Looking for idea input on this outdoor design

[motoguy]

Customer is wanting this sign to be at least 72" x 72". It's an outdoor sign, and future rust is a large concern for them. I'm thinking 3/16" or 1/4" AL for the backer plate, with thinner 1/8" material for the detail on front. If I can get 72" wide sheets of AL from my supplier, the cutting isn't an issue..I can cut them all as single entities. However, my powdercoat booth/oven is only 48x48x72...I won't be able to fit a large, single piece in there to coat. If it can be split, I can coat them myself.

If your customer wanted this design in (at least) 72" x 72" size, rust was a big issue, and you may not be able to cut from a single sheet, how would you go about doing this? I cannot weld AL, but of course I can outsource it. However, I'm concerned about warpage or cleanup after welding (in addition to the issue with not being able to coat the single finished piece).

It will be exterior mounted (customer wants 6-8" off the wall). Since rust won't be an issue with AL, I could use paint instead of powder for it.

Just looking for thoughts. This the first really big sign like this I've come across, which I can't fit in my powder booth. I'm working on a design now, but I'd like to see what you may offer for suggestions. Here is the customer design:

The Kings Academy.jpg

I'm currently thinking of:

The Kings Academy- cut lines.jpg

1) making a large black backer plate, cut in half on some axis (probably vertically. I'll have hangers welded or Weld-Bonded to the rear, and I'll be able to fit this in my oven to coat.
2) front plate white "ring" with text in it, split along the blue line (roughly). Again, I'll be able to get it in my oven and coat. Will adhere to back plate with 3M VHB.
3) split the interior design (between shield and text ring) into 3 pieces, at the yellow lines. Coat, 3M VHB
4) the red shield I should be able to fit from a single plate of 48x96 material.

Not sure what I'll do with the detail on the shield yet. Customer stated they wanted it "all black" for now, but it'd be easy to powder this detail to correct colors. Here is an image of my suggested "cuts":

[stdave66]

Just my first thoughts, if you can cut something that size as one piece do it. You could have someone else powder it for this job. I'm sure you are not excited about taking it to someone else to powder, but that would save a ton of time and trouble you will spend doing it in sections and getting all the pieces attached together and mounted.
If you decide to do it in pieces, I wouldn't have the welder continous weld the seam. I would be afraid of the warpage like you mentioned. I would have them weld small pieces of AL angle on the back at the seam edge. Butt the 2 halves together, and put bolts through. You have the room since it will be spaced away from the wall anyway. As long as the pieces fit tight together, no one will even notice the seam.
I personally wouldn't use paint on this.
As far as the shield, I haven't had my powder guys do anything multicolor yet. I would think that would be tough(and expensive). I would probably powder it black, and if they wanted the red, put red vinyl on top. If I did that I would probably make the shield removable so it could get new vinyl/PC if/when it needs refreshed from fading.