Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/707472
S I G N & D I G I T A L G R A P H I C S • August 2016 • 81 For glass etching: "We can do etched signs up to six foot by 12-foot sheets on our Fratelli Pezza (Italy) automatic blast machine, with a 25 horsepower screw compressor." For vinyl applications: "We use mainly 3 M vinyl products for cut and printed vinyl." Dobie summarizes his stance on machine and material investments this way: "It is a proven fact that the cost of automation (factoring in a monthly payment) will typically outperform the cost of manual labor. Just be honest and realistic with your expected workload or you'll end up with an expensive machine sitting around becoming obsolete while technology quickly changes." Elements of Design Having the right equipment for a job certainly makes things run more smoothly from a sign fabrication stand- point. However, there are still elements that need to be carefully evaluated in order to create an effective sign. Design is one of those items that must be repre- sented accurately to properly manufac- ture a large-scale sign. "We work with professional designers from concept to completion," says Dobie. "Our industrial designers are capable of presenting 3- D design plans, which is very helpful when you can rotate a fully rendered design on the screen." Working with larger parties such as architects, developers, contractors and franchises, BSC must typically adhere to specific guidelines and sign codes. The company even maintains a $5 million liability insurance policy that grants BSC access to work in all Colorado shopping centers. "In Colorado, every town has its own sign code and in many cases multiple codes, so we are working with about 100 codes on a daily basis," says Dobie, also noting that his company is licensed in nearly 70 Colorado municipalities and employs a full-time permitting technician. "We do a lot of work on the front end to make sure a sign can be permitted before designing a sign that won't pass code." By implementing a well-conceived plan from start to finish, BSC is typically able to provide its customers with assur- ances such as completing a job in one trip and a goal of fulfilling sign repairs in 72 hours or less. 40 West Project In the western suburbs of Denver, there sits a quaint and historic art dis- trict—40 West—which is home to many exhibitions and tours. The district was in need of a revamp to build on its cultural significance to the area, but to also attract new visitors to its site. "Our sales rep had been in commu- nication about the 40 West project for a long while," explains Dustin Monroe, division manager, BSC Custom. "We secured the job without going to bid by providing excellent design iterations that basically forced them into using us as their contractor." Having great knowledge of the area and being able to provide an all- encompassing plan for the customer, BSC brought expertise to the table that proved invaluable to the 40 West project. "They came to us with a design that was produced by a local design firm, but it wasn't very extraordinary," Monroe says. "So I worked with them to develop some- thing that really fit with what they wanted to represent for the district." The final agreed-on style is mainly contemporary, but with hints of the old eclectic style that made the original area's location on Colfax Avenue so attractive. And because the customer's budget was specifically set, BSC was able to use less expensive, standard sign fabrication meth- ods even when building in unique shapes. It is a proven fact that the cost of automation (factoring in a monthly payment) will typically outperform the cost of manual labor. Learn about our full-size tools at our website. Then call us to order yours! We're proudly celebrating 20 years of serving sign makers. ShopBotTools.com 888-680-4466 • A sign making professional for decades, Buddy Warner has worked with every traditional woodworking tool, and views the ShopBot 4' x 8' CNC tool he bought back in the 1990's as the smartest tool purchase he's made: "The ShopBot makes so many hard processes easier, and it frees me to work on other tasks at the same time. It complements my work with traditional tools — it just makes me more productive and my business more profitable!" See more of Buddy's story and photos of his work on the ShopBot Blog. " The ShopBot CNC is the most profitable woodworking tool I've ever purchased. "