OUTDOOR LED EDGELIT LIGHT PANELS

April 2014
Sign: MAG Assembly

MAG Assembly Ltd announces their new range of IP67 rated outdoor edgelit light panels display stands. There are 3 models for wall mount, and free-standing in single and double. All three have an illuminated display face of 1200x1800mm portrait.
These units are fully weatherproofed by using full-face door weatherstrip rubber seals, and two recessed camlocks at the bottom to pull the door up tightly against the seals. Another main feature is the hingeless front door allowing the door to be quickly and easily changed by one person if a damaged door needs to be replaced. Doors are hinged at the top and open to 36º allowing easy access to the top of the poster, and are supported by gas struts so they don’t get caught by the wind, and also to provide for soft opening and closing. Top hinged door means that there is no water pooling at the top common with most conventional side-hinged doors.
The edgelit light panels used are the exact same Vivacity edgelit panel technology used in the edgelit poster frames giving a bright 2300 Lux of illumination evenly across the entire display face without any shadowing in the centre, and are illuminated on 2 edges only using half the power of conventional panels and generating virtually no heat.

Specifications and Features:

• Single and double-sided models
• IP67 weatherproofing
• No ventilation required and no condensation issues
• Top hinging door without hinges to prevent water pooling and ingress
• Door opening from the bottom and swings up 36°
• 2 gas struts for door support, wind-resistance and soft opening/closing
• 6mm Grade A toughened glass door panel
• Optional Graffiti guard coating
• Poster size 1200x1800mm
• R-Clip poster mounting system for fast poster changeouts
• Vivacity 12VDC edgelit light panel 2300 Lux illumination
• Power draw only 0.21 Amps @ 240V (single-sided)
• Powdercoated or 2-Pak spray painted to any colour specification
• Free-standing models include solid galvanised steel spigot base for solid footing
• Overall dimensions: 1317x1919x100mm (wall mount)
  • 1317x2020x100mm (free-standing single-sided)
  • 1317x2020x185mm (free-standing double-sided)

In December 2012 MAG was contracted by Jared Percival at Onform Signs to design, prototype and manufacture new sky signage for Combie Lockwood’s new Queen Street head office building in Auckland. The signage consisted of 3 sets of 1200-1600mm illuminated Ali channel letters, with opal faces and rolled retaining rings to ensure secure fixing of the faces in typical maximum wind loadings. The letters were painted 3 different colours to match the retaining rings to the faces and the sides of the letters to the building façade. Jared applied translucent vinyl for the green letters before installing them on the top of this 24 storey building in November 2013.
Some of the extra challenges on this job were that there was only lift access to the roof so all the signage had to be fabricated in modular component to fit in the lifts. The signage also required extra engineered mounting framework to bridge the negative detail gaps in the building façade.
Another big challenge is to have a high level of communication between all parties involved including the client, manufacturer, local authorities, engineers, installation contractors, building managers, electricians, to ensure that everything comes together on the top of the roof without any complications or problems, as when you are hanging over the side of a 20 storey building it’s critical that everything fits first time to avoid delays and extra costs.

AUCKLAND VETERINARY CENTRE

November 2013
Sign: Auckland Veterinary Centre
Client: Signwise Auckland Ltd – Dave Woodfield

In August 2013 Dave Woodfield at Signwise asked MAG to quote on a new digital LED sign for a customer who had seen the one at Murphy’s Law pub in Drury and wanted to do something similar to promote their busy Veterinary practice. Having known about MAG’s previous experience in digital LED signs and our alliance with Yesco Electronics, Dave’s customer wanted to have a larger display that was more functional than just displaying a line of scrolling text, and MAG selected a computer controlled 20mm pitch resolution display in 3 colours. This 2300x700mm programmable display gives the customer the ability to display multiple lines as one entity, or two separate lines of text that can be programmed for separate effects, with a wide range of different special effects that can be applied, as well as a full graphics capability to display images. This sign has a Wifi connection to a computer inside enabling the customer to make changes on the fly and look out the window to see what it looks like on the sign without having to leave their seat! The final design is a stunning looking sign that is visible at a long distance and is a credit to the Signwise team.

New Zealand Herald: First Xbox hurdle - survive the shark tank
The Xbox One was launched worldwide in NZ on 22 November 2013, and in the week leading up to the launch the world’s first Xbox One unit was unveiled a week beforehand at the bottom of the 3.5m deep shark tank at Kelly Tarltons in Auckland. MAG Assembly had previously made many acrylic pieces for Kelly Tarltons, so they recommended MAG to build a display box suitable for the job. The brief to MAG was to build a one-off waterproof acrylic box with an easily removable lid that was to sit in salt water at 3.5 meters depth for a week. The box had to be guaranteed to stay upright on the bottom even if knocked by a shark, and guaranteed not to leak as the Xbox had to be removed on-camera and given away to the first NZ customer at the launch of the Xbox at the Vodafone Music Awards. MAG designed and built a 15mm acrylic box with mitered interlocking edges to relieve any pressure on the acrylic glue, redundant seals, 24 non-penetrating bolts, and a 60mm thick steel plate to help keep it upright and securely on the bottom. Small refinements such as acrylic feet allowed the 80Kg box to be more easily picked up and put down without trapping fingers, and a slightly oversized lid provided for easier removal.

TAKANINI VILLAGE

October 2013
Sign: Takanini Village
Client: Signs Advertising Ltd - Bryan

The new Takanini Village shopping centre still being completed in Walters Road needed a large pylon with real street presence that was visible from the Great South Road intersection. The customer supplied an overall concept of what they wanted and MAG was asked to get involved with the design of the pylon to achieve the look that the customer wanted whist also allowing for the best material yields and an easy construction design that resulted in a very cost effective 10m high by 2m wide pylon, fully illuminated with nearly 1562 Axle9 LED modules giving nearly 3kW of illumination for less than 8 Amps of mains power. Other requirements were integral individual retailer graphic panels that were able to be quickly and easily changed out, and separate UV signs for the shopping centre in keeping with the same look and feel of the pylon design. The pylon was further extended by installing it onto an 1800mm high concrete plinth giving an overall height of nearly 12m, and this sign is easily seen from the port side of planes on approach to Auckland Airport.

In April 2013 MAG Assembly was proud to be appointed NZ Agent for the Melbourne based Vivacity edge-lit light panels.
The advantages of an edge-lit light panel over a standard lightbox are that it is cheaper, less bulky, with a slim profile of no more than 20mm out from the mounting surface for a more discreet presence or where an illuminated ‘poster frame’ look is required, or where depth of the sign is an issue.
The main disadvantage is that most edge-lit light panel faces won’t illuminate evenly if the height of the panel is greater than 600mm, which effectively limits the panel to a maximum A2 size. Panels larger than this will have a dark shadow in the middle of the panel where the light will not reach.
Vivacity light panels use a South Korean made light panel that uses a patented diamond-etch technique to create a light-guide plate only 3mm thick that will evenly illuminate across the entire panel up to 2 meters high.
Available in two thicknesses of 16mm or 20mm depending on the face size, Vivacity light panels only need illuminating from the top and bottom edges using top-of-the-line Samsung LED’s, providing a more cost-effective light panel than most competitive options, that is also thinner, brighter, has no edge hot-spots, no centre shadowing, is more durable and energy efficient, and doesn’t run hot. In addition, there are also 3 different brightness levels available using different LED pitch spacing.
The light panels include an integrated snap-loading frame for fast and easy change out of graphic content. Available ex-stock in common sizes from A3 to A0, and on indent in any custom size up to 6mx2m with a MOQ of 10 units.
These edge-lit light panels are also the perfect retrofit to the standard 1200x600mm office fluorescent lighting troffer packs, providing an increased and more even lighting levels in warm or cool white, less eye-strain and fatigue, reduced maintenance requirements and huge power savings! For increased ambience, a high resolution colour graphic can be inserted in the integrated snap frame, to create for example, a realistic and aesthetic image of any simulated external view from out of a skylight.
Cut through the competition and give your client the ‘edge’ with the World’s most advanced edge-lit panel technology.

MAG ACQUIRES NEW WEEKE VANTAGE
200/174 CNC PROCESSING CENTRE:

In February 2013 MAG took delivery of our new Weeke Vantage 200/174 CNC Processing Centre. This machine has a 4.3m x 2.25m table bed allowing us to process the largest available sheets for any job. with an accuracy of 0.025mm this router will ensure repetitive precision machining on all jobs. This is the fastest and largest CNC router in NZ (machine capability) with a 9kW spindle, end to end travel in 2.4 seconds, and can groove ACM at 30m per minute with a custom made ACM rotary saw. More that just a CNC Router, this machine does drilling, sawing and grooving and has an additional 360 degree C-axis head for true 3D processing giving it 5-axis capabilities and the ability to produce complex 3D shapes up to 100mm high. It also has a separate 2.3kW 12-bit drilling head, and can drill material whilst simultaneously routering on the main spindle.

GULL PETROLEUM

November 2012
Sign: Gull Petroleum Ltd
Client: Xtream Signs – Matt Porteous

In early 2012 MAG was approached by Matt Porteous at Xtream Signs to see if we could help him with his rollout project to re-image all the Gull Service Stations nationwide. Matt had heard that MAG was a key supplier to the Z Energy petrol station re-branding rollout and that MAG would be the ideal partner to manufacture new fascia panels and frames for the forecourt canopies, various forecourt above-pump blade signs, as well as replacement new road-front pylons. The rollout program commenced in September 2012 and is still on-going as at June 2014, and is a very good example of how MAG can help smaller sign companies still take on major signage projects.

MAG ASSEMBLY MOVES TO LARGER FABRICATION FACILITY

MAY 20, 2012

MAG Assembly has expanded its manufacturing operations and had moved to a larger and more modern facility near the airport in Auckland. Come in and see our new facilities.

ICONIC SPITTING FEATHERS SIGNAGE WINS SILVER MEDAL FOR NEW ZEALAND SIGNAGE AWARDS

May 1, 2012
Sign: SPITTING FEATHERS
Client: Louey Signs

MAG Assembly is the design and construction behind the Louey Signs of Auckland award winning Spitting Feathers pub sign. The Spitting Feathers is a classy, modern pub located in Wyndham Street/Wellesley Street in the heart of Auckland City. The sign was the centre piece for this English style Pub newly opened to cater for supporters during the Rugby World Cup 2011.

MAG Assembly’s head designer Nick used his childhood love of Legos to develop building blocks from 78 individual router-cut sections of 18mm opal acrylic to eventually end up with a 3 dimensional case. The cats feathers and even his whiskers which are made from stainless wire all help to give a perception of depth. Graphics were completed by Loueys as well as the installation. Illumination was achieved with AXLE Series White LEDs from AxiomLED/KiwiLED to not only illuminate the faces but also give a halo effect through a clear mounting plate.

The sign was such a hit with Steve and Wayne, the owners of Louey Signs, that they decided to enter it into the NZSDA 2012 Sign Awards, where it won the Silver Medal. It is advantageous to have clever young men looking at signage challenges in a completely different way.

Needless to say we are very proud of Nick and his clever approaches to sign manufacture. Maybe he can help you, give him a call!

MAG ASSEMBLY DEVELOPS LARGE BLUM SIGNAGE FOR BRAVE DESIGN

Apr 10, 2012
Sign: BLUM
Client: Brave Design


Rod and Glen from Brave Design had a brief from their Customer, and approached us to help design and build a logo for Blum who is a leading manufacturer of hinges and latches that would be seen from the motorway some 1.5km away. For such a large sign it was decided that a flexiface skin would be safest, although this makes for a labour intensive option the end result speaks for itself. Secondly, a strong illumination was paramount and to achieve this we used AXLE9-SW65 Axiom LED/Kiwi LEDs.

To compliment the main factory signage an upmarket three sided Pylon was required for the Company's entrance way, this was illuminated, 2 pack paint finishes, with cut and replace lettering and stainless steel corner blades.

This, combined with accurate project management and installation by Brave design, has given Blum signage that not only stands out, but has many of their neighbors quite jealous.
Thank you Rod and Glen for letting us show off this superb end result.