Light Boxes For Retail Display - Saving Money With New Technology
Are all retail light boxes created equal? New developments in retail technology and demands from end users for more a sophisticated and energy efficient cohort of merchandising and display products may be signalling the demise of standard light box technology.
So, what does this new technology bring to the table? 1.
Dramatic reductions in energy consumption that translate in dramatic dollar savings 2.
Significant reductions in the hidden and ongoing costs of maintenance and upkeep 3.
Improvements in the effect of advertising through brighter and more even illumination 4.
Thinner constructions that save space and enhance consumer perception of your brand 5.
Meeting consumer and regulatory demands for environmentally friendly retailing Who's Being Left Behind? Traditional retail or shop light boxes have been effective for decades.
They are simple constructions that really they are no more complicated than the name suggests - A box, illuminated from with in.
Typically they are 200mm (8 inches) in thickness and fabricated in aluminum.
Inside a number of fluorescent tubes are mounted to the fabrication and illuminate a graphic applied to an acrylic face on one or both sides of the construction.
These traditional-type units are still commonly used today and are as effective as they have ever been.
The problem is that the world and consumer expectations has moved on, leaving this old technology falling short in a number of areas.
Firstly these old illuminated displays really chewed through the power.
A large box of 6m x 3m (approx 20 x 10 foot) requires 45 x 58 watt fluorescent tubes to effectively illuminate.
Such a running for just 12 hours a day, uses around 12,000 kW of power per annum and that equates to an electricity bill of well in excess of US$1000.
For just one light box! Maintenance is also an issue that seems to be problematic for business owners using these older style units.
Just one faulty tube can mean your display looks...
well...
average at best.
And clearly the likelihood of a fault at any given time, when you have 45 fluorescent tubes or more illuminating a single display, is rather high.
Flickering or broken tubes quickly become a considerable ongoing cost and as a result it is common to advertising surfaces and signs with dull patches or shadows across the surface.
This flawed presentation has a negative impact on consumer perception of your brand, not to mention a significant decrease in the impact of your signage or advertising - it's not professional and it's not bright.
New Technology! But Buyer Beware The new player in light boxes is edge lit or slimline technology.
These terms refer to units which operate by means of illumination applied directly to the edge of an acrylic panel, the front surface of which then also illuminates due to a matrix pattern printed on that surface.
These matrix patterns are the crucial element in the effectiveness of slimline boxes.
The light that is introduced into to acrylic panel is reflected by the pattern and exits the panel via the front face, thus illuminating any poster or graphics placed on that face.
Effective matrix patterns operate using algorithms that have been calculated to distribute illumination evenly across the panel.
In essence these patterns reflect less near the edge of the acrylic panel, where it is applied and levels are at their highest, and more at the centre of the panel where levels are at their lowest.
With out an effective diffusion pattern the perimeters of the acrylic panel would be brightest, whilst the centre would be dim.
And let me take this chance to warn you (!), there are plenty of cheap slimline units on the market using sub-standard matrix patterns which produce exactly this result.
Be sure that your supplier understands the workings of matrix patterns in slimline displays and can assure you that the product you are purchasing uses a legitimate pattern.
Saving $$$ and Keeping Up Appearances After all, the uniform diffusion of the light source across the face of the unit is one of the major triumphs of slimline technology, as it eliminates the hot spots or shadows that are visible in varying degrees in all older forms of internally illuminated signage.
These terms refer to a visible variation in light intensity causing some areas of the illuminated face to be clearly brighter or duller than other areas.
By contrast, slimline panels produce a smooth and even illumination across the face of the panel.
But there are also a number of other benefits which have dramatically increased demand for this relatively new technology.
As mentioned above, electricity consumption and maintenance are significant operational costs associated with traditional "back lit" light boxes.
These costs are in fact two sides of the same coin, in that they are a direct result of the number of fluorescent tubes required to effectively illuminate any given sign.
A high tube count clearly equates to higher power usage, but this number also dictates the regularity of maintenance procedures by multiplying the probability of faults.
Slimline boxes reduce the tube count by 50 - 70% thus reducing maintenance cost by a comparable percentage.
The exact figure varies dependent upon the size and proportions of the display in question, but if we take the example given above of the 6m x 3m box using 45 fluorescent tubes, a slimline display of the same dimensions would achieve equal illuminance using only 12 tubes - a reduction in tube count of over 70%.
The term slimline is also an indicator of another major advantage offered by this type of illuminated signage.
Slimline panels can be as little as 20mm (13/16") thick! - just one tenth that of those traditional boxes - and it's precisely for this reason that we often refer to them as panels rather than boxes, this being a far more accurate description of their characteristics.
Creating a brightly illuminated panel just 20mm thick is a significant technical achievement, but don't expect too many shoppers to comment on your fantastic technically advanced advertising displays! It's the refinement these slimline panels lend to a retail environment that makes the difference.
They help to create a modern aesthetic that surely does impact on the consumers' over all perception of the environment and hence your products and brand - that's why slimline panels are now favored by most architects and interior designers.
The Future is Clear So it's clear, not all light boxes are created equal, and the major benefits of slimline panels are undisputed.
As for all those smaller advantages, it all comes down to detail, but it's often said, "retail is detail" and light box advertising and signage is one detail on which you can't afford to fall behind.
So, what does this new technology bring to the table? 1.
Dramatic reductions in energy consumption that translate in dramatic dollar savings 2.
Significant reductions in the hidden and ongoing costs of maintenance and upkeep 3.
Improvements in the effect of advertising through brighter and more even illumination 4.
Thinner constructions that save space and enhance consumer perception of your brand 5.
Meeting consumer and regulatory demands for environmentally friendly retailing Who's Being Left Behind? Traditional retail or shop light boxes have been effective for decades.
They are simple constructions that really they are no more complicated than the name suggests - A box, illuminated from with in.
Typically they are 200mm (8 inches) in thickness and fabricated in aluminum.
Inside a number of fluorescent tubes are mounted to the fabrication and illuminate a graphic applied to an acrylic face on one or both sides of the construction.
These traditional-type units are still commonly used today and are as effective as they have ever been.
The problem is that the world and consumer expectations has moved on, leaving this old technology falling short in a number of areas.
Firstly these old illuminated displays really chewed through the power.
A large box of 6m x 3m (approx 20 x 10 foot) requires 45 x 58 watt fluorescent tubes to effectively illuminate.
Such a running for just 12 hours a day, uses around 12,000 kW of power per annum and that equates to an electricity bill of well in excess of US$1000.
For just one light box! Maintenance is also an issue that seems to be problematic for business owners using these older style units.
Just one faulty tube can mean your display looks...
well...
average at best.
And clearly the likelihood of a fault at any given time, when you have 45 fluorescent tubes or more illuminating a single display, is rather high.
Flickering or broken tubes quickly become a considerable ongoing cost and as a result it is common to advertising surfaces and signs with dull patches or shadows across the surface.
This flawed presentation has a negative impact on consumer perception of your brand, not to mention a significant decrease in the impact of your signage or advertising - it's not professional and it's not bright.
New Technology! But Buyer Beware The new player in light boxes is edge lit or slimline technology.
These terms refer to units which operate by means of illumination applied directly to the edge of an acrylic panel, the front surface of which then also illuminates due to a matrix pattern printed on that surface.
These matrix patterns are the crucial element in the effectiveness of slimline boxes.
The light that is introduced into to acrylic panel is reflected by the pattern and exits the panel via the front face, thus illuminating any poster or graphics placed on that face.
Effective matrix patterns operate using algorithms that have been calculated to distribute illumination evenly across the panel.
In essence these patterns reflect less near the edge of the acrylic panel, where it is applied and levels are at their highest, and more at the centre of the panel where levels are at their lowest.
With out an effective diffusion pattern the perimeters of the acrylic panel would be brightest, whilst the centre would be dim.
And let me take this chance to warn you (!), there are plenty of cheap slimline units on the market using sub-standard matrix patterns which produce exactly this result.
Be sure that your supplier understands the workings of matrix patterns in slimline displays and can assure you that the product you are purchasing uses a legitimate pattern.
Saving $$$ and Keeping Up Appearances After all, the uniform diffusion of the light source across the face of the unit is one of the major triumphs of slimline technology, as it eliminates the hot spots or shadows that are visible in varying degrees in all older forms of internally illuminated signage.
These terms refer to a visible variation in light intensity causing some areas of the illuminated face to be clearly brighter or duller than other areas.
By contrast, slimline panels produce a smooth and even illumination across the face of the panel.
But there are also a number of other benefits which have dramatically increased demand for this relatively new technology.
As mentioned above, electricity consumption and maintenance are significant operational costs associated with traditional "back lit" light boxes.
These costs are in fact two sides of the same coin, in that they are a direct result of the number of fluorescent tubes required to effectively illuminate any given sign.
A high tube count clearly equates to higher power usage, but this number also dictates the regularity of maintenance procedures by multiplying the probability of faults.
Slimline boxes reduce the tube count by 50 - 70% thus reducing maintenance cost by a comparable percentage.
The exact figure varies dependent upon the size and proportions of the display in question, but if we take the example given above of the 6m x 3m box using 45 fluorescent tubes, a slimline display of the same dimensions would achieve equal illuminance using only 12 tubes - a reduction in tube count of over 70%.
The term slimline is also an indicator of another major advantage offered by this type of illuminated signage.
Slimline panels can be as little as 20mm (13/16") thick! - just one tenth that of those traditional boxes - and it's precisely for this reason that we often refer to them as panels rather than boxes, this being a far more accurate description of their characteristics.
Creating a brightly illuminated panel just 20mm thick is a significant technical achievement, but don't expect too many shoppers to comment on your fantastic technically advanced advertising displays! It's the refinement these slimline panels lend to a retail environment that makes the difference.
They help to create a modern aesthetic that surely does impact on the consumers' over all perception of the environment and hence your products and brand - that's why slimline panels are now favored by most architects and interior designers.
The Future is Clear So it's clear, not all light boxes are created equal, and the major benefits of slimline panels are undisputed.
As for all those smaller advantages, it all comes down to detail, but it's often said, "retail is detail" and light box advertising and signage is one detail on which you can't afford to fall behind.
