The power of Chongqing in the sign industry, how to become a traffic sign manufacturer?

Speaking of Chongqing, do hot pot, Hongya Cave, and 8D Magic Interchange pop into your mind? But let’s not talk about that today. Let’s talk about those “silent road officials” on the road - traffic signs. Don’t underestimate these blue, green, and red iron signs. In Chongqing, any manufacturer that can make them clearly must have two brushes. The roads in mountain cities are not comparable to those in ordinary cities.

 The magical terrain of the mountain city forces the slogan "Hard Kung Fu"”

In plain cities, when erecting a sign, you may consider the height and reflection. But in Chongqing? Hey, you have to go through the terrain first. The sign made by your manufacturer may have to be erected on a nearly 90-degree slope, it may have to be hung on the side of a light rail bridge passing through a building, or it may have to guide drivers on a continuous spiral ramp. This is not a simple matter of "making a sign."

I have visited several old local manufacturers, and the old masters told the truth.: “In our case, the first thing you see in the signage design draft is not the text layout, but the topographic map, slope, and curve curvature of the installation point. ”Because if the installation angle of a sign at a sharp bend is a few degrees off, the reflective film may just blind the driver's eyes at night, or the information may not be read at all. Manufacturers in Chongqing work very carefully with the planning and road administration departments in the design process, and even have to send people with equipment to the scene to simulate the driver's perspective. This kind of "practical-first" thinking is where many manufacturers from plain areas are most likely to stumble when they first come to Chongqing to bid.

 “"Weather resistance" is not just talk on paper, it's made with sweat.

The weather in Chongqing is also a "ruthless character". In the summer, it is like a big steamer, with continuous high temperature and humidity. In the winter, the riverside fog comes together, and it is humid and cold. This climate is an extreme test for signs, especially the reflective film and paint on the surface. Ordinary engineering-grade reflective films can last for five years elsewhere, but here they may fade, blister, and delaminate in three years.

The boss of a factory complained to me: “In the early years, we suffered a loss by using standard products, but the after-sales service was in trouble. Later, we decided to work with material suppliers to develop customized formulas. ”Their "original method" is to set up an "exposure aging test area" on the roof of their factory, where they put sample plates of different batches and different formulas in the wind, sun and rain all year round, and record the changes regularly. This is more intuitive and cruel than any laboratory data. It is this kind of "self-abuse" quality control that gives their products a solid reputation in the local area. They even summed up a set of "Chongqing Special" processes: For example, the thickness of the galvanized sheet substrate needs to be increased, the pickling and phosphating process before spraying needs to be extended, and the most critical reflective film lamination must be carried out in a dust-free workshop under a constant temperature and humidity environment to avoid blistering in the future. Do you think this is technology? Yes, but it is more about experience and the "rules" gained through lessons learned.

 Not only must we see clearly, but we must also "point accurately"”

The core function of traffic signs is to guide the way. In Chongqing's complex road network, "pointing accurately" is a hundred times more important than "doing it well", especially those leading to popular scenic spots, newly built business districts, and cross-river bridges. The amount of information is huge, and the level must be extremely clear.

The person in charge of a manufacturer that specializes in intelligent traffic signage talked to me about their “tangled”: “A guide sign in front of an intersection should theoretically list information on the three subsequent forks. However, in Chongqing, there may be two tunnels and three ramps within 500 meters. How to arrange the information? How big is the font size? How does the arrow pointing match the actual road alignment? ”The method they are using now is "dynamic simulation + actual testing of experienced drivers". They first use software modeling to simulate the driver's visual distance and reading time in different lanes and different speeds, and generate a preliminary plan. The best trick is to hire several experienced taxi drivers in Chongqing for decades as "consultants", show them the plan, and listen to their scoldings. “The arrow here is too vague! ”“This place should first remind you of such-and-such bridge, not such-and-such road! ”These experiences gained from using the steering wheel can often point out key issues in the blind spots of design engineers' thinking, giving the cold signage a bit of "human touch" and "sense of place."

 From "production" to "intelligent production", the changes that are happening quietly

Manufacturers in Chongqing are not just sticking to traditional craftsmanship. In the past two years, changes have been clearly felt, and digital production has begun to popularize. In the past, cutting and drilling relied on the hand-eye coordination of master craftsmen. Now, with the use of CNC plasma cutting machines and laser engraving machines, the accuracy and efficiency have been improved more than a little. Especially when dealing with special-shaped signs (such as fan-shaped signs that adapt to special curves), the advantages are huge.

Some more cutting-edge companies are already exploring "Internet of Things + Signage", integrating small sensors and communication modules inside the sign to monitor the inclination and vibration status of the sign itself (to prevent potential collapse), or combining it with ambient light sensors to automatically adjust the brightness of the embedded LED light source. Even in future vehicle-road collaboration scenarios, the signage may become an information interaction point. Some of these ideas are already in the experimental stage, a young technical director told me.: “We don't want to just be a welder of iron signs. Chongqing's roads are so complicated and they are the best testing ground for intelligent transportation. Our goal is to turn signage from 'static information' to part of 'dynamic service'. ”

 end: The road is at your feet, and the road is on the cards

After chatting for a while, the biggest feeling is that the core competitiveness of Chongqing's traffic sign manufacturers is actually "forced" and "nurtured" by this unique city. The challenges they face are more specific and more stringent, so the solutions they have accumulated are more solid and down-to-earth. In their stories, there are masters who are stubborn about materials and processes, engineers who study data and simulation, and managers who are keen on market trends.

Next time you drive through Chongqing's three-dimensional traffic and reach your destination smoothly with clear and accurate signage, you may want to think about how much wisdom, sweat and deep understanding of the city's roads are condensed behind that seemingly ordinary sign. Understand that they are not just a combination of metal and reflective film, but also an unsung contributor to ensuring clear and smooth traffic in mountain cities. This industry, like the hot pot in Chongqing, is lively and lively on the surface, but there are countless details and skills on the inside, which is both flavorful and solid.