Mass production of traffic signs in Liaoning, how to achieve both efficiency and quality? Let’s talk about the details that are easily overlooked

Recently, I was chatting with several local traffic engineering companies in Liaoning, and everyone mentioned a topic invariably.: Nowadays, the project cycle is tight and the demand for traffic signs is huge. Mass production has become the norm. But what is the most common problem when doing it in batches? It’s not that I couldn’t make it, but as I continued to do it, the details became loose and the standards became blurred. In the end, the sign was erected, but I still felt that it was almost meaningless. Either the color was a bit floating, or the reflective effect was not so “spirited”.

Today, let’s put aside the broad and comprehensive official rhetoric and talk specifically about the real “hump-ups” and “techniques” involved in the mass production of traffic signs in Liaoning.

First of all, it must be said that the first step in mass production is not the machine at all, but the "material".  As we all know, the climate in Liaoning is very cold in winter and very sunny in summer. There is also salt spray corrosion in coastal areas. If you make signs in batches, if the raw materials such as plates, reflective films, and coatings are in different batches, or if you use unstable suppliers to control costs, then trouble will come. Maybe this batch of signs will be installed and you will see them again next year. The colors will fade to different shades, as if they have been patched, especially for reflective films, which have national standards. However, there are subtle differences in the retroreflection coefficient and weather resistance of different brands, or even different batches of the same brand. When purchasing in bulk, it is easiest to "overturn" on this. A reliable manufacturer will pay special attention to the batch management of raw materials, and will even conduct small sample tests for each batch of incoming materials to simulate the extreme weather here, so that you can feel confident. This is not hypocritical, this is the lifeline to ensure "consistency" in batches.

Then there is the contradiction between "standardization" and "flexibility" in design and technology.  Mass production pays attention to efficiency, and templates and standardization are of course fast, but traffic signs are not ordinary commodities. The actual situation of each road section, installation location, and even the lighting conditions of the surrounding environment may require fine-tuning of the standard design. For example, a guide sign, on the Shenyang-Dalian Expressway or at a complex intersection in urban Dalian, the amount of information, typesetting density, and font size may need to be adaptively adjusted. If the factory only wants to save trouble, a set of templates will rule the world. Brands tend to be "rigid" and not thoughtful to use. Good mass production should be "modular" - dismantling the processes of base plate, column, reflective film pasting and character drawing into standard modules, but retaining flexible interfaces for information typesetting and size fine-tuning. This requires the factory not only to have production lines, but also to have technical personnel who can understand drawings and traffic engineering needs, and can integrate customized thinking into standard processes. This is an art.

The most tricky part: Surface treatment.  During mass production, it is most likely to cut corners in the processes of polishing, rust removal, primer, and topcoat if the deadline is met. If you skip polishing once, the paint adhesion will be insufficient. ； Applying topcoat before the primer is completely dry will cause blistering and peeling after a period of time. Liaoning winters have long low temperatures, which require more stringent paint curing conditions. A responsible manufacturer will scientifically arrange the process and time according to the production batch and weather conditions, and even increase the drying process to ensure quality, rather than just seeking speed. You have to be careful with those who pat their chests and say "I will sell you a brand worth 500 yuan in three days."

Let’s talk about “quality inspection”.  For single-piece production, inspection can be carried out slowly, but for mass production, quality inspection must be efficient and strict, but high efficiency does not mean "spot inspection". Traffic signs are related to safety, and theoretically must be fully inspected. How to achieve this? What we rely on is not the "human sea tactic" at the last level, but putting quality control into every process, inspecting the plates when unloading, inspecting the materials and dust-free environment when applying the film, inspecting the color and accuracy during printing, ensuring that self-inspection and mutual inspection of each process are in place, and the pressure of the final random inspection of the finished product. This requires a very strict on-site management process and workers' quality awareness. When you go to the factory, don't just look at whether the machines are new or not. Look at whether the workers' operating desks are clean and tidy, and whether the process cards are filled out carefully. These details often explain the problem better than the equipment.

I also have to mention the "installation package".  Mass-produced signs will eventually be transported to the site in batches for installation. If you only consider the sign itself during production, without considering the convenience of packaging, transportation and loss prevention, or the accuracy of matching with the columns and foundation, you will be confused when you arrive at the site. The screw holes will not match up, and there will be a lot of scratches on the package... These seemingly minor problems turn out to be catastrophic during batch installation, extremely affecting the construction schedule and mood. Good manufacturers will incorporate "installation friendliness" into their designs, such as providing clear installation diagrams, matching fasteners, and even packaging numbers for different batches to facilitate on-site inventory and retrieval.

The mass production of traffic signs in Liaoning is more than just machine scale and price. It is more like a system project with fine management, from the consistency control of the material source, to the balance of standards and flexibility in the process, to the patience of surface treatment, and the quality inspection thinking that is integrated into the process, and finally comes to the service extension for the sake of installation. If any link is missing, the mass production will not be a reliable safety guarantee, but a bunch of troublesome hidden dangers.

Next time you need to mass produce traffic signs, you might as well ask a few more questions: Which company does this batch of boards and membranes come from? Which batch? How can I guarantee my special requirements in terms of craftsmanship? How to go about the quality inspection process? How to arrange packaging and transportation? Ask carefully, you will feel at ease, and the road will be safer. After all, every sign standing there represents not only the direction of the road, but also our standards and sense of responsibility in doing things.