We move fast!  We carry a full inventory of machines that are fully assembled, packaged, crated and ready to ship within 24 hours of purchase.  Delivery to facilities within the continental US can be expected in 5 business days or less.  We have completely eliminated the long lead times of 8-12 weeks that are customary for many manufacturers. We can be on-site to set up your new machine and train your operators the week after it is delivered.

Our machines produce almost no waste.  The machine only produces 1/4″ of waste, which is the width of the cutting blade that separates the finished letter from the remaining, unprocessed coil. In comparison, our competitors’ machines can typically waste up to 10”-12” of material for each letter which leads to significantly higher material costs.  For example, a letter B is comprised of three separate segments, the perimeter section, and two inside sections.  Our machine will only produce about 3/4″ of total waste when forming a letter B, whereas our competitors can waste anywhere from 2–3 feet of material on this one single letter!

Be careful, many companies are intentionally deceptive and will advertise the feed rate of their machine not the machine’s actual production speed.  There is always a big difference between feed rate and production speed.

The ChannelBender Series machines consistently have the fastest production time relative to all to our competitors. For example, an 18″ flanged channel letter takes an average of only 3:30-3:45 to flange, notch and bend. In addition, the output from our ChannelBender Series machines is far superior in both quality and accuracy, thereby slashing labor costs and increasing productivity.

Generally speaking, the larger the size of the letter, the easier it is to form, although large letters do sometimes get cumbersome. Whether being bent by hand or by machine, big letters are typically easier to form than small, intricate letters. The letter height capability of our bending machines is essentially limitless. Our machines can bend letters as tall as you’ll ever need. Do you need a letter 15 feet tall? No problem, our machines can do that. The machine operator has the flexibility to run large letters as one continuous piece or they can choose to break the letter into multiple pieces that will fit together precisely. The process of breaking a letter into multiple sections is very simple to do within the machine software. 

Depth capacity varies by machine. Overall, we offer machines that can process letters as shallow as 1 inch deep and up to 10 inches deep. If the letter will be produced with a flange, minimum coil height is 2-1/2″ prior to flanging. 1 inch depth can only be attained with reverse letters, which also known as halo-lit letters. 

On a typical face-lit letter the flange is the limiting factor. If the serif is less than 2x the flange depth, the flange will collide into itself. In other words, a 1/2 inch flange requires a minimum 1 inch stroke. If producing flanged serifs smaller than 1 inch, manual trimming of the flange is necessary. On a Trimless, halo-lit or fabricated letter the minimum serif size our machine can produce is about 3/16” although we have seen some customers produce letters with smaller serifs on our equipment.

This depends on the material being formed, the font, and the letter style (flanged or unflanged).  The smallest halo-lit or Trimless letter our machines can produce is about 3” in height.

Trimless channel letters offer a cleaner, more aesthetically pleasing channel letter product. Trimless letters are a premium quality, more contemporary product that is intended to fetch a premium price and deliver a higher profit margin. In addition to selling attractive, high-quality, Trimless letters for a premium price, customers will save money by eliminating the labor and material required by the trim cap process. Choosing to fabricate with our LetterForm Trimless system also eliminates many common problems associated with trim cap like fading, cracking, peeling, and matching colors. 

LetterForm is the first major innovation to impact channel letter fabrication in years. This cutting-edge system was developed by SDS Automation and introduced in 2015. LetterForm was seen as such a significant innovation by the International Sign Association that it was recognized with an Innovation Award at the 2016 ISA Sign Expo. Letterform is a channel letter coil available in aluminum and stainless steel and comes in a variety of depths, colors, and finishes. Aluminum LetterForm is .040” (1mm) in thickness whereas stainless steel is 22 gauge. Bonded to the interior surface are PVC strips that are used for attaching faces with adhesive and back panels using our patented, stainless steel Easy Clips. LetterForm is sturdy yet just flexible enough to allow customers to produce high quality, exceptionally detailed Trimless signage and channel letters. This innovative, patented coil saves customers time and money by entirely eliminating trim cap from the fabrication process. To find out more about features and view detailed drawings, please see the Letterform page on our website. 

Yes, but only certain SDS Automation ChannelBenders are capable of processing LetterForm. While some sign companies have developed fabrication techniques for producing letters without trim cap, the process has historically been very labor-intensive and costly. SDS Automation is the only company to offer a patented, UL approved, Trimless channel letter system.  Our system can only by used in conjunction with SDS Automation’s cutting-edge automated bending machines that allow for the quick and efficient fabrication of Trimless® channel letters. 

We like to think of LiquiForm as the future of channel letters, here today. LiquiForm is a poured resin process that allows for the fabrication of low-profile, high-style letters with outstanding illumination properties, ideal for interior signage. Since this is an entirely new channel letter process, SDS Automation is offering classes in LiquiForm fabrication, limited to owners of our machines.

Yes, there a number of factors that will impact the size of the letters that cam be fabricated using LetterFrom. Please contact us to learn more about any limitations or restrictions that will impact your particular project.

We have seen customers use 1/8″ ACM, 1/4″ ACM and 1/8″ solid aluminum sheet.  1/8″ aluminum is the superior method for exterior installations because ACM has a tendency to soften and warp when exposed to high temperatures and / or direct sunlight.  This softening of the plastic core can cause failures where the face – return assembly detaches from the back panel.  For interior-mounted letters, the use of ACM is not a concern, however, 1/4″ is highly recommended over 1/8″ except on very small letters under 10″ in vertical height.

Absolutely! We offer both remote and in-person training depending on your particular needs and timeline. We also understand that turnover can lead to new operators who may not have had the benefit of the initial factory-certified training we provide during installation.  No worries. We are available to provide all levels of training in these situations, anything from a quick tutorial to fully comprehensive training from A to Z.  Give us a call at 303.798.7110 or send an email to discuss your situation.

Most SDS machines come with a two-year parts and labor limited warranty including lifetime phone and remote access tech support from a US-based technician.  SDS Automation equipment warranty and tech support extends only to the original purchaser.  Secondary owners have the option to purchase warranty and technical support extensions.