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PRODUCT Choice<br />
<strong>Sign</strong>Line cuts production costs with<br />
Pacer K series router<br />
The Pacer 3020K CNC router has enabled <strong>Sign</strong> Line to undertake all CNC-based work in house rather than having to outsource to other suppliers.<br />
Established by Jason Bunn in 1992 as a one-man mobile<br />
operation, <strong>Sign</strong>Line has evolved to become a highly successful<br />
sign manufacturing and digital printing company. It now<br />
operates from a 450 square metre purpose-built factory in<br />
Norfolk and has a staff of four. Whilst a large part of the business<br />
is based on cut vinyl graphics and digitally printed output,<br />
<strong>Sign</strong>Line undertakes a considerable amount of trade work<br />
within the sign industry and in particular the requirement for all<br />
kinds of panel signs, as well as providing a CNC manufacturing<br />
resource for the retail sector and various industrial outlets.<br />
Central to the company’s success has been the installation of<br />
a Pacer 3020K CNC router. Part of the Pacer K Series that<br />
established virtual benchmark status by providing a major price/<br />
performance breakthrough, this combined routing and engraving<br />
solution has a processing area of 3,050 x 2,050mm and accommodates<br />
the requirements of large-format production. It is particularly<br />
effective on 2D and 3D work involving all types of wood, metal and<br />
wood composites, plastics and non-ferrous metals. Standard<br />
features include Pacer’s high-end machine control system with<br />
integral PC and software, a zoned vacuum bed for more efficient<br />
work holding and a cyclonic particle and dust extraction facility to<br />
maintain a clean working environment. Automatic tool length<br />
calibration and a continuously rated spindle help set the K series<br />
apart from other machines, while the robustly built and more rigid<br />
steel frame assists material alignment and thus the quality of cut.<br />
On the production and cost-saving capabilities of the Pacer<br />
router installed at <strong>Sign</strong>Line, Jason Bunn commented: ‘The single<br />
most important contribution that the Pacer router has made to the<br />
success of our business has been its ability to allow us to carry out<br />
all CNC-based work in-house rather than having to use other<br />
suppliers. This has obviously reduced both manufacturing costs and<br />
36 <strong>Sign</strong> <strong>Update</strong> <strong>ISSUE</strong> <strong>114</strong> <strong>APRIL</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
turnaround times whilst attracting a considerable amount of new<br />
trade work that hitherto we would have been unable to handle. For<br />
example, our first order following installation of the Pacer router took<br />
just three days to complete, whereas previously the same job would<br />
have taken two weeks. In particular, the router has enabled us to<br />
undertake engraving work in-house and this has created a valuable<br />
new revenue stream. It has also enabled us to open up new<br />
areas of business, with 3D routing being a good example of this.’<br />
The contribution that Jason Bunn’s industry knowledge and<br />
particular work ethos, combined with production solutions like the<br />
Pacer router, have made to the success of <strong>Sign</strong>Line is reflected<br />
in the positive feedback received from customers, many of which<br />
now use the company as a preferred and often exclusive supplier.<br />
The work undertaken for these clients has included prestigious<br />
signage for Subaru and Daihatsu international car dealerships<br />
and a 100 per cent placement of all trade work by one customer<br />
who admitted that this decision emanated from the machinery<br />
solutions like the Pacer router that <strong>Sign</strong>Line had now installed.<br />
One of the attractions of using Pacer machinery expressed by<br />
Jason Bunn was the knowledge and technical skills that the company’s<br />
staff demonstrated both during the installation period and the<br />
after-sales support it has provided subsequently. In conclusion,<br />
Jason Bunn commented: ‘In the short term, we are not planning to<br />
invest in new machinery. However, having spoken with other people<br />
in the trade and based on our own experience, should we decide to<br />
make a further investment we would again choose a Pacer system.<br />
For further information on Pacer systems, visit the<br />
website www.pacersys.co.uk or telephone Liam Hodson on<br />
0115 988 7773. For more information on the services provided<br />
by <strong>Sign</strong>Line, visit www.signsandprinting.co.uk or telephone<br />
Jason Bunn on 01379 677 699.
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