SPECIAL SECTION SBI VOICES OF THE INDUSTRY 2021

from Sign Builder November 2020

by Sign Builder Illustrated

SHOP TALK

AN SBI SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

2021

OF THE INDUSTRY The Thought Leaders of Signage

Nova Polymers Preferred Fabricator AGS manufactured face shields to address the nationwide shortage of PPE.

VOICES 2021: ADA How COVID-19 Disrupted the Signage Industry

Many industries were going strong prior to March 2020, and the signage industry was no exception. Backlogs were large, and sign shops were bustling (many with four- to six-week lead times on average). In mid-March, many sign shops were forced to close temporarily only to re-open once they could prove they were an essential business and ensure their employees could work in a safe environment. Starting in mid-March, the following changes occurred in the signage industry that may be disrupters for the industry’s future.

The Quick “Pivot”…The Need for “Essential Worker” Supplies Most signage shops have a vast supply of different materials, substrates, and production equipment. Many sign projects are “custom,” and workers can design and make almost anything.

When COVID-19 cases increased and healthcare, grocery, and other industries needed workspace dividers, face shields, and other PPE, the signage industry was quick to respond and help. As soon as signage shops learned of local hospitals and industries in need of supplies, you could see and hear CNC routers cutting PETG, acrylic, and polycarbonate daily. Assemblers were working overtime to fas-

Signs fabricated by Preferred Fabricator Park Place Sign Systems using Wilsonart laminates.

ten face shields and make workspace dividers. Skilled workers were now welding and cutting for new industries. Sign shops with printers were making printed floor graphics and temporary signage. All of this was in addition to making “typical” signs currently in their backlog. This change to the signage industry may be the first “disrupter” for the future.

Now that sign shops know how to make these products quickly and efficiently, it has introduced them to certain industries that were new to them before COVID-19.

Signage shops that were strictly supplying to offices are now working with hospitals, retail, restaurants, etc. As chaotic and uncertain as March and April were for many signage shops, the additional “essential worker” product manufacturing has added new customers and industries to the product offering mix. Diversification of End-Use Customers/ Industries An additional disrupter for many sign shops was the quick diversification of end-use target customers.

For many years, certain sign companies only worked with specific customer types like hospitals or retail stores to stay focused and have lean production facilities. In March and April 2020, many sign shop owners learned that focusing on specific end-use customers can be detrimental.

For example, one sign shop that manufacturers ADA signage for office spaces has seen their business slow dramatically for obvious reasons. Over the past few months, we’ve heard from customers that now work with any/all customer types making ADA signs for casinos, assisted living, schools, hospitals/clinics, etc.

New Products Driven by Labor Force Changes Prior to March 2020, many sign shops were having difficulty finding skilled laborers. Limited painters, CNC router operators, and designers have limited growth at many companies.

When the labor force was unable to work in-person in many sign shops, owners were scrambling to find other ways to complete projects and finish signs. Products that were already available in colors, patterns, finishes were beneficial, and the use of these products have become more popular. For example, Nova Polymers’ colored products, such as our photopolymer PETG and laminate LP series, continue to grow due to no painting required. Additional colors will be added as more sign shops are in need of less time/labor used per sign.

The current pandemic has shown the overall flexibility and adaptability of the signage industry.

Sign shops were required to reevaluate their processes and quickly devise new ways to sustain their bottom line. COVID-19 shutdowns and changes to businesses accelerated innovations in the signage industry in order to meet the ever-evolving needs of our target markets. Equipped with these changes, the signage industry is now prepared to forge ahead and adapt to the current and post-pandemic world.

For more details, visit www.novapolymers.com.

Novacryl LP Series School Sign, from Preferred Fabricator Welch Signs, fabricated using Formica Laminates.

VOICES 2021: CNC ROUTER The New Trident Router Revolutionizes Signs & Graphics Industry

Whoever said “less is more” was not a CNC fabricator living in today’s hightech signs and graphics world. More features and more options make you more versatile—a critical component to success if you’re trying to stand out in a competitive marketplace.

This is why hundreds of companies around the world are proud owners of an AXYZ Trident router. Since launching in 2015, its hybrid and knife configuration has been offering customers unparalleled versatility and speed, unmatched by the competition. As new materials and applications become more popular, the demand for greater automation and speed is increasing. This demand for “more” instigated the release of a new Trident machine. THE NEW TRIDENT – BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE! The new Trident comes loaded with features that will improve production quality, increase productivity, and expand business opportunities—limited only by your imagination! Benefits include:

1. Longer lasting tools due to a new calibration device. A new knife tool calibration device easily measures the length of the knife and corrects the

Luke Hansen-MacDonald President, AXYZ

angle of the knife blade. This saves loads of time by removing the manual setup normally required to qualify your knife tools. More importantly, your tools and consumables are kept in better shape for longer, due to the device’s ability to precisely correct the angle of the blade. An added bonus is that the device is compatible with all standard oscillating knife tools.

Faster cutting with multiple knife options. The new electric knife on the Trident oscillates at 11K oscillations per minute and can be used to process rubbers, foam boards, and corrugated carboards at greater feed rates. Alternatively the router can be equipped with a pneumatic knife, which has a higher stroke length but lower oscillation rate. For certain kinds of foam, lower oscillation speed 3.

4. and higher stroke length is desirable to improve the cut quality or to achieve high speeds.

Easier processing of denser, more robust materials using a variety of high-speed spindles. There is a choice of collet-type or tool changecompatible high-speed spindles with horsepower options ranging from 3HP to 15HP. The machine can process solid aluminum, aluminum composites (ACM), high pressure laminate (HPL), hardwoods, and plastics with ease.

Optimizes high-volume productivity with new tool changer. The addition of a new four-position tangential knife tool changer to the Trident keeps the router running continuously without the need for operator input. Simply program your jobs to use multiple tangential knives cutting tools and the machine will store all necessary parameters. Tangential knives are great at creasing or performing v-cuts or cutting textiles with the circular pizza wheel. The multi-purpose tangential knife device, alongside the new tool changer, brings a new level of automation to your business.

CASE STUDY: LANDMARK SIGNS Using the Trident to cut pre-printed graphics is much simpler and cost effective with a Vision Registration System. For AXYZ customer Landmark Signs from San Francisco, California, adding this option to their Trident provided them with the opportunity to create four very large portals with huge pictures of carnival characters for the Burning Man International Arts Festival (2015), located in the Nevada desert.

To create the portals, the Trident had to cut twelve pieces of plywood, each measuring four-by-eight feet. “We had to use the UV printer and camera targets and cut them out with the router,” explained company Owner Bill Stender.

Trident perfectly matched the camera registration, and the pieces were cut to precision. “All twelve pieces, when you put them together, fit perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle,” Stender said. “Before this, I was never able to have registered printed sheets to cut that matched so well.”

Since the festival, the company has been taking advantage of the larger area for cutting provided by Trident and its knife configurations, effectively eliminating the previous problem of size limitations. Stender believes that the Trident has revolutionized his company’s ability to produce cut graphics on practically every kind of substrate.

“I foresee an even greater range of products and services for our customers,” he said. “This has to be one of the strongest suits of the machine.”

CONTACT US To find out how the Trident can improve your business, complete the online contact form or call us at (800) 361-3408.

For information about tools, parts, and accessories, visit CNCShop.com and check out the latest promotion.

Trident Router.