CNC ROUTERS AND CUTTERS | ROB FLETCHER An important part of the production setup for many sign-making businesses, Rob Fletcher casts an eye over the latest developments with CNC routers and cutters, speaking to manufacturers about their new solutions EN ROUTE TO SUCCESS WITH CNC To put it simply, CNC routing and cutters have made life much easier for sign companies of all shapes and sizes. While of course the magic of traditional sign-making remains, giving sign-makers the ability to set machines to work rather than having to manually carve out and cut signs is helping save considerable time and effort. More good news for those making use of this technology is that development continues at a rapid pace, with manufacturers introducing updated machines and new solutions all the time. Add in advanced software to help drive this hardware and the future looks bright for CNC. In this feature, SignLink met with several manufacturers and suppliers in the market to find out more about their latest solutions and how new advancements can help sign-makers to improve application quality and their overall service offering to customers. Increase Efficiency First up to advise is Abdullah Umair, CNC router product manager at AXYZ. Umair explains the manufacturer has worked closely with thousands of sign-makers to support its ongoing R&D efforts, with the company’s focus very much being on delivering quality solutions. “Sign companies should be looking for machines that deliver high cut accuracy, material versatility, ease of use, and reliable long-term performance,” Umair says, adding: “A quality system should easily handle a variety of substrates such as ACM, acrylic, PVC, foam board, aluminium, and wood, and be backed by strong service and support. “Features such as automatic tool changers, vision registration for printed media, intuitive software, and solid machine construction can significantly increase efficiency and cut error rates.” With this, Umair issues a warning against underinvesting in CNC technology. He says that this can lead several costly consequences, such as reduced quality and precision, which directly affects the final appearance of signage and, ultimately, a brand’s credibility. Umair adds that lesser machinery runs the risk of increased downtime due to unreliable components or poor technical support, while limited device capability can restrict the types of jobs sign-makers can take on, leading to missed business opportunities or the need to outsource work. “Many shops that go for entry-level machines end up replacing them sooner than expected, making it a false economy in the long run,” he says, adding: “At AXYZ, we often say: buy once, buy right. 80 email: editor@signlink.co.uk Issue 260 - August / September 2025
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