We’re all familiar with the recent emergence of 3D printing technology and have seen what these exciting machines can accomplish. Still, it can be tough for businesses in the sign and graphics industry to connect the dots on how an investment in a large scale 3D printer will directly impact their company in the short term. However, there are actually numerous practical applications that 3D printers can provide right now. Today we’re going to look at one of the most popular applications – 3D printed signs.

3D Printed Signs – Exploring Different Types

Sure, we all know the impressive capabilities of 3D printers, but how exactly will you use it? After all, right now there is only so much demand for 3D printed props, and your customer base might not even be asking for these materials. There are actually three exciting yet practical ways printing businesses are utilizing this technology in 3D sign manufacturing. Let’s take a closer look at how each can revolutionize your business.

3D Printed Channel Letters

Companies are always looking for better ways to push their branded communications to the next level. 3D channel letters are without a doubt the most exciting way a business can showcase their name and logo to the public. The concept of channel letters is not new, and your business might already be providing this service today. However, it can be expensive and time consuming to craft channel letters with traditional fabrication. Think bending and snipping metal to painstaking accuracy to get the shape of each letter just right. Worse yet, conventional channel letter fabrication is very limiting. Most companies can only create right angles and uniform curves, severely restricting design possibilities.

Massivit 3D Printers give designers the freedom to load nearly any file into the printer and create a unique channel letter design. Creative details like textured, convex or concave returns can be built into the digital file. When lit internally with LED lights, the transparent nature of the printing material results in an eye-catching glow that can’t be recreated with metal channel letters.

 

3D printed channel letters can also be finished however your customer requests. This includes smooth, textured, painted, wrapped in vinyl, coated or unfinished designs. What’s more, production times and costs are greatly reduced as the 3D printer can create a channel letter in a matter of minutes. Projects that used to take a week or more to produce can now be done in as little as a day!

 

 

3D Printed SEG Frames

SEG, or Silicone Edge Graphics, are another popular display option for clients. They consist of printed textiles that have a silicone edge sewn into the fabric. These silicone edges are then inserted into a frame that holds the printed textile in place. Oftentimes lighting is inserted behind the textile to increase the visual impact of the SEG Display. However just like channel letters, conventional fabrication poses limitations on SEG Frames. When built with aluminum extrusions, SEG frames are often limited to right angles or gradual curves. Enter Massivit 3D printing technology. It replaces boring right angle SEG frames with any design you can conceive.

Want to create a unique, eye-catching shape for a SEG Frame? How about creating a custom logo that really pops? The possibilities are nearly endless with 3D Printed SEG Frames. You’ll also be able to construct complex SEG frames faster and to exact specifications with a Massivit 3D Printer.

 

3D Printed Molds For Thermoformed Elements

Previously we’ve looked at two 3D printed sign options that utilize the printed object itself for display. However, you can also use a 3D printer to create molds for faster production of conventional advertising materials, like thermoformed elements. Essentially this is a sheet of plastic that is conformed to a mold to make a “pop-out” three dimensional sign. Thermoformed signs are especially useful in campaigns where multiple quantities of a sign is needed. For example, POP displays with an integrated 3D product like a soda bottle are often created with thermoform molds. They’re then shipped to hundreds of grocery store locations for a regional or national brand activation.

In the past, it was a long and expensive process to craft a thermoforming mold, often taking weeks and costing thousands. Today with a Massivit 3D Printer, the mold can be created to exact specifications in a matter of hours. Once completed, the 3D printed thermoform mold can be used repeatedly. Your clients will be amazed at the quick turnaround!

 

Massivit 3D Printers

Large format 3D printers like the Massivit 1500 and Massivit 1800 are literally changing the way businesses offer design solutions to their clients. We’re talking about cutting edge technology that will assure your printing and display business stands out from the competition. When it comes to what these remarkable printers can accomplish, the sky is the limit. Think jaw dropping signs, huge, lifelike 3D models, and unforgettable displays.

While many print shops are confined to tired, conventional fabrication techniques, Massivit printers can tackle almost any concept you or your clients can imagine. Better yet, Massivit 3D Printers can dramatically cut project timelines and allow you to save on both material and labor costs.

How To Get Started

Perhaps the most exciting part about investing in a large format printer for 3D printed signs is the potential that the future holds. As 3D printing technology evolves, we’re finding more and more ways to implement it. This means that an investment in a 3D printer now will uncover new business opportunities for years to come. And as we’ve just seen, there is a lot you can do with this technology right now including 3D printed channel letters, SEG frames and molds for thermoformed elements.

To learn more about how you can impress clients with 3D printed signs and save on project costs at the same time, Contact Global Imaging for more information on Massivit 3D Printers today.

 

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