LogoFlex

New Low-Cost Router Helps Sign Maker Build a
Profitable Business from Scratch

A new low-cost router has played a major role in helping an Icelandic sign maker build a profitable business specializing in multidimensional signs made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and medium density fiberboard (MDF) and utilizing light- emitting diodes (LED's) in only six months. The founder of LogoFlex, Gudmundur Baldursson, learned the business working for another sign company and saw an opportunity for making high-quality signs with leading edge designs for major retailers. In serving this market, the quality of the finished product is critical, yet Baldursson wanted to limit the magnitude of his investment in order to minimize risk. He accomplished both goals by purchasing a new low-cost router that provides features normally found only in more expensive machines, such as ball screws and anti-backlash nuts on all three axes, to produce extremely accurate letters and profiles. "We are now able to produce top quality signs for leading retailers between three and four times faster than at my previous employer," Baldursson said. "Our customers are delighted at the quality of the signs and the low cost of the router means that it has already paid for itself."

Signs are one of the most important aspects of a retail company's identity and image. Research shows that signs play an important role in many consumers' decision of whether or not to enter a store and also have an impact on their perception of the quality and value offered by a particular retailer. This helps to explain why most retail firms take the design, construction and quality of their signage extremely seriously. "Our customers are very demanding and they have every reason to be so," Baldursson said. "They understand very well that if the sign makes the wrong impression, there's a very good chance that that's all the consumer will ever see of their store. I worked in the sign business long enough to understand that every retailer wants signs that look better than its competitors. I also understand that achieving a stunning look often involves a lot of manual labor that can drive up the cost of making the sign to the point that there's no profit left for the sign maker. My goal in forming this business was to utilize the latest technology in order to provide the highest possible quality at a reasonable price while earning enough to make a profit and expand my business."

Manual approach takes too long
In the traditional approach, skilled workers cut out the letters of the sign using a jigsaw or band saw and then finish any rough edges using files and sand paper. The quality of the job depends on the skill and experience of the person operating the machine. The best operators are able to produce an extremely nice product but the time required to do the job is high. It generally takes about 45 minutes to produce a 10" letter by hand or two hours to produce a 36" letter. "I have built many signs myself using the manual approach and it just takes too long to remain competitive in today's economy," Baldursson said. "The manual approach also presents the risk of error if the craftsman is tired or has to be replaced by a less experienced worker. Many sign shops have moved to routers that produce letters under computer numerical control. But the problem with this approach is that the machines tend to be very expensive. Most CNC routers used by sign manufacturers cost $30,000 or so which would have really strained our finances as we get this business going. On the other hand, we have seen a lot of less expensive machines but they tended to have fairly light frames, relatively loose rack and pinion drives and use stepper motors, so I don't believe that they could deliver the accuracy that our customers demand."

Then Baldursson heard about Techno's new low cost LC series CNC routing system. This router provides a number of critical features that allow it to deliver accuracy to a level that has previously only been available from machines at a much higher cost. Ball screws are provided on all three axes, offering smooth motion, a high level of accuracy and repeatability, and minimal maintenance. A closed loop servo control system provides constant position feedback, higher power, and smooth continuous motion that eliminates the possibility of losing position in the middle of a part. The LC series router includes a heavy steel ground stress-relieved base and an aluminum T-Slot table that can be easily converted to a vacuum table by installing the Techno vacuum table accessory kit. The router comes fully assembled and includes Techno's Windows®-based CNC G-code interface with free lifetime software upgrades. The new router is available in three sizes, with work envelopes of 30" x 24", 50" x 48" and 50" x 96". Each of these models provides a repeatability of 0.001", a resolution of 0.0002" and a maximum speed of 250 inches per minutes. A wide range of optional equipment is offered including a laser scanning module, CNC lathe attachment, Porter Cable router, vacuum blower, and fourth axis rotary table.

















New process saves time and maximizes quality
With the CNC router, the process of making a dimensional sign starts with the customer's image, which is either imported or scanned into the PC. Logoflex then brings the design to fruition using FlexiSign, a Computer-aided sign-making software. This software package's Design Central provides the ability to perform most editing functions without going to a menu. The vast majority of signs produced by the firm are multidimensional signs which have depth and texture by incorporating raised elements cut out of a substrate, usually PVC or MDF. For example, a banner saying "Sale" could be turned into a dimensional sign by cutting substrate in the shape of the "S," "a," "l," and "e," then cutting out the letters of the printed image and attaching them to the substrate pieces. Often the design incorporates three, four or five layers of different materials to create an intricate and plush look. LED's are often placed behind the sign so the letters are lighted up to set off the total appearance. The sign designer finalizes the design on the computer screen and by generating color printouts. The design is then taken to the customer for review and approval. Once the design is approved, the designer exports the design as a G-code file ready for manufacturing on the Techno LC router. Since the sign is often quite large, the software breaks the full-scale image into 4' x 8' segments to meet the working area of the CNC router. These are exported into the software that runs the Techno router. That software asks the user to specify cutting parameters such as speed and feed rate. All that is left to do at that point is to load the substrate onto the router, and push "Go."

The increases in productivity that we've achieved with the Techno router have dramatically improved the performance of Logoflex. "We can now produce top-quality signs three to four times faster than at my previous company," Baldursson said. "Being the low-cost producer makes it possible to price products under the competition and thus increase sales volume. We have built many signs for some of the largest retailers in Iceland and have exported signs to other Scandinavian countries. Right now, for example, we are working on signs for the largest lumber company in Iceland. But higher productivity means that we are able to handle this volume without adding workers, which increases profit margins. Our current staff of seven workers is producing a volume that would take 25 to 30 people in a firm using conventional methods. For example, we recently did a sign with about 50 20" high letters in about 4 hours. We made another sign with 110 20" high letters in 6 hours. Unlike handmade signs, every letter has the perfect shape and dimensions and looks exactly like the others. Clearly, the availability of high-quality, low-cost routers has the potential to dramatically improve the profitability of every sign maker."