Sign Update

A smooth and crease free finish with Hex’Press

Thursday, 01 July 2010 00:00

Achieving a perfect finish in less application time is what every vehicle wrapper wants and Hexis launched its Hex'Press HX30000 series of highly conformable special effect designer wrapping films which promise just that earlier this year.

The new HX30000 films complement the HX20000 series; both are multilayered cast vinyls with Hex'Press solvent acrylic adhesive technology, which facilitates the escape of trapped air, thus avoiding any air bubbles or creases during application and saving time and labour. An added benefit of Hex'Press technology is that is allows repositioning of vinyl on the substrate during application.

The HX30000 range features four new colours: black carbon, super matt black, variochrome pearl and beetle. The HX20000 series comes in 33 colours including high metallic white and black.

To support vehicle wrappers, Hexis UK Ltd has a DVD with guidance on the art of applying Hex'Press vinyl film and also offers a range of training courses on their application.

Go to www.hexis.co.uk or telephone 01543 411221 for further information.

Cut application time with “air escape” system from APA

Thursday, 01 July 2010 00:00

Research and development is ongoing at APA and the company recently launched a dry apply vinyl incorporating Air Free FT-System technology on the reverse. Here the adhesive has channels to that enable air to be easily pushed out during application for a flawless finish in quick time.

Scott Cowup, Marketing Director, says: "Customers love our dry apply vinyl with the AirFree FT-System. They say the time they're saving is phenomenal, and it's making them so much more competitive. What used to take a day to wrap is now done in two-thirds of the time with our new dry apply Air Free FT-System, and the results are superb."

In addition to a wide range of standard colours, APA has developed vinyls with special effects. These include carbon fibre (in white, silver, anthracite, and black), matt black, and a satin aluminium effect.

Scott continues: "I believe we were first company to manufacture carbon fibre effect vinyl and bring it to market a year or more ago. We also have the largest colour range in that product."

"APA customers have the added advantages of dealing with the manufacturer, which means competitive prices and close control over product quality."

APA UK offers a "before 12 noon delivery" as standard because, as Scott says: "We understand our customers often don't know what jobs are coming in until late pm and they can't wait around all day."

Find out more at www.apaspa.com/gb/ or telephone 0208 311 4400.

Ever wondered how sign fixings are made?

Saturday, 01 May 2010 00:00

Chris Ferrie, Managing Director of i-sPi, explains the production process to readers of Sign Update.

Sign fixings, whether brass, aluminium or stainless steel, are used in increasing quantities in the sign and shop-fitting markets today. Recently, whilst on a trip to our production facilities I followed the manufacturing process from beginning to end, and saw the work, effort and manpower involved and the use of traditional skills and craftmanship in their manufacture.

Each step is done by hand using traditional tools and relatively basic machinery. The manufacture of our fixings uses a total of seven different factories.

A visit to the local metal trader buys us brass, aluminium or stainless steel rods, each around three metres in length and ranging in diameter from 13mm up to 120mm. Here we also buy 8mm rod which we use for the male threaded part of the fixings.

The rods are taken to the factory where they are cut to the required length (13mm to 75mm for i-sPi fixings) and 5mm thick "discs" are cut to make the head of the fixing, all the time working to a tolerance of less than 1/10th of a millimetre.

The barrels and heads are then drilled and threaded internally.

The 8mm rod is cut to length before going on to the next factory where it is threaded.

Next step in the process is to clean every element and then finely polish each part in preparation for plating.

The raw, but polished metal is now taken to the plating factories. At i-sPi we use three different plating companies, each specialising in certain finishes. One factory does chrome and polished gold, another specialises in our satin chrome finish and another anodises our aluminium range.

The finished and plated heads, threaded bar and barrels are all taken back to our main factory where under 500 kilos of pressure the threaded bars are joined to the heads. This new top or male section is then assembled with the corresponding barrel and the complete unit is bagged, boxed, labelled and prepared for export.

One week later it is on a ship, four weeks later it is in the UK and pretty soon after that, it’s is on your customer’s wall.

So, next time you install a sign using one of our sign fixings you will know exactly what went into their production, just in case anyone asks.

i-sPi can be contacted on telephone 0141 764 1600 or via www.ispitrade.com

Complete 12mm rod system available online

Saturday, 01 May 2010 00:00

Shopkit pioneered rod signage and display systems and was in fact, says Shopkit, the first company to offer rods in 12mm diameter.

Following publication of Shopkit’s new components brochure the entire 6 and 12mm rod systems have been made available to purchase online, along with some new components previously available only as special items. With a noticeable increase in market interest in sustainability, Shopkit’s products, being manufactured from recycled raw materials, with high quality engineering and finishing, enables elements to be used again and again, making them well placed to meet this desire for reusable systems.

Shopkit’s rod systems are designed for use within all sectors of the signage industry; they are flexible and strong with a large standard range that includes low-voltage lighting options and virtually unlimited special items, making them highly adaptable.

The rods, available in different lengths, simply screw into one another to achieve any required total length. They are capable of holding heavy signs and glass panels with a variety of fixing methods and suspension options which allow panels to be wall mounted vertically, horizontally or in a grid formation with crossover connectors, as well as being ceiling, or ceiling to floor mounted.

To find out more go to www.shopkitstudio.co.uk or telephone 01923 818282.