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Graphic Overlays are a thin film that is printed as the top layer of a product. They’re oftentimes decorative in design and help to provide a sense of functionality to a product. They’re attached to the top, viewing surface and are oftentimes used to provide a sense of direction, as well as used as a form of company promotion as they usually implement the product’s name, or the company’s logo. Because of Graphic Overlay’s different functionalities, they’re used in several different industries across the board including health care, business, construction, electronics, and so on.
Design Mark offers a variety of overlay materials with thickness ranging from 7 mil to 30 mil. Selecting the graphic overlay material depends on the end user application and the environment in which it will be used, including exposure to sunlight and chemicals. Cost is also a consideration. Polycarbonate and polyester are the most commonly used materials for graphic overlays.
Also known as PETG or Lexan, polycarbonate overlays are easy to die cut, print, and texture. However, they may show signs of wear after 100,000 actuations. If the environment is subject to chemicals, a hard coat should be used for protection. Polycarbonate overlays are optically clear at any thickness and provide a crisper emboss. Polycarbonate is lower in cost than polyester. Most users prefer the look of polycarbonate overlays versus polyester.
This material is thinner and more resilient. It shows no sign of wear after 1,000,000 actuations. It also has superior resistance to chemicals and harsh environments. Polyester is more expensive than polycarbonate. (This material is perfect for industrial graphic overlays.)
For graphic overlay, there usually will do embossing for the keys, which can help the operator to quickly determine the position of the button, make the button feeling better, and also make the product more design and three-dimensional.
The key embossing is to do embossed for the key area with a drum press on the graphic layer. This method has strict temperature and pressure requirements based on the natural and convex-concave characteristics of the material.
Key Advantages:
| Visual Representation | Item Name | Graphic Overlay |
|---|---|---|
|
Drawing format | CAD / AI / CDR file |
| Material | PC / PET / Lexan | |
| Surface finish | Glossy or matte | |
| Size | Customized to requirements | |
| Color | CMYK, Pantone color | |
| Printing | Silkscreen printing / 4C offset printing | |
| Button Style | Flat, Embossing | |
| Dome type | Metal dome or polydome | |
| Adhesive Layer | 3M467 / 3M468 / 3M9448 etc. |
Packaging: Customized mainly according to customer requirements, or 50pcs/100pcs per OPP bag, protected with bubble cushioning film, and packed into thick durable export cartons.
Shipping: Worldwide air express delivery via DHL, UPS, FedEx, TNT, or safe ocean freight shipping.
