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Impact Vehicle Signs Question
OK heres the deal, few years back I use to make my own vehicle templates slowly building up a collection of .Ai files. When I sold all my equipment I did with the computer also as I never thought I would be back in the game..
To build it up again would take a while and I only had a handful of vehicles that came my way as I templated as I got the projects. Very time consuming and not accurate.Heres the question. I have just brought IVO from impact (genuine copy). Can anyone confirm if older templates have been reworked and updated as I have seen some comments in the past questioning accuracy. Some saying way off??etc
Now I know its partially impossible to get exact measurements unless the vehicles where 3d scanned and lots of vehicles have slight variations anyhow. I know making these outlines can be handwork and I appreciate this so accuracy is something I would measure and double check as per install. What Im a little worried about is hearing these claims that some are way off.. Either way I brought the product so I guess my question does not matter but I would love to know from the good fold from UKSB and Impact. Im curious 🙂
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8 Replies
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no vehicle outline library is 100% accurate. but i would say Impacts is the closest you will get.
why does it need to be exact, what is it you are trying to use it for?
Our company creates its own vehicle chevron kits in-house, so we know just how difficult it is to get a template correct.
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That was my point also Rob I was just worried that I have read in the past on here that some have been way out and wondered thats all.
I even pointed out the same fact you made in the question. I just dont want to be throwing money down the toilet.
I have a Q7 I want to wrap 🙂 -
The idea of templates is to use it as a guide.
for designing van graphics it is perfect just as long as you aren’t designing hard against the guide lines which really shouldn’t be the case anyway.
wrap designing again should be used as a guide. but also keep in mind a full wrap design should be done with the text overlaying the complete wrap. i.e. cut vinyl fitted on top of the wrap after its applied. not all but the main text or graphics where they follow the body shape lines.
chevron kits are different kettle of fish, altogether… they require ACCURATE lines but regardless to how accurate a template is, the flat image visual cannot compensate for the body curves, recesses etc.
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Cheers Rob some good advise thanks. Do you know if its true impact maybe releasing a chevron template guide. not installed any yet but I hear the vinyl is brittle and tricky?
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i do not know if they are, but its a very time consuming process and our guys are quick at it. yet can still spend a day or two on doing just the rear of a single van. digitising… producing, laying it up as an actual job, then tweaking and repeating full process multiple times until correct.
wm smiths have a vast library of vehicle templates in house and provide the complete service so you are basically handed the job pre-cut and ready to apply. this is because reflective vinyl like 3M diamond grade cannot be cut in a regular plotter. must be done on a flat-bed plotter, then edge sealed after.
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I gave up using vehicle outline library’s over 10 years ago. Now I just take a picture of the vehicle and a few critical measurements, then scale it up on the computer. Much more accurate and I find that the vehicles change so much that the library’s are soon out of date anyway. You will also find the same vehicles with rubber bump/trim strips that are not on all models so you don’t have to worry about any minor differences as you photo is of the actual vehicle you will be working on.
Simples 😀 -
Thanks Mike. Yes that’s how I use to do them. Reason for buying IVO was basically to show customers that may call in a job so on site visit I can show a sample. I would alternately take a photo etc as you said.
Cool first name by the way Mike
Cheers Mike 😉
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first vehicle outline disk I had was an ingram disk & I wasn’t impressed with it at all, sizes seemed to be way out so it got very little use. I bought the impact disk after seeing good reviews about it on here & have to say it’s miles better than the one I originally had.
I’ve also worked the way Mike does by photographing the actual van but that isn’t always convenient so generally I will work from the impact cd.
I have a notebook that I use to record the actual dimensions in on each type of van when it comes in to have livery fitted so if I have a job to do that is very close to the edge of panels I just check the notebook for sizes.
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