has been the Internet. A regular “Web Site Picks” column reviewing other shops’ Web sites was even borne from this.

Meanwhile our own Web site (www.signshop.com) started up back in 1997, and we launched InfoDirect™ as an online signshop.com

Wrap Design

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search engine in 1999. Speaking of searches, we published our first Buyer’s Guide directory in 2002, and it’s still released twice a year to this very day.

We’ve even redesigned our site a couple of times now and have now embraced social media avenues like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to connect even further with readers and the industry. We even boast a digital edition of this print version of the magazine (and Buyer’s Guide), as well as specialty e-newsletters.

Over the next several pages, we’ve asked notables in the industry to give us their views of how certain sign-making segments have evolved to their current states and what you can possibly expect over the next quarter-century. You’ll find articles here on sign codes, printing, lighting, and digital/electronic signage.

In addition to Founder Stephen Atkins, I’d like to take this time to also thank former Publishers Webb Howell and Bob DeMarco and current Publisher Arthur Sutley for overseeing the operations of this magazine. I’d also like to give an extra-loud shout-out to former Editors James Hyatt and Bruce Amaro.

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I’d also like to thank the sign makers, sign shops, and freelancers of the past twenty-five years who’ve given us their edit know-how to help our readers with project ideas and nutsand-bolts instructions. Without any of these contributors, editors, or publishers, our magazine really wouldn’t be here today.

And finally I’d like to thank you, the readers, for supporting us as well and providing us with feedback and input about how we can help you better.

So here’s to another twenty-five years! We hope you’re along to enjoy the ride!

To read more reflecTions and expanded arTicles about how segments of the sign industry have evolved over the past twenty-five years, be sure to log on to www.signshop.com.

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The more things change, the more they stay the same.

When asked to write this article about how sign codes and sign regulations have evolved over the last twenty-five years, I had to do some math to figure out the year. 1987! That date seems like ancient history, and in today’s fastmoving world, it probably is.

I started by going to my own newsletter archives.

My initial thought was, “All I have to do is look up what we were writing about in 1987.”

But like all things that look easy on the surface, it turned out to be more difficult than anticipated. I began to realize that, although there have been huge changes in the industry over the past twenty-five years, many things have remained constant. The French have a saying for it: “Plus ça change; plus c’est la même chose.” English translation: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

25 years: a Key Date

december 1994 The National Electric Sign Association (NESA) releases the Neon Installation Manual, which was designed to supply guidelines regarding the installation of outline lighting and electric neon signs according to NEC requirements.

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+ 25 years ago, we were fighting anti-sign zoning bans on internal illumination. Today we’re still fighting those battles. + In 1987, we were working with numerous towns in the region re-writing their ordinances. Now with the help of the USSC Model Code, we’re still working on re-writing ordinances. + 25 years ago, towns wanted to ban neon. Today they still want to ban neon, but they’ve added LEDs, EMCs, etc. to the list. + In 1987, the new product on the market was “electric awning signs.” Were they awnings and part of the architecture? Or were they signs that required a permit? + 25 years ago, there was a new brochure produced by the National Lighting Bureau regarding outdoor lighting and its ability to improve security. Now we’re still trying to prove that lighting from signs at night keeps an area more secure and limits crime. signshop.com

photo courtesy of ussc member river signs of lambertvllle, nj.

The Year 1987

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

+ In 1987, there was concern about flashers and chasers and other things that “move” or “change” on a sign. Today we’re dealing with dwell times and lighting levels. + 25 years ago, the American Planning Association (APA) was the enemy. These days, we have a cordial dialogue with the APA, exhibit at its annual convention, and distribute our research and Model Code to its members. + In 1987, there was no Internet (except on a few college campuses)—no e-mail, downloading, uploading, or Web pages. Today the Internet has changed the way we all do business. Except twenty-five years ago, you had to personally visit each town where you needed to get a permit; although today you can access many forms via the Internet, a sign company still has to file those forms in person at a majority of the municipalities. + 25 years ago, there was no ADA, Dark Sky Society, wide format printers, digital signage, etc. But most importantly, there was no USSC as we know it today. What did exist at that time was our predecessor organization, the Eastern States Sign Council (ESSC).

The ESSC was an all-volunteer organization comprised of eight separate state sign associations in the northeast region of the country. The volunteers from each association ran a successful convention and education program, every year changing the location and host state.

So what were the most common problems in 1987? You guessed it—sign codes and sign regulations.

OSHA, SBA, BOCA, UL, NEC, NFPA, and more.

By 1995, ESSC had evolved into the United States Sign Council (USSC) with nationwide membership. We now had an even larger platform from which we could speak. One of the initial goals of USSC was to represent sign companies in the zoning and regulatory arenas.

How The Industry Has Changed The most noticeable industry change over the past twentyfive years is active participation in local sign organizations.

As I read through these pieces of our history, the one thing that was apparent was the participation on the part of the membership.

Monthly dinner meetings regularly attracted up to 100 people. And often a sign company would open up its shop for a meeting and invite competitors to come into its facility. Shops were willing to share ideas, tips, techniques, and the inevitable complaints. The comaraderie was amazing.

This “friends with your competitor” attitude was the primary reason why the ESSC was so successful. As they worked together, the leaders of each state organization realized that they were fighting some common problems throughout the region, and that they’d be more successful fighting them together as a common unit.

By 1992, ESSC formed a much stronger unit through membership—it now represented a larger group and this was often very important when fighting codes and regulations that would affect the entire industry. We not only had to deal with thousands of municipalities but also governmental and quasi-governmental entities such as EPA, signshop.com

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The Year 2012 The areas of sign industry involvement today are largely the same today as they were then; we’re still working to bring a better economic climate to towns across the country through better signage.

And although the name of the association has changed, its mission has not. The USSC still fights legislative and regulatory battles on a daily basis and serves its membership through communication and education.

People change, names change, technologies change—but it takes a long time to change the minds of those with set ideas.

Slowly we’re seeing it happen. The recent recession has made towns, planners, and government agencies ask us how they can promote a better economic climate through better signage.

That’s a huge change.

And even though we’re still fighting battles on a regular basis, it’s nice to occasionally get a request for assistance from a town that wants to allow signs that will enhance the ability of its merchants to do business and create a thriving economy.

Here I can unequivocally say that the most important change in the last twenty-five years has been the arsenal of research the USSC has amassed since the mid-90s. With fourteen research studies, the USSC Standards, and the USSC Model Code, we can now base our recommendations on more than just our own experiences.

We have solid scientific evidence for proper lighting levels, letter size, sign height, and more. And it’s working!

The Year 2037 So how will signs and technology evolve twenty-five years from now? Will the codes and regulations be based entirely on scientific research? What about the new technologies? And will we finally be able to get permits and variances via the Internet?

I wish I had these answers, but there’s one thing I know for sure: “Plus ça change; plus c’est la même chose!”

Nancy Maren is executive director of the USSC. For more, visit www.ussc.org.

An Easier Way to get Your Message Across Advertise In Contact Jeff Sutley (East Coast) at jeffsutley@sbpub.com or 212-620-7233 or Kim Noa (West, Central U.S.) at knoa@sbpub.com or 212-620-7221

Follow Us On:

In Print, In Person and Online

Sign Builder Illustrated

@SBIMag Sign Builder Illustrated

Log on to www.signshop.com

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SBI at 25: digital printing / By SBI at Michael RoBeRtson /////////////////////////////////////////////////

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graphIc ImagIng InduStry The wide format industry has undergone some broad changes over the past few years.

The wide format graphics community has transformed dramatically in the last fifteen-plus years.

The industry has progressed from a marketplace dominated by a single imaging technology— screenprinting—to a multi-technology marketplace, where digital imaging is the primary technology.

According to SGIA’s 2011 Market Trends and Product Specialties Benchmarking Report, more than 97 percent of companies are using digital technology exclusively or within a multitechnology facility. The number of companies today using screenprinting exclusively is very small (less than three percent), but it’s important to stress the legacy of this technology, a significant “value add” for companies offering a broad range of imaging services.

photo by mimaki.

A New Era The rapid technology development during the last few years has opened new markets by providing imagers with capabilities that have proven to be a great fit with their customer base.

Print buyers want fast turn-around, low waste, and customization; the imager can meet these challenges (and more) using the mix of technologies now available.

signshop.com

Although the integration of digital imaging has provided exciting opportunities for imagers, it has also brought new challenges. When screenprinting dominated, image quality and run consistency were key competition points among imagers.

Today image quality and run consistency expectations are set high, and imagers are required to find their competitive advantage in value-added support before and after the print.

For many in the community, changing from a business plan centered on image quality to a plan that must compete on value-added services has proven to be a major hurdle. The leaders in the imaging community see their role in the marketplace today very differently from the role that was successful just a decade ago.

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photo by aurora graphics.

Vehicle graphics have been very popular with shops.

In a rather dramatic turn-around, screenprinting has become a competitive advantage for many in the community using the process to apply coatings, textures, single colors, and many other capabilities that simply can’t be achieved using digital imaging. Screenprinting also provides advantages over digitally produced products in cost, longevity, durability, and volume.

Looking forward, the big challenge will be slowing the commoditization of the imaging process.

It’s a bit of a double-edged sword: The more controlled the imaging process becomes, the more susceptible it becomes to commoditization. Margins on imaging processes are getting tighter, and commodity-based bidding approaches (e.g., reverse auctions) are being employed. Leaders in the SGIA community are changing their value propositions to adjust as best as possible.

In addition to having business plans that bring added value to the customer, successful imagers are maximizing efficiencies, gaining every bit of profitability possible from the production process and using the latest technologies to improve their competitive position.

Progress of Print Components Inks. Ink systems have come quite a long way in the last decade—in terms of durability, gamut, third-party, pigment, and dyes. Aqueous or waterbased inks are still used mostly for retail point-of-purchase (P-O-P), short-term outdoor prints, long-lasting indoor prints, and indoor backlit materials, and they tend to have a relatively clean handling process.

Solvent inks, commonly regarded as the most economical ink for digital printing, produce highly durable outdoor prints. Although the ink dries

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quickly, it emits volatile organic compounds, which continues to be a “hot-button” issue in environmental regulation and work safety debates. Mild solvent or “eco-solvent” inks, on the other hand, do not have the ingredients or aggressiveness of true solvent inks.

UV-curable inks are more versatile in terms of what they can be printed on, and they can help achieve fast production because there’s no wait time for prints to dry. However this ink tends to be more expensive than other inks.

The most recent innovation in ink—water-based resin— gives prints a high-stretch performance and conformability but is only available in limited models.

Printheads. One of the most significant recent developments for wide format printing is the increased use of variable drop (or grayscale) technology. New improvements, which provide P-O-P-level image quality when used with UV inks, have helped imagers maximize production efforts and enter new markets.

Adding another print bar can also double the speed or image resolution. Consequently the advantage of variable drop com-

25 years: a Key DaTe

OctOber 2004 Street Graphics and the Law by Daniel Mandelker, first published in 1988 by the American Planning Association (APA), is revised a third time, now with contribution from USSC’s Andrew Bertucci.

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pared to binary inkjet is high-quality text and graphics in a single pass.

RIP Software. A Raster Image Processor (RIP) solution optimizes the performance of virtually every wide format device available today in terms of color reproduction, throughput speeds, and workflow efficiency. RIPs can translate postscript instructions, while Windows or Mac printers simply cannot.

Today some RIPs also have the capability to create and tweak media profiles and help keep the color of the output device in control. RIPs also provide enhanced workflow production with varied feature sets.

Media. In the early days, media was white, coated paper on which to print. Today printable media products number in the hundreds, with an ever-increasing variety of receptive coatings, finishes, and specific uses.

For example, magnetic and magnetic-receptive media products have generated a lot of interest lately. These materials allow for easy, non-skilled graphics installation to metallic or prepared surfaces, and can save on shipping costs associated

with large, rigid signage.

Pressure-sensitive materials have also exploded, offering numerous substrates for end-product applications—such as vehicle wraps and window and floor graphics.

For many printers, the use of sustainable products has become an effective way to differentiate themselves in the eyes of environmentally conscious customers. Eco-friendly products range from fabrics and banner materials to hardboard products.

Finishing. To transform a print into a finished, sellable product, finishing capabilities are essential. One significant challenge for the industry today is that, as inkjet printers continue to increase in speed, finishing is replacing it as the slowest step in the production process.

While adding or upgrading finishing technologies or improving efficiency can address this particular issue to some degree, viable solutions are still needed for those companies seeking to reap the financial rewards of high-speed inkjet technologies.

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Today’s Widespread Technologies UV. The introduction of UV-curable inkjet printers quickly opened doors to untapped markets, due to the added capability of printing directly onto rigid substrates. While there are still barriers to overcome, production efficiencies and technology developments will propel the future growth of UV-curable inkjet.

As equipment and ink prices continue to drop and regulatory pressure on solvents continues to increase, UV

will ultimately become the dominant technology.

Solvent/Eco-Solvent. Solvent and eco-solvent inks are still in wide use, as UV prices inhibit widespread adoption.

The durability and costs associated with solvent/eco-solvent systems make them attractive, but persistent regulatory pressure will continue to drive UV-curable R&D dollars.

Flatbed. Flatbed inkjet systems have bridged the gap between digital and tra-

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ditional screenprinting processes and have opened new markets, expanding the possibilities of what digital imaging can do.

Dye Sublimation. The growth of sublimation printing has relied on the prevalence of polyester and other sublimation-receptive materials and coatings.

This type of printing can reproduce images on a world of flexible and rigid-receptive substrates that can withstand the amount of heat, pressure, and dwell time necessary for image transfer.

One of the hottest trends in the industry today, dye sublimation is used to print on a wide range of products—including soft signage, promotional products, and high-end apparel.

Innovations on the Forefront UV LED. Although still early in its development, the industry has started to take advantage of tremendous advances in UV LED light sources. This technology enables a new generation of imagers to print for a greater range of applications and to provide better reliability, easier operations, and lower operational costs.

The use of UV LED also allows users to image heat-sensitive materials that are difficult for mercury vapor UV systems.

Latex. Latex and water-based resin inks deliver image quality, print durability, and outdoor display permanence comparable to low-solvent inks on a wide variety of substrates, including uncoated vinyl.

This innovative technology has enabled printing with the environment in mind, offering benefits to the customer purchasing the prints and the print service provider.

Conclusion The changes we’ve experienced in the wide format imaging community have been dramatic and well timed. The new technologies continue to be the best available response to the needs defined by the print buyer as they focus on cost controls, sustainability, and effective messaging.

The future is certainly bright for those imagers who see the larger picture and use the latest technologies effectively.

Michael Robertson is president and CEO of the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA). For more information, visit www.sgia.org.

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The course of lighting has changed significantly since our first issue.

The determining factor in how effectively the sign speaks to its intended audience is often lighting. And lighting can involve anything from a large pylon along the highway or channel letters on the front of a building to a backlit promotion or an enclosed cabinet announcing a business and its offerings.

When Sign Builder Illustrated launched, the illumination solutions included the occasional incandescent bulb, HID lights, and the glowing gases inside neon and

PHoTo courTeSy of cAPITol SIgnS/lAnSDAle, PA.

fluorescent tubes.

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LEDs Ascending While these lighting solutions have a secure future in specialty applications, they have yielded some of their grip to LEDs, widely considered the most significant advance for illuminated signage in decades. Query the different sectors of the sign industry, and a chorus celebrates the LED as the transitional technology which holds most promise as the light technology for the future.

“Way back when, if you talked about LEDs, you were talking about little red lights,” recalls Mark Shepard, global product manager for GE Lighting’s signage solutions (www.gelightingsolutions.com). “The big advance has been the development of white LEDs, now the most dominant color, and the optics to go on top of them.”

Randy Frahm, director of sales and marketing for lighting products at Scott Fetzer Electrical Group (www.franceformer.com), concurs. “The greatest impact to the sign industry has been the

advent of LEDs,” he says. “They provide the user flexibility and positive sign maintenance features.”

“I would have to say LEDs are the most significant advancement in light technology today for the sign industry,” agrees Eric Gastelum, administrator of The Sign Syndicate (www.thesignsyndicate.com), an online community for the electric sign industry.

That doesn’t mean the future belongs to LEDs exclusively however. “I think most will come to realize that LEDS, like all lamps, have their strengths and weaknesses, and they too have an intended use,” says Gastelum.

For some, the move to LEDs is already a defining trend. Steve Williams, president of Harbinger Sign (www.harbingersign.com) in Jacksonville, Florida has embraced LED lighting for its installations. “Our company has not used a fluorescent lamp or neon tube in over two years—an incredible statement

when you consider LEDs have only been available for double-faced pylon signs a couple of years.”

Michael Barry, marketing manager for lighting components manufacturer Allanson International (www.allanson.com), says the ascent of LEDs means diminished demand for other lighting systems. “Neon has declined dramatically as the prime source of illumination for channel letters,” he observes. “Fluorescent lighting used in cabinet signs is now being replaced by LED fluorescent retrofit systems.”

Shepard estimates as much as 90 percent of channel letters have been converted from neon to LEDs, and he expects that trend will be repeated in cabinet signs.

While retrofitting existing signs with LED lighting has been (and remains) a recent trend, Gastelum does warn that this practice should only be used in the right circumstances (such as difficulty of service) or to exchange a light source due

The history of commercially useful

PHoTo courTeSy of eSco mfg./WATerToWn, SD.

leDs began in the 1960s with the creation of gallium-arsenicphosphorus leDs.

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to circumstances of the environment. One concern he’s seen over recent years is the conversion of classic red neon signs.

“There is no justification for retrofitting neon signs that are red, since they don’t degrade in light over time, with a product that is more expensive and does degrade in light over time,” he says.

Gastelum adds that the upfront initial cost of a retrofit cannot be made up in the short term. “And should a maintenance issue occur, i.e., a couple of LED modules go out just after a couple of years, chances are that the LED has already been revised, making matching impossible,” he says. “So now the client is looking at a complete retrofit pushing that ROI even further away.”

25 years: a Key Date

june 2000 The eight-story-tall NASDAQ sign at MarketSite Tower in Times Square is turned on. Featuring ads and stock info, the 14,000-square foot display is, at the time, the largest LED sign in the world.

Efficiency and Economy In part, LEDS are also benefitting from much broader societal shifts favoring efficiency and economy. “The customer is asking for energy-efficient lighting,” notes Barry. “Sign shops are challenged to provide the most cost-effective way to illuminate their signs.

“LED manufacturers have solutions to both challenges.”

Perceptions that LEDs require less maintenance only enhance their appeal. “End-users are starting to look at total systems costs and the cost of the sign and lighting, as well as the energy costs over the life of that sign,” points out Shepard.

“Though the costs of LEDs are initially more, an LED sign system offers longer life and reduced maintenance than other types of lighting.”

Practical Alternatives to LEDs Gastelum maintains such benefits can be oversold, and points out other light sources have also seen advancements in recent years that make them practical alternatives. “Neon has come a long way with their tri-blend whites and rare earth phosphorcoated glass,” he says. “Lamp processing equipment has ad-

99.5% neon and argon gas.

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Photo courtesy of conrad’s Big “c” signs/raPid city, sd.

The classic neon lamp contains

What have been the most significant lighting innovations since Sign Builder Illustrated launched twentyfive years ago?

For a technical perspective, Janie McClanahan at Scott Fetzer Electrical Group compiled this list: + Neon. The advent of secondary ground fault protection and the UL 2161 standard (requiring transformer manufactures to develop new power supplies and re-educate those building and servicing signage). “The introduction of self-adjusting ‘service’ transformers covering several voltage ranges meant service companies could replace eight transformer voltages with just two models,” she says. “And development of electronic transformers for channel letters provided smaller, lighter options to replace magnetic counterparts.” + Fluorescent. The development of T8 Long Life lamps, the introduction of electronic ballast for fluorescent signs, and the use of rare earth phosphors in lamps delivered brighter signs while reducing energy consumption. “Electronic ballasts now power as many lamps with about one-third the power requirements,” she says. “[The] manufacture of multi-bolt ballasts (120/277) reduced inventory SKUs for the distributor and sign manufacturer and prevented primary wiring

installation errors where the primary voltage differed from the information provided to the sign builder.

“During this period, wiring of most electronic ballasts transitioned from series wiring to parallel wiring of the lamps. With parallel wired cabinets, when one lamp fails, the remaining lamps stay lit; [this way], the sign does not entirely go out.” + Title 24 and the new UL Electric Sign Energy Certification. These advances have all benefitted the sign industry. “These signs require product and sign manufacturers to be more energy-conscious in all installations,” she says.

Photo courtesy of engraPhix architectural signage, inc.

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vanced as well, ensuring even longer life.

“Processing of electrodes is no longer a matter of great skill but [is now as] easy as pressing a button. This is the most important part of tube processing and the one most often done incorrectly.”

Gastelum also mentions that The Neon Group (www.theneongroup.org) recently got neon Labeled and Recognized with UL’s new Green Leaf Verification Service (ULVS). “This small organization needs to be applauded for the hard work they do,” he states.

Gastelum points to advances in highoutput fluorescence, as well. “We see an abundance of T8 lamps being used in sign cabinets with better tri-blend phosphors and improved cathode technology which brings longer life than the conven-

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tional halo-phosphate HO lamps.”

Development of more efficient fluorescent ballasts should make them viable for certain applications. “Fluorescent is in transition from the standard T12 applications to the long-life T8 and T12 products, which are more efficient options,” points out Janie McClanahan, sales & marketing manager at Scott Fetzer Electrical Group. “Cabinet signs using T8 long-life lamps and electronic ballasts are cost-effective and produce a brighter sign than their LED counterparts.”

All Still Viable Most expect the proven lighting solutions will retain a smaller but significant hold on the market, while LEDs will benefit from growing awareness and an

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aggressive marketing push as the lighting solution of the future.

“Fluorescent and neon will still be viable, as they have a large installed base and offer some unique advantages over LEDs,” says Frahm. “Neon signage workmanship is hard to beat for users looking for light brilliance, aesthetic impact, and long life.”

That craftsmanship secures its place—but in a diminished role. “Neon will continue to decline to a point where it is just used for creative effect,” predicts Barry. “Fluorescent will decline as well, but at a slower rate.”

But Gastelum sees continued demand for the different approaches to illumination, based on their intrinsic strengths and the setting. “[Sign builders] should pick and choose the best light source for the particular sign application in mind,” he says. “What is not widely known or thought of is every light source has its own strengths and weaknesses.”

But the momentum today is with LEDs, and most expect they will become the dominant lighting solution for signage. “LED is easier to install and work with, easier to ship, and allows for shallower and less expensive signs,” points out Barry. “It is also available in perimeter lighting solutions never available to the sign builder until now.”

Gastelum agrees that LEDs will only get better—even if he still isn’t sold on them as a “wonder product” that will replace other light sources. “They will get better for the applications that they should be used in,” he says “I’m hoping—and looking—for a standardization that is presently absent when it comes to LEDs.” Twenty-five years from now, the state of LEDS in 2012 might be the starting point for a look back on the next quarter century of innovation in lighting systems and solutions. “I don’t think we’re tapped out yet in either the efficiency or the performance for LEDs and see much more coming,” says Shepard.

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THE REvoluTIon IS on

Display

Charting the progress of today’s electronic display technology.

particularly as it relates to electronic signage. Existing products have grown in sophistication, and new delivery methods have been developed.

It can be challenging to keep up, much less learn the new languages of HDMI and screen resolution that are required. But at the end of the day, sign makers are still doing what they do best—helping customers get their messages out.

photo courtesy of digital sign expo.

In many ways, not much has changed since 1987—and yet everything has. Back then, we were working on our computers (most likely a Windows 2.0 on an IBM PS/2).

These days, we’re still working on our computers, though Windows is several editions past 2.0 and our computers are now portable—and sometimes fit in our pockets.

The sign industry has undergone the same sort of technological revolution,

signshop.com

August 2012 // Sign Builder Illustrated

39

TH

I VE R SA RY

photo courtesy of dave forrest.

ANN

S B i at 2 5 : E l E c tro n i c S i g n S

photo courtesy of optec displays.

SIGN BU

25

ATED TR

DER ILLUS IL

THEN In their earliest stages, EMCs could display little other

NOW Today digital signage is dynamic and can display a num-

than time, temperature, and simple messages.

Current State of Electronic Signs Over the past twenty-five years, electronic signage has enjoyed many of the benefits of larger technological innovations.

Energy-efficient lighting has been a major step forward, first with new incandescent lamps and later with LEDs. As LEDs have improved, particularly in the intensity of vibrant colors, electronic message centers (EMCs) have become bright enough to be viewed outdoors from a variety of angles.

EMCs and dynamic digital signage both have benefited from the sophistication of the components. In their earliest stages, EMCs largely displayed only the time and temperature. As components have become easier to use, programming a variety of messages has become more commonplace. EMCs can now display video content at a very high quality.

Dynamic digital signage also has seen improvements in the quality and ease of use from the days when it was primarily a TV screen hooked up to a player with a looped TV commercial. Now displays fea40

ber of different video messages that are vibrant and clear.

ture messages that are vibrant and clear.

And this sector of the industry is growing at an impressive clip. According to industry trend reports, today’s $7 billion dynamic digital signage market is expected to double in size over the next three years.

As the technology has become more sophisticated, prices have come down.

It wasn’t that long ago that a flat-screen TV cost several thousand dollars; now the same size is several hundred dollars.

Dynamic digital screens are following suit, dropping significantly in price in recent years.

Because of the ease of use, electronic signage holds a strong appeal for multilocation companies or businesses that change their messages depending upon the time of day (such as restaurants).

Electronic signage can be centrally controlled with new messages sent out to each location without the involvement of store personnel.

Electronic Signs and ISA New technology often brings uncharted

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

territory, and electronic signage is no different. Many communities around the country have reacted to the growth of electronic message centers with intense regulation or outright bans.

The International Sign Association (ISA) has devoted significant efforts to help local communities understand the technology behind EMCs and how these signs contribute to a strong business environment. (Note: See “Let There Be Illumination” on page 50.)

Throughout 2011 and continuing into 2012, ISA has included a significant section on EMC technology in our educational sessions for the planning community. Understanding the capabilities allows communities to properly regulate these types of signs instead of imposing an outright ban.

We’ve also realized that our industry has much to learn about dynamic digital signage. It’s important to remember that, while the components may be different, the underlying intent is the same: to convey a message. And our industry is signshop.com

expert at that.

By connecting with other trade groups in the audio/visual field, ISA is helping its members (and the industry) understand the potential in dynamic digital signs. In fact, ISA included an entire educational track at ISA International Sign Expo 2012 on the topic; courses were developed and taught by members of the Digital Signage Federation (www.digitalsignagefederation.org).

While we may have a bit of a learning curve when it comes to the components and technical requirements, the hill is not too steep to climb. This may not make sense for all sign shops, but understanding and being able to compete in the dynamic digital sign arena is something that must be considered. If a sign company doesn’t have the technical skills or interest in learning them, they must form alliances with others that do.

Electronic Signs Tomorrow So where is all this heading? While it’s hard to be certain about any particulars of electronic signage, one thing is for sure: its influence will continue to increase in our industry.

Dynamic digital in particular shows potential to integrate with smartphones.

Given that smartphones are outselling traditional wireless phones by a 4-to-1 margin in 2012, this has the potential to be significantly larger. If a smartphone user walks into a store and gives the store permission to interact with him or her, dynamic digital signage could display targeted messages as that person walks by.

It’s not too much of a stretch to think that, in a few years, this same sort of technology could be available for EMCs. Regardless of whether that comes to pass, electronic signage will continue to grow and develop. Components will become even easier to use, and prices will continue to drop.

It’s vital that we all understand that electronic signage has an important role to play in our increasingly technological society. Granted they will never replace signshop.com

static signage completely, but electronic signs will remain an essential component of helping businesses share their messages and reach their customers.

Rich Gottwald is executive vice president of the International Sign Association. To learn more about ISA’s efforts, visit www.signs.org.

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41

Hand-Lettering / By Jeff Wooten //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

soaking up

Hand Lettering A sign painter makes quite a splash with his brushes.

II ended,” he says.

Eppolito currently works for Glavin Industries, Inc. (www.glavinindustries.com), a full-service sign company in Solon, Ohio that also has a screen printing department, an engraving department, and a neon shop. (Note: Although Eppolito has been with Glavin since 2006, he’s been painting

1

42

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

signs ever since 1992.)

Now meet Wildwater Kingdom. This newly rebranded water park is located in nearby Aurora, Ohio and was recently bought by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (which also owns a number of theme parks across the country, such as Knott’s Berry Farm, Kings Dominion, and Carowinds, to name a few).

Cedar Fair Entertainment has been a long-time client of Glavin Industries, and when they purchased the “Geauga Lake and Wildwater Kingdom” property and decided to rename it solely as “Wildwater Kingdom,” they knew this would require rebranding—particularly for its giant Splash Landing attraction.

The four-story Splash Landing structure contains water slides, soaking gadgets, geysers, and water cannons. It also has a giant, wooden bucket that, when it fills up with 1,000 gallons of water, swings and spills out the water onto all the kids (and adults) playing underneath.

At the beginning of this project, this faded bucket still had “Geauga Lake and Wildwater Kingdom” painted onto it. “They wanted to rebrand this bucket and put their new name on the front of it,” says Eppolito, “and that’s where we came in.”

2

3

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All photos courtesy of chris eppolito.

M

eet Chris Eppolito, a third-generation sign painter who still uses his grandfather’s sign painting kit and original brushes. “My grandfather, Sam Eppolito of Cleveland, Ohio, actually started painting shortly after World War

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

The finished sign

1. The original property name

4. Eppolito started by

on the giant water bucket.

painting the teal color outlines.

2. A belt sander was used to

5. Posting the approved

strip the original logo off the bucket.

design helped Eppolito while in the basket lift.

3. To create the pounce

6. Eppolito had a paint store

pattern, Eppolito placed a pen and a roll of paper in his vinyl cutter/plotter. The pen traced out the design.

4

signshop.com

mix the custom shade of light blue needed on this project.

5

August 2012 // Sign Builder Illustrated

6

43

7 7. The wood surface of the bucket was rough and old, so Eppolito chose to use Scharff fitch brushes.

The solution devised ended up being a combination of the traditional and the current.

The art department at Cedar Fair Entertainment sent Eppolito an email with the new logo and its PMS colors, and he then crafted a handmade pounce pattern from it to create the outlines for this paint project.

While the bucket is 96 inches tall-by-92 inches wide, the new logo measures 66 inches tall-by-82 inches wide.

Using a belt-sander, Eppolito and

8 8. Impressed with Eppolito’s new logo, park officials also restained and primed the wooden bucket.

co-worker Mike Coleman stripped off the “Geauga Lake” logo from the bucket in about twenty minutes.

He then primed this area in order to repaint the new “Wildwater Kingdom” logo. “The new logo covered about 98 percent of it anyway, so I could’ve just painted right over it,” says Eppolito, “but the customer wanted it sanded off.”

Eppolito placed a roll of paper in his vinyl cutter/plotter and a pen (instead of a knife), and this pen drew the logo

for the transfer. “I basically sized it to fit the bucket, drew out a pattern for it, and pounced it using a pounce wheel,” explains Eppolito. “I did a charcoal transfer of all the outlines and started painting.”

Eppolito painted with five colors for this project and performed all the painting and hand lettering with Scharff fitch brushes, 1-Shot enamels, and mixed-paint store oil-based paints. “We don’t have a mixing station in-shop, so if we need a special color mixed, we’ll go

“I’ve got my grandfather’s painting kit and his brushes from over

50 years ago and I’m still using them today.”

— chris eppolito

44

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

signshop.com

T

hanks to his impressive hand-painted work on the Splash Landing bucket, Eppolito was also awarded the opportunity to work on additional signage at the Wildwater Kingdom water park. For the Little Tikes Town section of the park (left), Eppolito used a CNC router for this post-and-panel

sign to route three layers and pieces out of 1/2-inch Sintra® PVC and then apply vinyl digital prints to it.

For the Tropical Waters attraction (right), Eppolito used hand-painting and laminated digital prints to refurbish this long-hanging, multi-layered sign that was constructed from 3/4-inch Sintra PVC.

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August 2012 // Sign Builder Illustrated

45

to a paint store and have them mix it for us,” he says. “We had to do this with the light blue.”

Eppolito did all the painting himself.

He decided to use fitch brushes instead of lettering quills, because the wood surface of the giant bucket was older and rougher. And although he still uses his grandfather’s painting kit and brushes on other projects, “I didn’t want to ruin them here on the rough wood and its splinters,” he adds.

To reach the heights needed for painting onto the bucket, Eppolito utilized a basket lift to reach fortyfive feet off the ground. This step required the need to also wear a fullbody harness and being tied off so he wouldn’t fall.

Amazingly Eppolito did all of this lifting-and-positioning-and-painting himself. “All the controls were in the basket with me,” he explains. (Note: Eppolito also stored quarts of paints in a milk crate inside the basket, so he could access them whenever necessary.)

Because of the set-up of the structure and its surroundings, positioning the basket lift sometime proved a bit daunting to handle.

For instance, its base had to be positioned in a shallow bit of water at the bottom of the attraction.

Eppolito also had to be careful to avoid a red awning that was jutting out. “Otherwise I could’ve hit it,” he says.

Another challenge: Actually working in the basket at times. “While I was painting, the slightest little movement made it move up and down and left and right,” says Eppolito, “so trying to paint something steadily was an adventure in itself.” To solve this, he moved the basket down a bit to where it rested on a couple of beams, making a nice and solid landing spot.

Eppolito also adds that he had to paint in-between guardrail bars in front of the bucket. “Being up in the basket meant I could only move so far,” he says.

Despite the wind, the only thing really blowing around was the pounce pattern, so Eppolito used duct tape to get it to stick to the wood. “My next option would’ve been staples,” he says.

Painting on-site took three days. “It didn’t take a whole lot of time to paint,” he says, “but I let it dry in-between, 46

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

signshop.com

because all the colors touched each other.

“The first day, I just primed it thoroughly and went back to the shop.

The next day, I started on the teal color, proceeded to the outlining, and then went from there.”

The water park opened for patrons on Saturday, May 26, and Eppolito finished just in time the day before.

Impressed with this job, Cedar Fair Entertainment officials retained Eppolito to also repaint and touch-up a couple of hanging identification signs for the structure.

Eppolito isn’t just a classic sign painter; he also works with the latest in technologies at Glavin Industries.

He’s the company’s sole CNC router operator (a Gerber Sabre), so when Cedar Fair Entertainment also needed additional signage, they turned to him.

One was a post-and-panel identity sign for a section of the park called “Little Tykes Town.”

He routed three layers and pieces for it out of 1/2-inch Sintra® PVC and applied digital prints to it. “To attach the different layers, we used stainless steel screws from the backside,” he explains. “Sometimes for pieces like this, we’ll double-stick tape and silicone, but envisioning kids around there probably pulling on it, we decided they wouldn’t come off with screws.”

Another job was a brand-new replacement for a worn-down wood sign for the “Tropical Waters” ride.

“This sign is also multi-layered,” says Eppolito, “however unlike the one for ‘Little Tykes Town,’ it was made from 3/4-inch Sintra PVC. I hand-painted it as well.”

Since Eppolito grew up in a signpainting family, he’s very adamant that sign professionals should at least know their roots (even if they’re only involved in using the latest technologies). “I guess I’m very sentimental about this,” he says.

And speaking of family, Eppolito is also thrilled that he’ll be able to take his four kids to the park this summer and show them the work he did. “For them to see it will be cool,” he says. “It’s also something different and unique that you’re not doing or seeing every day.

That’s also a treat!” signshop.com

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Companies in the Sign Show

1 ADA Wholesale Signs . . . . . . . . . . 62

29 Oracal USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4

2 Allanson International . . . . . . . . . 37

30 Orbus Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

51 Chemetal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

3 Alpina Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . 63

31 Orbus Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

52 DreamScape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

4 Alpina Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . 63

32 Orbus Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

53 DSA Phototech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

5 A .R .K . Ramos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

54 Fisher Textiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

6 Arris (APCO Products) . . . . . . . . . . 22

33 Ornamental Post Panel & Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

7 ASE Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

34 Ornamental Post Panel . . . . . . . . . 11

56 Kern Lasers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

8 AXYZ International . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

35 Parker Davis Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

57 OcĂŠ USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

9 Biesse America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

36 Post Coats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

58 OSRAM SYLVANIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

10 Brinks MFG (Van Ladder) . . . . . . . . 38

37 SGIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

59 SAi International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

11 Brooklyn Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

38 Sign Bracket Store by Hooks And Lattice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

60 Treefrog Veneer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

12 CAO Group, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 13 Clearpath/Rowmark . . . . . . . . . . . 46 14 Coastal Enterprises/Precision Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

55 Gemini Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . 12

39 Sign Fab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 40 Sign Fab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2 41 Signs By Tomorrow . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

15 Duxbury Systems Inc . . . . . . . . . . 63

42 Small Balls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

16 Epilog Laser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

43 Southern Stud Weld . . . . . . . . . . . 22

17 Flexmag Industries Inc . . . . . . . . . 61

44 Superbright LEDS .Com . . . . . . . . . 62

18 Formetco Powered By Ad Tech . . . . 5

45 TriVantage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

19 Gemini, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

46 Trotec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

20 Graphic House/Event-Trac . . . . . . 63

47 Universal Laser Systems . . . . . . . 25

21 Its Enclosures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

48 US LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

22 L&L Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

49 USSC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

23 Mimaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

50 Wilkie Mfg ., LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

24 Magnum Magnetics Corp . . . . . . . . 59 25 Master Magnetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 26 Matthews Paint Company/ N . Glantz & Son . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 27 National Banner Co Inc . . . . . . . . . 62 28 Nixalite America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 48

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

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Let There be

The lack of knowledge about EMC brightness provides an opportunity for the sign industry to step in with fact-based solutions about EMCs.

50

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

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////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Electronic Message Center / By DaviD Hickey

Illumination!

How to curtail efforts against EMC brightness. s if local officials haven’t found enough ways to regulate our products, an increasing number of cities across the country have been focusing their regulatory attention on sign illumination and brightness. This is especially true when it comes to onpremise electronic message centers (EMCs).

As an industry, we advise against using EMCs in a way that can be irritating or visually upsetting.

But as many sign companies know, all it takes is for one renegade EMC user to program their sign so that people can see it from miles away to catch the unwanted notice of your local officials.

Many local officials are

in the dark

photo courtesy of daktronics.

about how EMCs work and how to optimize their effectiveness.

signshop.com

This is an innovative and rapidly advancing technology, and most city employees just don’t yet have the expertise to deal knowledgeably on the issues with which they are concerned, such as EMC brightness.

August 2012 // Sign Builder Illustrated

51

ISA turned his results into a user-friendly reference document that includes model statutory language, helpful photos, a step-by-step description of how to measure the illumination of these kinds of signs, and an overview of the importance of ensuring appropriate EMC brightness levels at night.

Our staff has since used this publication in communities across the country to help local officials better understand the science behind EMC lighting and to encourage them to draft reasonable EMC lighting language.

We have found the EMC brightness recommendations to be an effective tool to educate community leaders and other key stakeholders, who might otherwise resort to more drastic measures without guidance from our industry.

Many communities that are overwhelmed with EMC brightness and related issues are simply enacting moratoriums or outright bans on all EMCs, in

An EMC is a sign that utilizes computer-generated messages or some other means of changing copy.

These signs include displays using incandescent lamps, LEDs, LCDs, or a flipper matrix.

52

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

large part because of the misperception that these signs cannot be responsibly regulated. The Lewin research and sign industry recommendations can provide communities contemplating such draconian steps with a scientifically sound alternative.

In essence, Dr. Lewin’s research establishes levels of lighting for EMCs depending on the level of ambient lighting nearby. It’s common sense—if such a sign is placed in an area where there isn’t much lighting around, then its display can be dimmer and still remain appropriately legible. But if the EMC is in an area that has more illuminated signs, parking, street lamps, etc., then a higher brightness level could be necessary in order for the sign’s message to be seen and understood.

Dr. Lewin’s research uses the language and framework that local officials support, including methodologies used by the lighting industry.

All permitted EMCs shall be programmed to automatically dim according to ambient light conditions or adjusted to comply with the recommended 0.3 footcandle measurements. signshop.com

photos (this page) provided by isa and its member companies.

But this lack of knowledge can also provide an opportunity for the sign industry. By stepping into the void and offering fact-based solutions, the sign industry can help find common ground with communities.

The International Sign Association (ISA) has the experience necessary to help local officials make informed and responsible sign code decisions regarding these issues. In the sensitive case of EMC brightness levels at night, we took the initiative in 2008 to work with Dr. Ian Lewin of Lighting Sciences, Inc., to establish reasonable lighting recommendations for these kinds of signs. Dr. Lewin is a leading lighting expert with over thirty years of experience in the lighting industry, including a term as president of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES).

Dr. Lewin’s peer-reviewed research was released in 2009, and in late 2010,

photo courtesy of dave forrest.

In order to reduce any confusion and to make the process as simple as possible, the level of brightness recommended in ISA’s reference document for EMCs is 0.3 footcandles above ambient lighting.

So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Many cities have adopted our recommendations (either in whole or in part), and local officials have often been grateful to have easy access to such useful and understandable language.

Despite these successes, working to make sure that government officials are not only aware of this relevant research, but can also apply it in their own communities in a practical and workable fashion, is an intensive and continuous saga. This ongoing effort includes not only making the Lewin research numbers and equations more comprehensible to the average layperson, but also ensuring that local officials don’t confuse EMC brightness issues with those of traditional internally illuminated signs, which often have completely different lighting needs and capabilities.

Since July 2011, nearly 250 planners from 27 states have been educated by ISA either in-person or via webinar on EMC-related topics, including the specific issue of brightness. And the ISA will continue to reach out to sign code officials and produce research-based tools to help these regulators draft reasonable sign codes that benefit businesses and communities. Together we can help local officials see the light.

David Hickey is vice president of Government Relations for the ISA. If you’d like to receive a copy of ISA’s EMC Nighttime Brightness Recommendations, visit www.signs.org or contact dhickey@signs.org. signshop.com

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53

Wagering on a New LED Display! Win! unland Park Racetrack & Casino in New Mexico (near El Paso, Texas) is open year-round, but from December through April, the complex features four-daya-week live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing along its one-mile oval track (including the Sunland Derby, where the winning horse moves on to the Kentucky Derby). The Rio Grande River flows directly parallel to the track, and mountains are its backdrop.

But one thing proving an eyesore was a lowresolution, malfunctioning LED display board along the track infield. The facility had been transmitting both live and recorded video of horse races on it for about six years, yet it was expensive to operate. Maintenance costs were piling up, repair parts were difficult to find, and the need to air-condition the sign resulted in high electrical costs. It not only looked “out of place” but also “out of time.”

With the horse racing season quickly approaching the starting gate last fall, Sunland Park Racetrack Video Manager John Nichols knew it was time to

54

photos courtesy of watchfire signs.

S

saddle up and invest in something newer, more visible, and more state-of-the-art. So he called his local sign dealer, Francis Fluorescent Signs of El Paso, Texas.

Francis Fluorescent, in turn, contacted Neil Dietz, a southwest territory manager for Watchfire Signs (www. watchfiresigns.com). Dietz visited the racetrack, where he

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

demonstrated LED boards via the traveling F-350 demo vehicles. “These trucks contain two fullcolor LED signs with two different resolutions,” says John Kunze, Director-Eastern Division of Watchfire Signs.

Sunland Park opted for a brand-new Watchfire XVS 16mm. This display stands 12 feet, 7 inches high-by-22 feet wide, features a 224-by-384 matrix, and contains 19 lines-by-60 characters.

Kunze states, “When it comes to selling LED displays, it’s important to have conversations with the customer and educate them about budgets necessary to set up and run this technology.

This particular sign took about four to six weeks to construct, but Francis Fluorescent had the display up the same day they came out using cranes and bucket trucks. The new display sits in the infield next to a tote board featuring all the wagering data. The sign features live video during the races and video feeds of horses warming up or jockeys being interviewed, as well as recorded videos of other races around the country. Nichols and his crew of graphic artists, camera operators, and production members use Watchfire’s Ignite® Graphics Software to program the sign.

Nichols is also thrilled that there’s no maintenance involved. “We’re out in the desert, and during March and April, we experience very big windstorms,” he says. “There were three different days here where the sand was blowing so hard you couldn’t even see the other side of the racetrack.

Yet the board turned right on, and there were no operation deficiencies.”

Nichols plans to clean it before the next live racing event (even though it’s still highly visible at this point). “Someone will get up there in our bucket truck with a brush and a pail of water and scrub it back and forth and then dry it,” he explains. signshop.com

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

“This material is limited only by your imagination.”

— melissa thompson, sales manager of master magnetics

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/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Magnets / By Ashley BrAy

P-O-P GraPhics that

Pull You In

P

Point-of-purchase graphics are meant to pull a customer in and inspire the purchasing decision. If the P-O-P graphics lack punch, then the attempt fails.

Luckily more users are recognizing the strength of magnets. Here we take a look at how magnets have made some attractive advances in P-O-P graphics.

Magnetic Mediums The world of magnets has come a long way from those small, round disks you use to hold up the shopping list on your fridge. Nowadays users can choose from flexible displays, assemblies, and strong, rare earth magnets.

Assemblies. For P-O-P applications that require the hanging or support of large/heavy signage, magnetic assemblies can be ideal. Typically made up of a steel piece and a ceramic or neodymium magnet, the assemblies can also include a means of mounting a sign such as a hook, post, loop, or hole.

“These work great for hanging signs from the ceiling or on a large wall,” says Melissa Thompson, sales manager for Master Magnetics (www. magnetsource.com).

Flexible. Flexible magnetic displays have been on the market for a while, and they lend themselves particularly well to P-O-P displays. Sheets even feature vinyl laminate finishes (most in white, but with some manufacturers offering colors) so that users can print directly to the magnetic sheet.

Flexible magnetic sheets offer a product that is easy to install, as well as easy to finish— in fact, scissors

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or a knife can cut through most sheets.

Magnetic Receptive. An improvement on flexible magnets has came in the form of magnetic-receptive products. If a user has a P-O-P display but no steel surfaces to apply a magnet to, magneticreceptive systems are a solution.

The systems typically include a material receptive to magnets that can be placed anywhere magnetism is desired. Magnum Magnetics offers RubberSteel®, a flexible, magnetic-receptive material with an adhesive back. Other magnetic-receptive material can come in the form of a ferrous, flexible substrate, such as Master Magnetics’ FlexIron™, Flexmag’s Ferrosheet™, or Adams Magnetic’s MAGBond™.

Adams also offers MAGsteel™, which combines a paper surface with a lightweight metal, as well as FoilMAG™, a magnetic-receptive tape with an adhesive that attracts ½-1-inch magnet strips.

“Magnetic strips can be used for holding display panels in place,” explains Stephen McLevey, customer service & product manager of the Flexmag Industries division of Arnold Magnetic Technologies Corp. (www.arnoldmagnetics.com).

Visual Magnetics specializes in magnetic-receptive materials. Users can opt for an adhesive-backed InvisiLock® high-performance magnet, which attracts the company’s MagnaMedia® micro-iron print film.

Users can also opt for the option to use a micro-iron latex primer called ActiveWall®, which can be painted onto any surface. Once applied, ActiveWall attracts the InvisiLock sheet (without an adhesive), which in turn attracts the MagnaMedia printed graphic.

The most important thing to remember when choosing between magnet types is to be sure that it is the best fit for the application. “Choose the right material for your application,” says McLevey. “By

August 2012 // Sign Builder Illustrated

57

Photo courtesy of AdAms mAgnetics.

Magnets are changing the way the industry thinks about graphic displays.

selecting the correct materials, you can save time and money, thus ensuring that you have the most cost-effective option for the application that you are fulfilling.”

To promote its 4G tablets, Verizon installed magneticreceptive displays, which attract magnetic graphics that are easily changeable.

The developments in magnetic materials have made the possibilities for P-O-P applications endless. Magnum Magnetics prides itself on not only its ability to provide its customers with a custom solution, but also its quick turnaround time. “Having everything made in America, the turnaround time of producing a job for companies is much quicker,” says Korby Guthrie, director of Sales and Marketing at Magnum Magnetics (www. magnummagnetics.com). “We’re very good with customization.”

Visual Magnetics has also succeeded in pushing the P-O-P envelope. Recently the company completed a national campaign for Verizon stores to promote new 4G tablets.

Verizon wanted a P-O-P solution that was visually appealing and easy for their in-store personnel to change out. “Because of the ease of changing out magnetic-receptive signage, they saved a lot of money versus having to pay professional installers to either remove the old signage or put in the new signage every time they did a campaign change,” says Dan Halkyard, director of Marketing and Product Management at Visual Magnetics (www.visualmagnetics.com).

Bounty of Benefits There are a number of reasons why so many users are choosing magnets over other substrates. For one, the installation is

For high-resolution printing with solvent, eco-solvent, UV and latex inks.

• Available in 12”, 24”, 30”, 40” or 42” wide rolls • Custom cutting available • Ideal for one-step printing of vehicle signs Saves time and money printing direct to magnet. Ideal for high impact P.O.P. displays, store signage, message boards, calendars, sports schedules, photos, vehicle signage and more.

Testing for quality and compatibility is in process with other well-known brands.

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MMI SBI ad 8-2012.indd 1

Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

7/11/12 3:02 PM

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Photo courtesy of Visual Magnetics

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so easy that any employee could do it.

Plus the interchangeability of magnets is attractive. It offers an effective solution for businesses that change out signage monthly, weekly, or even daily. “When it is time to change the ad, the magnetic material is easily removed with no adhesives, bolts, or other holding mechanisms to deal with,” says McLevey.

This interchangeability also translates into less damage in the area of the P-O-P display. “Instead of putting something up with an adhesive that’s going to be a lot more permanent, the advantage of a magnet is obviously that you’re only attaching to the display using the magnet—you can pull it away easily enough,” says Patrick Hanna, technical sales at Adams Magnetic Products (www.adamsmagnetic.com).

Even with magnetic-receptive material, the damage can be minimal. Visual Magnetic’s ActiveWall primer can be painted over with latex paint to match the surroundings, and it will still accept magnets.

Magnets are also a durable product, which can outlast the needs of a marketing campaign. “The magnetic material is permanently magnetized,” says Guthrie. “The vinyl and the adhesive on the vinyl may degrade over time.”

What all of this basically translates into is a cost savings for the client. There is no need to hire professional installers, minimal to no damage to fix when changing out displays, and even lower shipping costs when ordering lighter weight, flexible magnets. “We’re really taking the cost out of what we consider to be the non-value-added steps of the whole printing and in-

stallation process, and that would be labor to install and freight costs and transportation,” says Halkyard.

Applicable Advice The benefits to using magnets are clear, but there are still some things users should keep in mind when installing and storing them.

Install. Users should always be sure that a magnet makes full contact with a surface. “Once you put something between the magnet and that surface—which is what we call an ‘air gap’— the strength diminishes,” says Thompson.

Also mixing magnet types in one display is not advised. “You don’t want the neo-dymium, iron boron magnets to get into contact with a flexible magnet because it will basically change the magnetization pattern of the flexible magnet since it’s so much more powerful,” says Hanna.

Hanna goes on to caution users to stay alert when working with the stronger, neo-dymium magnets because if the magnet is big enough, it can reach to a piece of steel up to one or two feet away.

Storage. Users will more often than not reuse magnets, so proper storage is key. Don’t leave the more powerful magnets and assemblies loose where they will knock around and stick together.

Place them on a steel surface so they will stay in one spot.

When storing flexible magnet sheets, roll them up and stand them on their end to avoid any flat spots. “You’ll want to store them in a dry, cool place,” says Guthrie. “Roll the piece up with the vinyl side out.” Rolling graphics in this way ensures they lay correctly against the steel or magnetic-receptive surface when used again.

Straight to Your Inbox SBI Update, Sign Builder Illustrated’s monthly e-newsletter, delivers the latest hot topics and news from around the sign industry right to your email

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Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

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Thanks to FlexCoat-EZ’s revolutionary coating*, hassles like curling and gummed-up cutting blades are eliminated, so you can easily produce magnetized signs, posters, business cards, displays, calendars and more. It’s as easy as print, magnetize, display!

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63

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In the Family: Diaz Sign Art

Mural Painting:

Treat ’Em Like a Walldog

D

iaz Sign Art (www.diazsignart.com) of Pontiac, Illinois is a family-owned and family-run shop that started up back in 1979. Designer Joe Diaz (pictured, far left) and his brother Ben (far right) currently work at the shop with their parents Bill and Jane Diaz.When Joe and Ben were kids, they would sweep the floors while their father taught them about sign-making and their mother about art (since she was also an artist and a K-12 art teacher).

Today the business works with logos, branding, vinyl, and printwear. Another thing they’re really good at is hand-painting murals.

In addition to commissioned mural work, Diaz Sign Art is an active participant in the Walldog movement. The Walldogs (http://thewalldogs.com) began in 1993 and is a group of sign and mural artists across the globe who preserve the tradition of painted wall advertisements. Their events are held across the country and involve three to four days of mural painting on walls and buildings. There can be as many as hundreds of painters involved.

Diaz Sign Art participated in the “Pop the Top” Walldogs Project this past June in Arcola, Illinois.

At other events, they’ve crafted retro-style murals for Hi-Ho soda (pictured, left) and Star Fireworks.

The Diazes use Nova Color mural paint for these projects. Designs and layouts can be created via the computer, but in some cases, they’ll make pounce patterns and transfer the layouts directly to the walls.

The brothers’ father Bill has been selected as project leader for many of these events over the past ten years, and Joe and Ben have kept this tradition alive by being selected as leaders a few times as well. “A project leader designs the mural and manages the site during the event,” says Joe. Walldog events center on creating a painting for a defunct company with historic significance for the community. “We’ll create an advertisement design reflecting the style of a period of time and then work with a team of other Walldog artists and folks in the community to complete it,” says Joe. “The nice thing about the Walldogs movement is that we’re constantly trying to get new people onboard.”

In addition to Walldogs events, Diaz Sign Art also paints similar-type murals as commissions.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // August 2012

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all photos courtesy of diaz sign art.

To see more wall murals

by Diaz Sign Art, go to signshop.com.

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See what they have to say: “I use Sign Builder Illustrated as a purchasing tool constantly!”

“Sign Builder is our first choice for finding new products and services to offer to our clients.”

“I use Sign Builder Illustrated as a continual reference for suppliers and products.”

“Sign Builder is a great source for new vendors and opportunities to expand my product line.” *According to the 2009 Readership Survey of our July issue.

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