ISSUE 114 APRIL 2009 Sign Update

PROJECT News
Change is often hard but with it brings new
beginnings and opportunity
It takes a certain spirit to give up a lucrative
career and dive headfirst into a new industry, but
that’s exactly the scenario that gave birth to
one of the top U.S sign companies.
Classic Design and Manufacturing (CD&M) near
downtown Pensacola (previously known as Classic
Sign & Mirror), opened 22 years ago by Michael
Sheehan. At the time Mike was a licensed aircraft
technician in Louisiana for a company that leased
helicopters to the oil industry. However Mike wanted
to break free from his job and to take his hobby as
a sign maker to a commercial level.
Mike’s background in aviation came in handy in the
“everyday” inner workings of the business and allowed
CD&M to appreciate the newest, state-of-the-art
technology including ArtCAM, artistic Computer-Aided
Design and Manufacturing software (CADCAM) from
Delcam, based in Birmingham, England.
“We were one of the first ArtCAM customers in
the U.S. because I knew straight away that it was so
much more than just a design product. It’s the output
to whatever you’re going to make from the beginning
to end. It’s the whole package.”
Mike began changing the business’s focus
towards manufacturing when a hurricane hit, leaving
total devastation. However, Mike saved a lot of his
own frequently used shapes, symbols and logos in ArtCAM by using
the Relief & Vector Library, which allowed CD&M to continue
producing quality designs quickly, even in a reduced capacity.
“Good comes out of everything.” Mike said, “With ArtCAM we
were able to expand upon the products and services we offered
as well as it being a big part of rebuilding our facility.”
One project to benefit from ArtCAM was the Varona’s sign.
“To create the Flamenco Dancer I first did a quick clay model
to work out the flow of the dress.
Finished Varona’s sign, a Cuban restaurant in Pensacola.
50 Sign Update ISSUE 114 APRIL 2009
Classic Design & Manufacturing’s premises after the hurricane hit.
“Using the clay model and the logo provided by the customer
as a visual aid, I modelled the dancer in ArtCAM. Some people
start with a sketch but I prefer to work with clay. Even if I was
carving these with chisels I would still make a clay model.”
Once happy with the model Mike created and exported
the necessary toolpaths to machine the piece and then added
the finishing touches by hand.
Backed with 30 years of CADCAM development experience
Mike feels confident in his ArtCAM investment. Mike said, “Delcam
have implemented many changes that I have suggested over
the years and continually brings out features that people
feel are important to improving the software.”
For further information on the ArtCAM software
please visit: www.artcam.com or for details on CD&M visit
www.classicsign.com
Modelling the 3D relief of the Flamenco dancer in ArtCAM.