Standoff systems may, at first appearance, be an industry tool, but once you see one, they become ubiquitous.
支架系统最初只是标识行业的一种工具，一旦你注意到它，你会发现它们无处不在。
“When you become aware of them, you will see them everywhere,” says David Pountney, marketing director of Pizazz Display Systems, a mounting hardware manufacturer in Auckland, New Zealand. “It’s a richer visual experience looking at those than something plain and flat against the wall. It makes them more noticeable.”
新西兰奥克兰的安装硬件制造商Pizazz Display Systems的营销总监David Pountney说：“当你意识到它们的存在时，它们就变得无处不在了，支架系统可以提供一个丰富的视觉体验，在那些平坦的墙壁上，它们可以让标识显得与众不同。”
Standoff systems are mounting components used to mount signage, artwork and exhibits on a wall, creating space between the wall and the object being mounted.
支架系统是用于将标识、艺术品和展品安装在墙壁上的安装部件，它可以在墙壁和正在安装的物体之间创造空间。
“By lifting the panel off the wall, it gives you a visual impact with depth and shadow,” Pountney says. “It’s an elegant, beneficial way of attaching a panel to the wall. That panel will have a graphic image or a text message on it or a combination of both.”
Pountney说：“支架系统可以将原来悬挂在墙面上的图形改造得更加立体，它们可以给你带来具有深度和阴影的视觉冲击效果，这种悬挂方式将显得悬挂物更加高级美观。在相应的面板上会有图形、图像或文字信息，或两者兼而有之。”
Standoff Systems’ Multiple Applications
支架系统的多种应用
Standoff systems have multiple applications and are found in a long list of places, such as offices, lobbies, schools, restaurants, retail outlets, shopping centers, airports, hospitals, universities, casinos, hotels, movie theaters, galleries and museums. They are used as part of shelving systems and displays, serve as signs and directories, enhance donor walls, and exhibit artwork and artifacts from prints to heavier objects like rugs and three-dimensional art.
支架系统有多种应用，可以在很多地方找到，例如办公室、大堂、学校、餐馆、零售店、购物中心、机场、医院、大学、赌场、酒店、电影院、画廊和博物馆等地方。它们被用作置物架和显示屏的一部分，起到加强标识、目录、捐赠墙的目的，并可以展示从印刷品到地毯和立体艺术品等较重物体的工艺品。
“When someone walks into a room or a company’s lobby or headquarters, they kind of scan the area without knowing it,” says Chris Howard, marketing coordinator of Gyford StandOff Systems, a manufacturer of mounting hardware in Reno, Nevada. “A lot of times what they see will add to their overall perception of the quality of the company.”
内华达州里诺市安装硬件制造商Gyford StandOff Systems的市场协调员Chris Howard说：“当有人走进一个房间或公司的大厅或总部时，他们会下意识地浏览一遍该区域的情况，大部分情况下，他们看到的情况就会首先形成他们对这个公司的整体印象。”
That’s because standoffs give a finished and professional look to a sign or display item, Howard says.
霍华德说，这是因为支架系统为标识或展示项目提供了完整而专业的外观。
“It’s a higher level of design,” Howard says. “It definitely looks more professional than just throwing a screw in. They add to the sign and overall look of the space or room you’re in.”
霍华德说：“这是一个更高层次的设计，它比简单的螺丝安装看起来更加专业。它们增加了你所在的空间或房间的标识和整体外观。”
The professional look comes, in part, from the barrel and cap, the mounting device or hardware for the standoff system. The barrel typically is cylindrical in shape and functions as a spacer between the two panels, pushing the second panel out from the first. The cap is on the exterior of the second panel and screws into the threads of the barrel, securing everything into place.
专业外观部分从短管和圆盖体现出来，这是支架系统的组成部分。短管通常是圆柱形的并且用作两个面板之间的间隔件，将第二层与第一层相隔开。圆盖则位于第二个面板的外部，并拧入短管的螺纹中，将所有部件固定到位。
“The cap is what makes it look nice,” says Paul Bernstein, vice-president of Metomic Corporation, a manufacturer of standoff systems in Chicago.
芝加哥支架系统制造商Metomic Corporation的副总裁保罗·伯恩斯坦说：“圆盖让整个支架系统看起来非常美观。”
Holes need to be drilled into both of the panels for the installation—but the printout, sign or display item can be placed between clear pieces of acrylic, Plexiglas or another material to prevent direct drilling, or the item can be made with a clear border for the standoff systems to be installed, Howard says. The caps, which are placed at each corner of the panel, are polished to add to the appearance of the standoff system, he says.
我们必须在两个面板上钻孔以进行安装——但是印刷文件、标识或展示物品可以放置在透明的亚克力材料、树脂材料或是其他材料之间来避免直接在其上面钻孔，也可以制作带有透明边框展示产品来方便支架系统的安装。霍华德说：“为了美化支架系统的外观，安装在面板每个角落的圆盖都经过了抛光处理。”
To add to that polished look, the hardware can be made of stainless steel, aluminum or another material or painted or powder coated to match the sign or other display item.
为了使抛光的外观更加精美，硬件可以由不锈钢、铝或其他材料制成，也可以使用涂漆或粉末涂层对标识或其他展示产品进行改造。
“Standoffs add to the look and feel of a piece,” Howard says. “It really makes it a higher-class type of installation.”
霍华德说：“支架系统提高了一件作品的外观和给人的感觉，它确实是一种更高级别的安装类型。”
The Standoff Materials
制作支架的材料
Hardware made out of stainless steel is optimal for outdoor uses, because it will not rust or tarnish, while aluminum can give the same silver look while carrying less of an expense and, because of its lighter weight, reduces the overall heft of the installation, Howard says.
霍华德表示，由不锈钢制成的硬质材料非常适合户外使用，因为它不会生锈或变色，而铝不仅可以提供相同的银色外观，并能够减少相应的费用，由于其重量更轻，安装的总体重量也随之减少。
“The majority of people are looking for that silver look … after that brass or black anodization,” Howard says, adding that Gyford StandOff Systems carries brass and black anodization in-stock for popular sizes.
霍华德说：“大多数人通常会选择银色的外观，经过阳极氧化处理后的黄铜或黑色外观也是不错的选择。”Gyford StandOff Systems公司可为常用尺寸提供阳极氧化处理后的黄铜和黑色外观。
Clear anodization, which also is popular for mounting hardware, gives the material a shinier look and helps protect from rust and discoloration, Howard says.
本色阳极氧化也是安装硬质材料的常用处理办法，这种处理可以使材料看起来更光亮，有助于防止材料生锈和变色。
“It changes it from a raw piece. It gives it shimmer and shine,” Howard says.
霍华德说：“这种处理使未加工的材料变得闪闪发亮。”
MBS Standoffs in Tampa., Florida, offers a wide range of hardware finishes, such as gold anodized, black anodized, bronze, titanium, pink, champagne, purple and red, says Laure Merminod, sales manager of MBS Standoffs, which specializes in aluminum and stainless steel standoffs.
位于佛罗里达州坦帕市的MBS Standoffs公司可以为各种硬质材料进行光面加工，如金阳极氧化、黑色阳极氧化、青铜、钛、粉色、香槟、紫色和红色等颜色的处理。MBS Standoffs公司专门研究铝质材料和不锈钢支架。
(They) can most definitely help the signs pop out more.
（这些支架材料）可以帮助这些标识变得更加引人注目。
Stand off systems, no matter the color that’s selected, enrich the appearance of a sign and make it more visible, serving as an attention grabber, Bernstein says.
伯恩斯坦说，无论选择哪种颜色的支架系统，都能丰富标识的外观并使标识更加具有吸引力。
“Standoffs take a very, very plain sign and add a whole different dimension to it,” Bernstein says. “They enhance a traditional sign and make it stand out. It’s not an ordinary sign anymore. It becomes something special. It stands out from the crowd. … It allows the sign company to put a single or multiple backings behind the initial sign to add more impact to it.”
伯恩斯坦说：“即使是非常简单的标识，增加了支架系统，也能使标识变得立体起来。它们加强了传统标识的外观，使标识脱颖而出，变得更加特别。增加支架系统的标识更好辨别，并且由于支架的支撑，这种组成系统允许标识公司在原始标识后面放置一个或多个背衬，以加强标识的视觉冲击力。”
Other Uses for Standoffs
关于支架的其他用途
Standoffs have other uses beyond mounting signs on a wall—they can become part of a shelving system, fixture, desk or other piece of furniture, Howard says. They provide the structural aspects of the furnishing with the panels serving as shelves or other surfaces, he says.
霍华德说，支架除了在墙上安装标识外还有其他用途——它们可以作为置物架、固定装置、桌子或其他家具的一部分。在家具方面，支架系统与面板的结合可以起到置物架或是一个平台的作用。
The standoffs can be mounted on a table or counter for a retail display or be used to create multi-level shelves or platforms, also for display uses or to show or store items.
支架可以安装在用于零售产品展示的桌子或柜台上，或者用于创建多层置物架或平台，也可以用于展示或存储物品。
“Instead of going out from the wall, you are going up from a table,” Howard says. “It’s really just a nice way to build anything if you have a good imagination.”
霍华德说：“支架系统不仅能让挂在墙上的标识更加突出，还能从桌面上立起来。出色的想法能够帮助你制造出很多精美的产品。”
The standoffs add a dimensional effect to the displays, while also holding the displays together, Bernstein says.
伯恩斯坦说，这些支架在为显示屏增加了立体效果的同时，也将显示屏牢牢地固定在一起。
They also can be used in multi-panel displays, covering an entire wall with decorative panels, employing a threading rod and the caps to flush the panels directly to the wall, Howard says. The images can be separated or assembled together, he says.
霍华德补充说：“它们还可用于多屏显示器，用装饰面板覆盖整个墙壁，采用螺纹杆和圆盖将面板直接安装到墙壁上，使得这些图像可以随时拆分或组合在一起。”
The result is the panels take on a floating appearance, Merminod says.
Merminod表示，当进行安装之后面板就会呈现“悬空”的状态。
“We offer a cable-and-rod display system primarily used to add a ‘floating’ effect and (that) can be configured to serve as a multi-display holder as well,” Merminod says.
Merminod说：“我们提供的电线和支架展示系统主要用于增加标识的‘悬空’效果，并且可以为多屏显示器提供固定作用。”
Standoff systems work for oversized images, such as magazine covers blown up in size and placed between two large panels without the image bending or wrinkling because of size, Pountney says.
Pountney表示，支架系统适用于超大尺寸的图像。例如，尺寸较大的杂志封面放置在两块大面板之间，不会因尺寸而弯曲或起皱。
Standoffs modernize the look of a sign or display, no matter how they are used, Merminod says.
Merminod说，无论它们如何使用，支架都能使标识或显示屏的外观更加现代化。
“Standoffs are used as an alternative solution to traditional signs as they add a more modern look in an endless array of applications, while remaining affordable, easy to install and maintenance-free,” Merminod says. “There really are endless opportunities and applications for standoffs, which make it a popular product among sign makers and other related industries.”
Merminod说：“支架系统被用作传统标识安装的替代解决方案，因为它们为无数的应用增加了更现代化的外观，同时保持价格合理、易于安装和免维护。支架系统的机会和应用有着很好的未来发展前景，这使其成为标识制造商和其他相关行业的热门产品。”
Pountney has seen standoffs used in other unsuspected places, such as in the assembly of massive Christmas trees and displays mounted on barges, he says.
Pountney能够预见到在其他无法预料的地方使用的支架系统，例如对大型圣诞树进行安装和在船只上安装显示屏。
“There’s millions of ways you can use them. It’s unlimited because it’s people’s imaginations,” Pountney says. “There’s very few businesses that don’t have a use for them. They can be used in homes, too.”
Pountney说：“你可以想到各种各样的方法来使用它们，只有你想不到的，没有它做不到的。很少有企业用不到支架系统，这种支架系统也可用于家庭。”
For instance, posters and prints can be printed on clear acrylic and hung with a standoff system, or frames can be given the system’s three-dimensional effect to add to the visual impact and the décor in the home.
例如，海报和印刷品可以印在透明的亚克力材料上并通过安装支架系统来悬挂在墙上，框架也可以赋予支架系统立体效果，以加强家居用品的视觉冲击力和装饰性。
“It looks fantastic. It’s extra elegant. It’s got a great visual impact. It’s a much more modern way to display graphics,” Pountney says.
Pountney说：“安装了支架系统的标识显得高级又简洁，具有相当好的视觉冲击力。这是一种展示图形更现代的方式。”
Benefits/Drawbacks of Standoffs
支架系统的利与弊
Standoffs have several benefits beyond improving the appearance of the sign or display, such as easy changeability, Howard says. For directories or exhibits, for example, the mounting hardware can be unscrewed and the printout or object can be replaced with another item without requiring new hardware or panels, he says.
霍华德说，支架系统除了改善标识或显示屏的外观之外还有一些其他的好处，例如易于更换。对于更换目录或展品，只需要拧下硬件，使用其他印刷材料对原始材料进行替换即可，不需要更换新的硬件或是面板。
The drawback to the standoff systems is in the price point, because the hardware costs more than the few cents of a screw, Howard says.
支架系统的缺点在于价格，硬件成本比普通螺丝钉贵几美分。
“These things are not sold at Walmart,” Howard says, adding that the average homeowner likely will not pay the higher price to hang a picture, though some will make the investment. “A professional organization will because they want that look.”
霍华德说：“这些东西不会在沃尔玛出售，普通业主不会愿意在悬挂一幅画像上花费过多的资金，当然也有部分人会为了投资而花费这笔钱。一个专业的组织机构可能会因为他们想要这样装饰而花费这笔钱。”
Sign makers can add to their pricing structure from the added cost of production of the mounting systems, Bernstein says.
伯恩斯坦说，标识制造商可以通过增加安装系统的生产成本来增加其定价方案。
“If you’re the best sign maker, you want to give the finest hardware,” Bernstein says. “Our hardware is made out of aluminum. It’s a very durable material. And it gives a nice presentation.”
伯恩斯坦补充说：“如果你是一个优秀的标识制造商，你可以在硬件方面都提供高质量的产品。我们的硬件是用铝材制成的，这是一种非常耐用的材料，它将会呈现出非常良好的展示效果。”
In effect, standoffs make signs and displays more interesting, Pountney says.
Pountney说，实际上，支架系统会使标识和显示屏更有趣。
“You can have multi-layers. You can offset some panels,” he says. “It gives you multi-layering and offsetting capability. It’s a very contemporary way of displaying graphics and texts in all sorts of environments.”
他说：“支架系统可以为你提供多层次的置物面板，也可以随时拿掉这些置物面板，它为你提供了增加和取消的权利。这是一种在各种环境中展示图形和文本的非常现代的方式。”
At the same time, standoffs are a “mundane thing”.
与此同时，支架系统在日常生活中也非常普遍。
“But then it’s basically your imagination,” Pountney says. “What do you want to create? What do you want to do? Standoffs give more creativity.”
Pountney说：“支架系统的作用全看你的创造力。你想创造什么？你想做什么？支架系统将为你提供无限的创新能力。”
