What's going on with the ScrollDigit?
Marvin and Gordon are working out of 1219 Frederick, with the main objective to find a cost effective, long lasting, stable material to use for the scrolls.  The materials we are using now are not satisfactory from a cost, availability, reliability, color or longevity standpoint. 
Input is welcomed and encouraged from everyone.  Email comments photos, drawings, etc.  
This web page will be used to communicate what we are doing and added to often.
(comments and links will be shown in blue)

Project update

10-13-03 expansion and contraction of .177 Lexan is 1/32" in 8' every 50degree change in temp

7/24/03

We are starting to test the SUB (hard wired and remote) with the 12 (74”high numerals) digits that will go in the QT Atlanta sign.  Any tests or training anyone wants to do, now is the time.  You can also see how the Palm is used to program the control boards and the SUB’s, which is a neat setup.

7/12/3  .

Heat test to 225 in solar oven successful on seemee with SBI ink and on coat of Ronan UV  protective coat and had no sticking of the material, coating, or ink.

6/18/3  Heat testing with uv coating  oven tests to 160 look good on m

4/22/3 Scott and Kendall mentioned some of the  material in the 8' ScrollDigits at QT Platte City are sagging at the top on some of the numbers .  We need to modify these larger width faces or adjust.  Going to check into.

4/22/3 checking into labeling for our signs

4/22/3 Highway 40 and Sterling, manager questioned a cold weather problem.  Cold Weather testing for the scroll

4/19/3   the numbers are not lining up on the test sign on the building.  The sign has run over 10,000 times so is very strong mechanically.  So what is the reason they don't line up?

3/24/3  18" digit test sign installed on the Frederick Building.  Will run it until it breaks, fix it then run it until it breaks again the fix it then....

3-26.03 Palm Programming Guide  sent to Terry Ross and given to Eric the store manager as per Terry's request

3-14-03 finished converting QT Pleasant Valley from switch control to radio control using the new index wheel and sensor mountings.

Loves Saint Joe, MO High-rise in action programmed from inside the store.

Before Loves opened on  3-4-3 we:  

Changed a spring in the field by removing scroll, showing it can be done and not all that difficult. (with 2 people)
Changed all the index wheels to the new idler mount wheel with more resolution

2-26-3  Now it will run until Hell Freezes over (maybe not that long but for a long time).  Has over 6000 total transitions and is ready to put in the filed.  Very solid.

2-26-3  AT 2600 transitions the spring stopped functioning properly and is going to be checked out today and put back into test.

2-25-3  At 1800 transitions a set screw  holding one of the sprockets worked its way out and had to be reinstalled.  Used loc-tight but are going to change the way the attachment is made on future units 

2-24-3The small scroll is now using many of the same components (motor, chain, sprocket, and idler-index wheel assembly). It transitioned 1000 times with no problem and the material stayed tight as a drum head and tracks like a dream. Started it for another round, this time 2000. Marvin and Roger are going to put three units in one of the illuminated signs we have here and run it some more outside.

 Gary has a good point.  The next three units we put together will have the motor mouted inside the frame and will lower the profile about 1 1/2 inch from a 5" spread between numbers to a 3 1/2" spread.  Photos later.

2-25-3  Gary Robertson wrote "First off, congratulations.  Glad to see the new mechanics coming together.
The motor mount leaves  me with a question, however.  It appears that the motor is above the top channel.  Is this the final mounting intent?  Does the sign frame allow for this?  I was under the impression that for clearance reasons the motor had to fit within the top channel."

1-30-3 QT Platte City  now run with the Palm Control from inside the store.  

1/15/03 Modules and with baffles go into sign

Installing film so it minimizes the wrinkles is important

01/11/03 Extensions have to be welded on each of the 24 tubes, adjustments cut and added to the top of the frame and the face of the frames trimmed 4" before the new material can be installed

01/10/03   Here they are -  running our 8' material - should be done by next Monday night.

In order to print the material for the Loves we slit the 12.5' film to 8'.  This kept from wasting several thousand sq ' of material.  The remaining 4' can be used for smaller ScrollDigits.    Marvin, Zack and  Roger built a heck of a splitter! 1-10-3 the digital printing started.

1-06-03 Gary signed off on the operation of the system on the modules in the shop.  The electronics and software are going into the field as soon as we get the Loves modules ready, then to the QT KC locations.

 Gary and Jeff sure did a good job getting this system together and ready to go .

The customer interface seems real easy to use - up to 4 prices - the main screen will show the existing prices - if the system is ok and other neat stuff  (good interim until the proprietary controller is finished)

Read the ScrollDigit Palm Program User’s Guide

We are going to use numerals that are 91"x43" instead of the 83"x36" we had in the Zanesville sign. John would like to use a 2x1 ratio form now on.

Jeff will have the software for the Palm to run the 2F2P displays on 12-29-02, according to Gary.  This will be tested on 12 large modules before being installed in the field.

Status of QT ScrollDigits in KC
   1-  Highway 40, Independence 2 SF 18" canopy Palm Controller, SeeMee Material
    2- North Oak Traffic Way, KC 2 SF 18" canopy Radio Controller, Strader Material
    3- Platte City 2F 2P, 84" switch controlled, Strader Material 
    4- Pleasant Valley 2F 2P, 84" switch controlled, Strader Material 

Note.  The controls, light blocks and scroll alignment for Platte City and Pleasant valley will be changed to Palm or Radio by the middle of Jan 03

12-12-02

Changed film, removed power supply boxes from the poles covers and installed a Palm controller at QT 40 Hwy in Independence for the two single faced 18" canopy signs

10-20-02 A solution (will be implemented in Platte City and Pleasant Valley) to the tracking is in the alignment of the scrolls.  By toeing them in we have eliminated the problem of dropping into the chains.  This should work for any material we want to run in the signs.

10-15-02

We were able to see first hand the problem with the scroll material at the QT sign in Platte City.

click here for more details

We are now testing the material and trying to determine how to keep it running in the existing signs while we figure the best material and method for future signs

Other Scroll Materials we are testing: 

Melinex, a Dupont Teijin polyester .004 film with Nazdar System 2 ink will work.  This is the method used by Skyline, but we have not found a cost effective production method out of house.  But to date it has a yellow cast when backlit, where the materials we are testing do not.

this shows Skyline modules in unflattering light, taken to show wrinkles. We are assuming this is Melinex .004 type material with Process 2 ink.

10/23/02

Heat box used the first time yesterday. Only heated to 92 so we are going to pump it up with another type heater

10/25/02

Towed in the top of the large scrolls and stopped the dropping material.

Trimmed an inch off the bottom of a QT type module (8')
Ran on track first day, will test more, especially when the heat goes over 100 in the box.  Dropped into the chain after 20 or so runs.

10/28/02

Checked out the scroll signs of ours and Skylines in the KC area to see what is being used in the market color wise.

what the signs in the KC area look like

10/30/02  

SGIA trade show in St. Louis.  Rep for Seemee material claims to have a white backlit material.  Sample looks good

SeeMee material IS white day and backlit with CW lamps. White translucent vinyl on clear is very close Melinex is a close third

11/7/02

Nazdar testing white on Melinex to try for white backlit without yellowing.  Sample back by the end of the month.

11/20/02

Toed in second large sign (1/8") that had the material drop into the chain and it worked its way  back up out of the chain, in 10  runs, without cutting the material.  Now the question is how much toeing is necessary.