THERMOFORMING vs. PHOTOPOLYMER

ORIGINBefore OF use RAW by sign fabricatorsMATERIALS

We compared materials used to create a 1/8” thick Tactile THERMOFORMED ADA sign (.118” Plaskolite/Optix brand clear extruded acrylic) against a 1/8” thick PHOTOPOLYMER ADA sign (NovAcryl/PT-118 brand clear photopolymer sheet). This A comparison between raw sheet materials for comparison highlights the manufacturing steps required to create THERMOFORMING vs. PHOTOPOLYMER. and ship an unprocessed sheet of each base material prior to starting any sign manufacturing. Environmental impacts of each raw material have not been calculated. However, follow each material lifecycle to make your own determinations.

Optix Clear Extruded Optix Clear Extruded Acrylic .118” is placed on Mechanical extrusion of pallets and shipped to Manufactured PMMA resin pellet, gloss distribution outlets PART 1 entirely in the both sides with Paper around the USA. Ready USA. or Vinyl protective for purchase by liners on both sides. OPTIX .118” CLEAR GLOSS ACRYLIC SHEET Thermoformed ADA extruded to 48”x96” size at PLASKOLITE Sign Fabricators. FACTORY, COLUMBUS, OHIO, USA RAW sheet ready for thermoforming proce NovAcryl PT-118 Photopolymer VYVAK .118” CLEAR MATTE PETG/UV SHEET co-ex- Mechanical co-extru- truded and trimmed to sion of PETG resin pellet Pallet shipped to Bryan, PART 1 Ohio for assembly. 19”x25” size at and U/V block layer, 160 Miles PLASKOLITE FACTORY, stippled matte surface. COLUMBUS, OHIO, USA

Mechanical co-extrusion of QC and packaged in Shipped by export VESSEL Proprietary mechanical photosensitive gel resin to opaque light proof vinyl from OSAKA, JAPAN to PHOTOPOLYMER LAYER for blending of multiple 0.034” solid photopolymer bags of 10-20 sheets CALIFORNIA, USA then by PART 2 export TOYOBO FACTORY polyamide photopoly- layer between two each, boxed, labeled, freight to BRYAN, OHIO Total mer resins for – OSAKA, JAPAN protective, removable sheets crated and shipped to transport sea & land – extrusion. of 0.005”clear Mylar. Port of Osaka. 7,500 miles

Shipped by export VESSEL VYLON CHEMICAL ADHE- Proprietary base VYLON from OSAKA, JAPAN to URETHANE liquid adhesive CALIFORNIA, USA then by PART 3 SIVE for export TOYOBO is manufactured, bottled freight to BRYAN, OHIO Total FACTORY – OSAKA, JAPAN and crated for export. transport sea & land – (energy usage unknown) 7,500 miles

Imported masterbatch of VYVAK PETG/UV is fed TOYOBO PHOTOPOLYMER VYVAK PETG/UV is removed VYLON Urethane liquid VYLON coated PETG/UV is face up into VYLON LAYER is uncrated, removed from pallets, protective liner adhesive is prepared by placed on racks in properly NovAcryl Photopolymer coating applicator(s) from boxes and light over MATTE & U/V side and blending and reducing with ventilated dust-free drying Sheet is assembled at a speed that blocking bags. One side of PART 4 cleaned in preparation for solvents, including M.E.K. rooms for 24 hours to allow allows for universal Mylar protective sheet is at A&V FACTORY, BRYAN, VYLON Urethane liquid and TOULENE before being for outgassing and level coating at removed in preparation for adhesive application. loaded into coating pre-curing. OHIO specified viscosity. mechanical laminating. applicator.

Mechanical VYLON coated PETG/UV sheet is fed into Assembled NovAcryl After curing, PT-118 NovAcryl PT-118 laminator(s) are mechanical laminator where it is first PT-118 sheets are sheets are placed in Photopolymer is placed on prepared by adding coated with soft water activator before placed on drying light blocking black pallets and shipped to soft water to use meeting the exposed side of TOYOBO racks to cure in bags (5 sheets p/bag) distribution outlets around as adhesive and PHOOPOLYMER LAYER and LAMINATED with climate-controlled and loaded into the USA. Ready for purchase polymer sheet minimal roller pressure to allow for rooms or 48-72 pizza-style printed by Photopolymer ADA Sign activator. polymer migration into VYLON layer. hours. boxes and sealed. Fabricators. RAW sheet ready for photopolymer proce THERMOFORMING vs. PHOTOPOLYMER

PROCESSSign manufacturingCOMPARISON

THERMOFORMING PROCESS PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4 PART 5 PART 6

Prepare CNC Text & Prepare Heat-Press Cool-Press Finishing Artwork Braille Materials Plate Plate Touches 7 - 10 minutes 1 minutes 3 minutes 3 minutes Ai SIGN

Artwork is prepared The file is set up on a The routed laminate is All materials are Immediately after After cooling the as an Illustrator file router which taken to the heated to around Heat-Press, all materials plate is sent to the which is then engraves the thermoforming press 350° at 5+ tons of are moved to the router to be cut to its converted to a file artwork onto a piece where it is prepped by pressure psf. This cooling platen of the final shape(s). that a CNC machine of 1/16" Laminate filling the voids with a heat and pressure press. All materials are can read lube agent and acrylic melt the granular and cooled to around 75° to *Thermoformed granular. It is then laid permanently fuse it to 90° under 5+ tons of parts are now up right into the press the acrylic plate. pressure psf. Cooling all ready for with the 1/8" acrylic materials under decorating plate paced on top. All pressure eliminates pieces are inserted *Thermoforming warping of finished into the press with a p/ft2 requires 0.12 product. CNC laminate piece of reusable KWh and no other material is discarded. sacrifice laminate additive for disposal material on top (like a sandwich). *Closed loop water cooling pump, 240V 3ph

PHOTOPOLYMER PROCESS PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4 PART 5 PART 6 PART 7 PART 8 PART 9 PART 10

Prepare Print Film Apply Film Expose Plate Wash Plate Dry Plate Expose Plate Doming Tool Clear Coat Finishing Artwork Negative Negative (Again) Touches

8 - 15 minutes 1 minute 4 - 6 minutes 5 minutes 10 - 20 minutes 15 minutes 2 - 5 minutes 2 - 5 minutes Ai SIGN SIGN

Artwork is prepared Print sign design on Film negative must be Plate and film are Film is removed and Plate gets moved to a Plate must be Braille must be domed All raised text and After painting, the as an Illustrator file film negative using aligned to raw exposed to UV light. discarded. Plate gets dryer area. Plate must exposed to light for with an orbital flap braille must be plate is sent to the which is then Epson printer. photopolymer sheet UV light hardens the moved to the be completely dried to its final cure. This is sander to achieve painted with a UV router to be cut to its converted to a film (plate). Film Negative polymer layer of the washing area. Plate is stop the etching the final step in the domed braille. If this inhibitor to prevent final shape(s). that a film printing and NovAcryl PT-118 material. washed and scrubbed process. Orbital X Processing step is not completed, continued erosion, machine can read. Photopolymer material in heated water. machine. braille will have flat failure and are inserted into All unexposed areas tops. * Photopolymer * These UV bulbs discoloring. Orbital X Processor of polymer layer get parts are now contain mercury, exposure area. washed away to ready for which after * This step is * This step is reveal the hardened decorating. prolonged exposure REQUIRED for REQUIRED to text and braille. can cause serious domed braille prevent failure damage to the * Photopolymer central nervous p/ft2 requires 0.30 system optic organ KWh + 1.0 gallons of fresh water to process and stay OSHA Compliant for acceptable effluent percentage to drain into public water sewage systems THERMOFORMING vs. PHOTOPOLYMER

DESIGNWhat thermoforming CAPABILITIES can do

LUXE ENVIROMENTS SURFACE TEXTURES

RAW-PRESSClear acrylic pressed into custom shapes & sizes with Enrich your design with 20+ ADA compliant text and grade II braille. Laminate surface textures. Designed for sign shops to apply their paint and graphics capabilities in order to meet their end user requirements with a high-quality solution.

SURE-PRESSSingle piece of clear acrylic molded under extreme heat and immense pressure combined with unlimited top-surface design and aesthetic possibilities yielding a visually stunning piece with maximum durability.

ThisFLEX-PRESS revolutionary new technology enables 1/8” thick, fully-flexible ADA sign for curved wall spaces or regulated environments where rigid sign materials are detrimental. Correctional institutions & behavioral health facilities can eliminate perilous, rigid sign material utilizing FLEX-Press, ensuring a safe environment while still being code compliant.

BETTER THAN PHOTOPOLYMER DESIGN EQUIVALENT THERMOFORMING FEATURES PHOTOPOLYMER ECO-PRESS Thickness from 1/32" - 2" Multiple Thicknesses Thickness from 1/32" - 1/2" Created from 100% post-consumer recycled waste, Rounded shoulder on these signs can be re-produced with a retro-linoleum look or a top-surface paint treatment for ADA compliant text and icons signs to achieve LEED credits. Rounded or domed braille Only with capabilities doming tool Subsurface graphics Sheet has and paint Yellow Tint

EMBED-PRESSUnprecedented capability to integrate textiles, grasses, Solid one-piece feathers, organics, 3M Di-Noc, digital prints and/or monolithic construction virtually any element (less than 1/2” thick) embedded Raised text & icons thickness into an optically clear, one-piece sign. greater than 1/32" (up to 1/4") Exterior rated for subsurface Must be Clear graphics Coated

20+ surface textures available LUMA-PRESSIntegrate photoluminescence into signs to illuminate dark stairwells and hallways. Top-surface paint and expose illuminated text and pictograms, or tip-screen Paint coat required copy to allow for maximum exposed illumination. Any extruded or cast acrylic, Multiple substrates 2 Suppliers of RAW eco-plastic & solid surface available Sheets in the world METAL-PRESS 1/32" - 1/4" 1/32" raised text & graphics An imperforate applied metal polymer coating over No Toxic Volatile Organic acrylic, to provide a lightweight thermoformed piece embodying all the appealing characteristics of metal. Compounds (VOCs) used Can be made of 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Material

Optically clear material

Can embed custom fabrics, DURA-PRESSMade with colored or clear acrylic, choose from a variety organics & various other materials of sub-surface design details; digitally printed logo, text, pattern and finished on the backside Letters can’t peel off with paint or vinyl. with time Can use integral colors for raised text & graphics Can use integral color THIN-PRESS base materials At 1/32” or 1/16” thick, this bendable and curvy product can (black, white or custom) fit into any curved frame system or be used as a Band-Aid ADA solution.