Lessons from ARTfx’s 40 years of experience are reflected in this illuminated monument sign.
ARTfx标识公司所设计的这座发光字纪念碑标识，是他们40年标识制作经验的集大成者。
Rule No. 1 when lighting a sign: Make certain the sign is worth lighting. A bad concept or poor fabrication cannot be rectified with light.
应用LED给标识增添光彩在标识界已是屡见不鲜，但这并不代表灯光可以被滥用，在制造者点亮一座标识的时候，首要的原则就是：确保这个标识值得被点亮。一个概念不佳的糟糕设计，依靠LED也是无法挽回的。
With that off my chest, I focus on a double-sided, illuminated monument sign that my company, ARTfx (Bloomfield, CT) , recently designed, fabricated and installed for Lighthouse Surgery Center in nearby Hartford. We started with a logo I co-designed with long-time ARTfx veteran, Paula Hansen. Submission No. 1 immediately gained client approval, which led to the sign design, a composition based around the logo and the building architecture. Again, the initial submission received an instant thumbs-up from our client and, more notably, from their rather discerning architectural firm. When I started in the sign business 43 years ago, back-to-back “slam dunk” design approvals would have been less likely than my making a hole-in-one while blindfolded in a blizzard.
美国康奈提格州的ARTfx，一家具有40年标识行业经验的公司，最近为哈特福德的“灯塔手术中心”设计、制作以及安装了一座双面发光的纪念碑标识。这个项目从该公司的资深设计师保拉·汉森设计出Logo开始，直到这座纪念碑标识完工，客户方面都是一路绿灯，非常满意，即使是挑剔的建筑公司，也对其赞不绝口。
当公司创始人谈到这件事时，他说：“以我43年的从业经验看来，一个标识的设计过程丝毫没有受到客户方面的阻力，比被蒙住眼睛在暴风雪里一杆进球的几率还要小！”
ROUGH IT UP
精心制作的“粗糙”
The schematic drawing of the sign for Lighthouse Surgery Center.灯塔手术中心标识示意图。
The sign for Lighthouse Surgery Center was fabricated of .125-in. aluminum plate, but finished to match the building using ARTfx proprietary techniques, which approximate variegated limestone and stained-teak hardwood. The lighting and lettering style, commonly known in the trade as “stencil cut/push through,” simply describes metal signfaces cut through to allow for translucent acrylic letters to be inserted. In this case, the logo and letter fronts are opaque, so light emits solely from their sides.
灯塔手术中心的这座标识，先使用30厘米（125英寸）的铝板进行打底制作，最后用ARTfx的专有技术制作出近似于石灰石和彩色硬柚木组合在一起的效果，与整座纪念碑完美匹配。安装其上的发光字，则是将前面已安装好的金属制标识用业界称为“模板插入切割”的技术处理，再嵌进半透明的亚克力字母，整个流程做完后，发光字的正面是不透明的，从而达到光从侧面发出的特效。
When deciding on the type of acrylic for smaller letters or interior displays, we typically use ½-in.-thick 7328 white if letter faces are translucent, or ½-in.-thick 2447 milk white if faces are opaque. For larger letters or much of our exterior work, we use ¾-in.-thick clear acrylic in conjunction with a 3M 70% white vinyl diffuser on the back sides (it allows 70% light trans-mission) and a translucent or opaque white vinyl appliqué on the faces (depending on whether the faces are lit or opaque).
这种特效的制作过程分为两步：第一，确定发光字的大小和使用场景；第二，根据发光字的表面透明与否，选择相应的亚克力。
如果表面透明或半透明，通常会使用1厘米（1/2英寸）厚，色号为7328的白色亚克力；表面不透明，就选择相同厚度但色号为2447的乳白色亚克力。
如果是较大的发光字，或者出现外部工作较多的情况，ARTfx建议使用1.5厘米（3/4英寸）厚的透明亚克力，并且在背面涂贴具有70%透光性的3M白色乙烯基，在正面根据是否需要发光字正面发光，贴上半透明或不透明的白色乙烯基。
As a note, the sides of the acrylic forms should be sanded with 320 grit to promote greater light diffusion. And if the design permits, the signface itself should be finished in low-luster paint. Often forgotten by sign manufacturers, matte surfaces enhance light and facilitate its projection. The Lighthouse sign has an intentionally rough finish – perfect for showcasing haloing or washed light.
标识制作商通常会忘记处理的地方，就是亚克力发光字的侧面，这些侧面应该使用320粒度的砂纸打磨，可以起到增强光线并促进其扩散的作用，如果设计允许，整个标识都可以使用低光泽的涂料来完成，以达到完美发光的效果。
灯塔标识使用的就是上述的技巧和技术，平时，整个标识观看起来都有一种粗糙感，但是当灯光亮起来，却立刻展现出完美的光晕与水洗光特效。
PRIME CONCERNS
细节决定成败
Our push-through letters feature a.080-in.-thick perimeter flange around the back sides, so they can’t fall forward. The flange width varies depending on character size and kerning, but should allow for mechanical fastening via studs welded to the back of the signface. Additionally, the application of a continuous-clear silicone bead between flanges and the face, as well as around the flanges, provides stronger letter adhesion and a means of preventing dirt accumulation and water leakage.
ARTfx公司在所有发光字的背面都安装了一个2毫米（0.08英寸）厚的凸起边缘，可以防止它们向前倾倒，宽度则取决于字符的大小和间距，这种凸缘可以通过焊接标识背面的螺柱进行机械固定。另外，在凸缘和标识表面之间以及周围加入连续透明的有机硅珠粒，可以进一步提升发光字在墙壁上的附着力，并有效防止积灰漏水。
The logo and letters manufactured for the Lighthouse sign are ¾-in.thick and detailed as previously described. However, these particular push-through forms were outfitted with .188-in. brushed stainless steel (alloy 316) fronts. It’s good to know that .188-in. stock is the thinnest stainless steel plate that can be tapped and threaded for studding through the acrylic backs to employ mechanical fastening.
这座灯塔标识的Logo和发光字厚度为1.5厘米（3/4英寸），而前面板则配备了名为Stock的拉丝不锈钢（316合金），厚度为5毫米（0.188英寸），这种Stock不锈钢板在同类型产品中是最薄的，可以轻易地穿孔穿线，与背后的亚克力进行机械加固。
A note of caution – be certain to apply white vinyl or paint to the face of a push-through letter prior to the opaque layer. Otherwise, the brilliance of light emitting from the letter sides is seriously impacted from a lack of reflectivity. Also, make certain that the inside of the sign cabinet is painted white because reflectivity disperses and intensifies the prime light source. Don’t go nuts. A coat of white primer is sufficient.
这里有一点需要注意：一定要在发光字与前面板之间涂上白色的乙烯基或油漆，否则会由于缺乏反射性而严重影响侧边发光的亮度，另外，发光字的底部也要涂白，可以增强主要光源，不过也不要矫枉过正，涂上薄薄的一层就足够了。
GUIDING LIGHT
点睛之光
To achieve the blue light emanating from the beacon, ARTfx installed one 6500K LED module into the acrylic, producing an attention-getting blue “searchlight.”为了让灯塔顶部发出蓝光，ARTfx在亚克力中安装了一个6500K的LED模块，制作出这种引人注目的蓝色“探照灯”效果。
The actual lighting of a stencil-cut/push-through sign is the easy part. First, we use 5000K LEDs. Since the days of fluorescent and argon light, we have avoided 6500K. Although a sign industry standby for years, 6500K skews the light toward the cool end of the spectrum which for me, and many other light-specifying designers, introduces an artificial blue hue. 5000K registers as a neutral – toward the middle of the light spectrum, functioning as a blank canvas – pure white.
“模板插入切割”发光字的工艺很复杂，但是安装照明模组就比较容易了。ARTfx公司选择了色温5000K的LED，这是由于自从荧光灯和氩光灯被广泛使用后，6500K的LED在对比时显得偏蓝，因为它在光谱中偏向冷光，而5000K则位居光谱的中间，是如空白画布一般的纯白色。
One last, added lighting touch required a feat of master engineering. Our staff was able to insert a single narrow-beam, high-powered 6500K LED module into the clear acrylic side of the lighthouse graphic on the sign at the point where a beacon would be located. The beam emitted actually looks blue, and works perfectly as an alluring accent to a sign I con-sider an exemplary demonstration of many lighting, fabrication and finishing techniques ARTfx has acquired over nearly 40 years.
这座标识中的灯光效果，是绝对的大师手笔。ARTfx的设计与制作人员，结合了40年来灯光制作与后期加工的经验，将一颗大功率单向窄波束的6500K色温LED模组，放在标识中灯塔顶端的位置，就像之前所说6500K的特点一样，这颗LED发出了完美的蓝光，成为整座标识的点睛之笔。
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
技术与支持
Software: Gerber Omega 6.5, gerbertechnology.com; CorelDRAW 17 X7, coreldraw.com
Router: Gerber 600 Router (for aluminum) and Gerber Saber 408 Router (for acrylic), gerbertechnology.com
Metal forming: Roper Whitney AutoBrake 2000 and Power Shear, roperwhitney.com; Millermatic welders, millerwelds.com; Lincoln welders, lincolnelectric.com
Substrates: 3M high-performance translucent vinyl, 3m.com; acrylic, aluminum
Dimensional Letters: Steel Art Co. stainless steel letters, steelartco.com
Paints + Coatings: AkzoNobel Acrylic Polyurethane and AkzoNobel Clear, akzonobel.com; Axalta acrylic enamel, axaltacs.com; Benjamin Moore IronClad, benjaminmoore.com; DeVilbiss Tekna Pro top feed spray gun and spray booth, ccisinc.com
Lighting: Bitro OpticsPROMAX and SolidFLEX LED modules, bitrogroup.com
软件支持：Gerber Omega 6.5, CorelDRAW 17 X7
雕刻机：Gerber 600 (用于铝) 和 Gerber Saber 408 (用于亚克力)
金属成型：Roper Whitney AutoBrake 2000 and Power Shear, Millermatic焊工, Lincoln焊工
基材：3M高性能半透明乙烯基，丙烯酸，铝
字体尺寸：钢铁艺术公司（制作不锈钢字母）
油漆+涂料：阿克苏诺贝尔丙烯酸聚氨酯和阿克苏诺贝尔透明树脂；艾仕得丙烯酸瓷釉，本杰明摩尔涂装，德威尔比斯泰克娜专业顶部进料喷枪和喷漆房
照明： bitro OpticsPROMAX和SolidFLEX LED模块
