Signage plays a crucial role in modern society as a means of communication and serving as a wayfinding tool. Effective signage requires careful consideration of the materials used in its creation. Choosing the right materials ensures that the signage is not only visually appealing but also durable and able to withstand the elements.

Thermoplastics are widely regarded as the preferred choice of engineering materials for manufacturing signage due to their unique characteristics, such as strength, versatility, durability, and cost-effectiveness.

In this article, we are trying to highlight the benefits of using thermoplastics in the signage industry and emphasize their importance in creating impactful and cost-effective signage.

What Are Thermoplastics?

Thermoplastics are a type of plastic that can be repeatedly melted and reshaped without losing their characteristic properties. This versatility makes them a suitable choice for various applications in the signage industry.

Some of the thermoplastics widely used in the signage industry include:

• Acrylic or PMMA: A popular material for signs due to its sturdiness, flexibility, and transparency. It's lightweight and easy to shape and bond, making it great for illuminated signs. It can be painted, printed on, or engraved, and is resistant to UV light, making it suitable for outdoor signs.
• Polycarbonate: A tough and impact-resistant thermoplastic often used in signs that need to withstand natural elements. It can be molded, printed on, or engraved for customization and is great for outdoor signs requiring high visibility. Its high clarity and durability make it a popular choice for safety signs.
• PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride): A thermoplastic material known for its toughness and resistance to impact, chemicals, and weathering. PVC is widely used for outdoor signs that are subjected to demanding industrial conditions.
• PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol): A strong, clear thermoplastic that's resistant to impact, chemicals, and weathering. It's often used for indoor signs and outdoor signs in harsh industrial environments, thanks to its exceptional durability and clarity.
• Aluminium Composite Panels: A thermoplastic material widely used in signage applications due to their durability, lightweight, and versatility. Aluminium composite panels can be easily shaped and formed into various shapes and sizes.
• Polypropylene aka (PP) Corrugated Sheet: A versatile plastic material that is lightweight, strong, chemical and moisture-resistant, recyclable, and easy to customize for various applications.

What Makes Thermoplastics Unique?

The ability of thermoplastics to mold into a wide range of shapes and sizes without losing their characteristic properties is one of the key reasons why they are widely used in the signage industry.

Common Characteristic Properties Include:

1. Strength

   Thermoplastic materials used for signage are known for their remarkable strength, thanks to their high strength-to-weight ratio.

2. Durability

   Engineered thermoplastics are known for their exceptional durability due to their resistance to abrasion, temperature, pressure, and fatigue.

3. Hight Resistance Properties

   Thermoplastics have high temperature resistance, allowing them to withstand extreme heat, making them a great choice for use in kitchens or near furnaces. Their flame resistance makes them an ideal option for signs that may be exposed to potential fire hazards. Thermoplastics also have high levels of chemical resistance, making them well-suited for use in signs that will be exposed to harsh chemicals or in industrial environments.

   
   

4. Waterproof & Moisture-Repellence

   Thermoplastics are highly resistant to water and are not affected by humidity. These properties make them an ideal choice for signs and displays that are exposed to water or humidity.

5. Printing Flexibility

   Thermoplastics offer great printing flexibility due to their compatibility with a variety of printing methods, including UV-cured inks, screen printing, digital printing, and offset printing.

6. Cost-Effectiveness

   Thermoplastics are often less expensive than other materials such as metals and offer a more affordable option for creating custom signs.

7. Lightweight & Design Flexibility

   Thermoplastics are light in weight and can be easily shaped and formed into complex geometries, allowing for more creative and unique sign designs. Also, these materials are available in a wide range of colors and finishes, which allows for a wide range of design options.

   
   

8. Ease of Maintenance & Cleaning

   Thermoplastic sheets can be easily wiped down and cleaned with a simple cleaning solution and a soft cloth. This helps to ensure that the sign remains visually appealing and in good condition for a long time.

9. Sustainability

   Even though all thermoplastics are not sustainable and eco-friendly, polycarbonate and PETG can be recycled and are commonly used in the signage industry.

Common Applications of Thermoplastics in Signage

Thermoplastic materials are ideal for various signage applications, including but not limited to:

• Thermoformed Sign Faces: Acrylic and polycarbonate sheets that are modified for impact resistance have excellent thermoforming properties, making them ideal for creating sign faces.
• Channel Letters: Acrylic and polycarbonate are commonly used to create the front faces of channel letter signs due to their ease of fabrication using standard woodworking tools like CNC saws and routers.
• Restaurant Menu Boards: Restaurant menu boards can be illuminated either from the back or the front. They are often printed on polycarbonate films specifically designed to diffuse LED hot spots.
• Outdoor Signs: Due to their durability and resistance to weathering, ACP panels are commonly used for outdoor signs, including billboards, building signs, and monument signs.
• Retail Displays: ACP panels are lightweight, easy to shape and can be printed on, making them ideal for creating displays and visual merchandising systems in retail environments.
• Point of Purchase (POP) Displays: PETG is a lightweight, durable and versatile plastic that can be easily shaped and formed into various shapes and sizes, making it ideal for creating POP displays.
• Indoor Signs: PETG is a popular choice for making indoor signs, such as directional signs, wayfinding signs and branding signs in commercial and institutional spaces.
• Trade Show Displays: Flexible and thin, PVC is widely used to create rollable pop-up displays and trade show exhibits based on truss structures.
• Vehicle Graphics: Polypropylene aka PP corrugated sheet is a popular thermoplastic material used to make vehicle graphics due to its durability and resistance to moisture and chemicals.

Abstract

Thermoplastics are a vital ingredient in the signage industry. They have exceptional customizability, durability, and cost-effectiveness, and can easily be molded into a variety of shapes and sizes. Thermoplastic can withstand exposure to harsh weather conditions, high temperatures, and chemicals.

Above all, they are often less expensive than other materials such as metals, making them a cost-effective option for creating high-quality signage. Whether you're looking to create outdoor signage, indoor displays, or wayfinding signs, thermoplastics offer an affordable and reliable solution.

What Blue Rhine Offers?

Being the leading supplier of signage materials in the GCC region, Blue Rhine offers an extensive range of thermoplastics such as acrylic, polycarbonate, PVC, PETG, and many others in various colors, sizes and thicknesses. Let us know your project details so that our signage experts can help you decide the type of materials that is just ideal for your project requirements.