Plastics

Plastics are used as sheet material for signs, front plates, and front panels and as film material for front films, keyboard films, and labels. Plastics are also used as protective films, laminates, or casting resins.

In most uses, industrial signage made of plastic is less durable than industrial signage made of metal. However, they offer extensive options for variations in material properties, colours, and shapes.

Properties and benefits

1. Virtually unlimited colour options
2. Properties can be influenced by the choice of material
3. Low weight
4. Non-conductive
5. Usually less expensive than metal

Uses

Type plates, rating plates • Brand mark signs, emblems • Scales, gauges, dials • Blanks, die cut parts, functional parts • Barcode signs • Front plates, front panels • Front films, keyboard films • Technical labels • Advertising labels • Security labels • Inscribable labels • Barcode labels • Film lettering • 3D labels

Production methods

Printed, back-printed, engraved, laser inscribed

Materials

1. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), as plasticized PVC film, rigid PVC film, rigid PVC sheets or Formalon^® as engraving material
2. Polyethylene (PE), as destructible security film
3. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), as film
4. Polycarbonate (PC), as film, e.g. Makrofol^® or Lexan^®
5. (other) polyesters, as polyester film or as polyester laminate
6. Polystyrene (PS), as sheets
7. Polyurethane (PU), as destructible security film or as casting resin for 3D labels

Material thickness

0.025 mm to 4.0 mm, depending on material

Surfaces

A wide range of surfaces, depending on material