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Panformed Sign Faces: Survey Measurements

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StacyT

New Member
Is there anyone that has, and is willing to share, a basic form for measurements needed on a panformed sign face? I have a new installer doing a site survey for me and I want the measurements I need to be very clear. Illustrations would be incredibly helpful too!

I worry about paying him to do this and then missing an important measurement so a frame of reference to compare my working list to would be helpful to make sure I haven't missed anything or that he can't misunderstand what I'm needing.

Also, bonus if you have a wholesale supplier for these faces that you can recommend. I'm in central IL, so I prefer midwest vendors when possible to help keep shipping costs down.

Thank you in advance!
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Look at what your old installer gave you that worked and ask the new one for the same kinda information.
 
Moze

Moze

Active Member
Dimensions you'll need:

Overall face width
Overall face height
Overall draw/draft width (width of raised/formed portion of face)
Overall draw/draft height (height of raised/formed portion of face)
Draw/draft depth (depth of raised/formed portion of face)
Flange width (the flange is the portion of the face from the edge of the material to the beginning of the draw (raised/formed) portion of the face)

Not sure of who might be in your area but signfaces.com is about the best in the business and they ship all over the country.
 
Moze

Moze

Active Member
There's varying terminology throughout the industry, but this may help:




Screen Shot 04-11-24 at 02.27 PM.JPG
 
signbrad

signbrad

New Member
The drawing by Moze is good.

There is practically infinite variation of plastic pans among makers. There is no standardization, especially when you consider that many small shops have, or have had, vacuum tables for making these faces. Makers just did whatever they wanted.

Brad in Kansas City
 
M

monroesigns

New Member
Hendricks Vacuum Form is in Ohio. I have bought many faces over the years - even drove from Monroe, MI to pick up.an urgent order due South of Akron, OH.
 
signbrad

signbrad

New Member
StacyT said:
My old installer did a lot of flat faces...pan formed are new to me.
Click to expand...
Pans have served two basic purposes.

They improved light dispersion, since the face was farther away from the fluorescent lamps, allowing a cabinet to be narrower, yet without hot spots and shadows. A cabinet could be made lighter in weight, too, not so much an issue with aluminum cabinets, but, back in the day, when everything was built with an angle iron framework, with returns and retainers made of Paintlok steel sheet, the weight difference was significant.

But a second reason is that a pan face is more rigid, discouraging blowouts. A pan face with embossed letters is more rigid still.

Brad in Kansas City
 
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ProSignTN

New Member
As signbrad said, back in the day when fluorescent lamps were the standard, you needed 6" between a lamp and the face to have good light dispersion. A 7"cabinet with 3" draft on pan faces gives you 13" wide. 13" minus half the lamp diameter of a T12 lamp (.625) and presto, you just over 6". With modern LED's that have sophisticated lenses to control the angle of the light, the distance can be shortened considerably and flat faces can be used for more application.
 
E

Evan Gillette

New Member
Quality MFG in Minnesota, World Wide Sign in WI, Faces Inc. is down south. I would imagine there are several closer to you, maybe Integrity Sign Solutions?
 
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