Creative Graphic Services

Sign Maker Boosts Dimensional Graphic Business 10x by
Using a CNC Router to Make Dimensional Signs

In the 10 years since Creative Graphic Services acquired a computer numeric controlled (CNC) Router, dimensional business volume has increased ten-fold, primarily because the machine makes it possible to produce large dimensional signs that can not be made by hand. Unlike a flat image, a dimensional sign achieves a 3D appearance by incorporating raised elements that have been cut out of plywood or other substrate. Large dimensional signs are difficult to produce profitably by hand, however, because it takes so long to cut the substrate. With the CNC approach, the image is simply loaded into a computer and run through a program that produces instructions for the router. The substrate is then cut automatically, much faster and more accurately than is possible to do by hand. "We just didn't take these kinds of jobs before we had the CNC machine," says Ron Niner, president of Creative Graphic Services. "But the need for large dimensional signs was there, and once we could offer this capability it was a major factor in our growth."

Creative Graphic Services (CGS) was established in 1977. The Santa Clarita, California based company serves the entertainment, advertising, corporate event, and graphic arts industries, supplying a wide range of products such as dimensional signs, vinyl graphics, vehicle graphics, 3M Scotchprint Graphics and small to grand format sized digital banners. CGS's signs serve as corporate identifiers, directional markers, overhead archways, and stage backdrops. One of the company's strengths is the ability to provide turnaround times not traditionally available in the sign industry. The other is the ability to produce very large signs.

Meeting a need
About 10 years ago, Niner saw the growing interest in dimensional signs. These signs have depth and texture by incorporating raised elements cut out of a substrate, usually medium density fiberboard (MDF), acrylic, or gatorboard. 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. This way, the letters would stand out from the background. As this type of sign became more popular, it also became more complex. "Clients started requesting multiple layers of substrate stacking three, four, or five layers thick to create a multidimensional look," Niner explains. "Most of our clients require large signs, and the amount of hand cutting needed to produce these kinds of signs on a large scale is cost prohibitive. We either had to find a way to do this work profitably or give it up."






















The desire to meet the need for large dimensional signs led Niner to computer technology that could automate the cutting of the substrate. "I had followed the technology and knew that a machine could be programmed to cut automatically according to a drawing in the computer," says Niner. "So I did some research. But most of the systems I found were either too expensive or they didn't seem like they'd hold up in a production setting." One option was a heavy machining center primarily designed for metalworking. Although this would have been rugged enough and highly accurate, it was

too expensive for a small company. The other option was an inexpensive router, but these did not appear to be rugged enough for constant use.

Then Niner found the Techno CNC router from Techno Inc., New Hyde Park, New York. The router performs production routing and drilling on a wide variety of materials including wood, plastic, MDF, solid surfacing materials, and nonferrous metals. "This machine had the best cost performance ratio of anything else I found," Niner says. "In addition to being affordable for small companies, the Techno router is highly accurate and extremely well built." CGS initially purchased a Techno router with a stepper motor and a 50-inch by 50-inch working area. As Techno upgraded its product line over the years, CGS upgraded as well, eventually replacing the first machine with a servomotor-controlled model featuring a 59-inch by 96-inch working area.

Big puzzle
With the CNC router, the process of making a dimensional sign starts with the customer's image, which CGS either imports or scans into its PC. The image is initially imported into a program called FlexiSign or Adobe Illustrator where it is scaled to the dimensions of the sign. Since the sign is often quite large, the software breaks the full-scale image into 4-feet by 8-feet segments to meet the working area of the CNC router. That file is saved in a DXF format and then imported into a program called EnRoute that creates the cutting instructions for the 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." CGS has used this process to produce signs for such high-profile events as the Super Bowl's NFL Experience and the Major League All-Star Baseball game. For just one of these events, the company produces hundreds of signs. The company has also used the router to create signs for movie premiers, television shows, and commercials. "When special event projects occur, the router may run 8-12 hours per day until the project is completed," says Niner.

On a big job for a movie production company, CGS used the Techno router to quickly cut dozens of 4-feet by 8-feet plywood panels. "We created a 60-foot wide by 24-feet tall facade that essentially changed the entrance of a movie theater into a replica of Red Square in Russia," explains Niner. "This project would have been very difficult to do by hand because of all the windows and other embellishments in the buildings which needed to match when placed side by side." Attempting this job by hand would have meant projecting the image full size onto a wall and tracing the window openings and other cut outs. The openings in the plywood would have been cut by hand using the tracings as a guide. However, this would have taken too long to meet the client's deadline. "With a CNC router, once we generated the machine instructions, we just loaded one piece of plywood after another onto the table, hit 'Go,' and the pieces were done in a few days." On other projects, while the substrate was being cut, a full-scale image was being printed on one of our large format i4 color printers. The printed image was then attached to the precut substrate pieces to complete a full color, profiled image. The accuracy of the CNC router ensures that the printed images fit onto each piece of substrate; and when multiple pieces are involved they matched up perfectly with the adjoining pieces. "They go together like pieces of a puzzle," Niner adds.

Since CGS has been using a Techno router, they have experienced only one day of downtime. "The reliability of these machines has been superb," says Niner. The reliability comes from Techno's use of high-quality materials. For example, a Techno router is constructed on steel stress-relieved bases with hardened steel linear ways. Its shaft-and-bearing system produces very smooth, playfree motion and is an extremely rigid system that produces high-quality cuts. Also, unlike low-end machines that use rack and pinion gearing, the Techno router uses anti-backlash ball screws. These screws have excellent power transmission due to the rolling ball contact between the nut and screws. This type of contact ensures low friction, low wear, and long life. The ball screws also make it possible to produce wooden parts to the machine resolution of 0.0005 inch. Another feature of the router that Niner appreciates is that the end user is able to maintain them. "About 90 percent of the system is user-serviceable and a phone call to Techno will get you what you need the next day," he says. "Their technical support is very good."

CGS purchased a CNC router a decade ago to meet the need for large dimensional signs that could not be produced by hand. The decision was a wise one, as indicated by the 10-fold increase in dimensional business that the company has experienced since that time. "The majority of the growth came from the new market opportunity the router opened up to us," says Niner. "With a CNC router, we can create dimensional signs in the time frame our customers require, and offer them at a competitive price and consistent quality."