Glossary
Materials
used for structure
Mild steel - standard material used for frames, internal constructions. To prevent corrosion, different zinc processes can be used: cold zinc treatment, hot deep zinc bath, zinc galvanization. It can be also protected with anti-corrosive paints.
Reinforced steel - steel enriched with additional elements. It is used for anchors and fixings.
Stainless steel - steel enriched with elements preventing surface from corrosion. It is used usually when frames are not covered with other materials and placed in very demanding environment, e.g. seashore, industrials zones. It is used also for aesthetical reasons.
Aluminium - structures use for rather small products, it is very convenient, but its resistance to strains generates costs.
used for covers
Aluminium - most common material, easy for working, resistant to environmental conditions.
Acrylic - plastic material, very often used for illuminated letters and logos, names. It can be opaque, translucent or transparent. Some products are impact resistant, some are suitable for thermoforming, have special light abilities. It is used for covers of smaller products.
Galvanized steel - material used for economic reasons, not popular in signage because of its sensibility to environmental conditions
Vinyl - called flex face, is used when very long or big surface has to be homogenously illuminated. It requires special aluminum tension systems, what disables it for small products.
ACM - Aluminum Composite Material, made of two thin aluminum layers and polyethylene core between them. It is lighter than aluminum, its surface looks more elegant but has limitations - cannot achieve as many shapes as aluminum, cannot be welded.
used for finish
Foil - adhesive materials used for simple graphics, non-illuminated logos, sometimes for color changing. It can be applied for all sorts of covers. Can be opaque, translucent, easy for thermoforming, used as a medium for digitally printed graphics.
Paint - is used for changing color of cover materials, paints can be based on polyurethane or water base. It can be applied in many different processes.
Powder - is used for changing color of cover materials, only aluminum or steel. Application process is complicated but gives very mechanically resistant surface.
used for illumination
Neon tubes - first light sources used in signage. It can have many forms, extremely durable (red, fulfilled with neon gas can last even 30 years). Because of mercury used for production and high voltage necessary it is getting less and less popular.
Fluorescent tubes - very convenient, energy-friendly, mass produced product. Standard tubes have short lifetime and can is fragile to shock. They are produced as straight tubes with few lengths only, so have many shape and homogeneity limitations.
LED-s - Light emitting diodes, extremely energy-friendly, no shape limitations, do not contain mercury, its lifetime is extended by producers continuously. It is the future of illumination.
used for packing
Bubble foil - basic material used for enveloping all the products.
Card box - basic material (together with bubble foil) for protecting the surfaces from small shocks. Used for products with acrylic elements or long distance aluminum/ACM transportation
Polystyrene - used for better shock protection (together with card box and bubble foil), put inside the card boxes.
Polyurethane foams - used for shock protection of fragile elements (together with card box and bubble foil). It takes products shape
and is very effective.
Wooden crate - used for extremely long transport, usually combined with other packing elements.
