Message/Display Board

The Message/Display Board series comprises LED display panels and control assemblies manufactured by Wanco for variable message sign (VMS) systems. These modules render alphanumeric characters, arrows, and symbols to communicate with motorists in traffic control, construction zone, and roadway management applications.

Most products in this series are 18-inch display boards built around a 5x7 dot matrix LED array, though the series also includes 17-inch full matrix panels for VMS. The panels function as modular display components within larger portable and trailer-mounted message sign systems, typically incorporating onboard microcontrollers, DC-DC power conversion circuitry, and self-test or POST diagnostic routines.

Display Boards and Control Assemblies

The series spans two product types:

• Display Boards — LED panels that serve as the primary visual output, communicating with sign controllers over serial interfaces to display messages and warnings.
• Control Assembly — an NTCIP-compliant variable message sign controller that manages multiple display panels, coordinates motorized sign lift mechanisms, and handles communication for portable work zone signage.

Common end equipment includes arrow boards, portable message signs, and trailer-mounted work zone safety devices used in road construction and traffic management.