Introduction
Understanding the sign-building process behind your business signage makes it easier to choose the right solution for the right environment. Every Identity Group ADA-compliant sign is built using a three-step process, each with its own specifications. From our patented photopolymer to our patented Alchemy compression tactile solutions, we offer a wide range of tactile and compression technology options.
We use these processes across both our broad line of standard sign options and our custom builds. Each method—applied tactile compression, photopolymer, and thermoformed—produces a slightly different finished product. Here is what separates each one and where each one fits.
What you need to know:
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Applied Tactile Signs
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Photopolymer Signage
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Thermoformed Signage
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Choosing the Right ADA Sign Compression Process
1. Applied Tactile Signs
Applied tactile signs are a more cost-effective sign development option built through compression technology. Laser-cut text and braille beads are adhered to a sign substrate selected by the client. The result is an ADA-compliant sign with strong visual presence and durability.
With Alchemy tactile, you can exceed your ADA business requirements without sacrificing design. Our proprietary compression process fully fuses text and graphics in standard and custom colors, metal, or real wood across a wide range of substrates. With three varying compression technologies available, your ADA sign solutions stay flexible.
Applied tactile signs are:
- Permanently fused through compression
- Available in standard or custom colors using process-cured ink
- Vandal resistant
- Compatible with integral metal text or graphics
- Water resistant
Other fabrication techniques we use include:
- Laser fabrication
- Injection molding
- Digital, offset, and direct-to-substrate printing
- Die and water jet cutting
- Photopolymer tactile processing
- Metal, wood, and plastic fabrication
2. Photopolymer Signage
The second type of compression signage uses photopolymer technology. A photopolymer sign starts as a digital image, which is converted to a negative, transferred to a photopolymer sheet, exposed to ultraviolet light, washed, dried, and exposed again to lock in the sign content.
Photopolymer signs are typically:
- Durable
- One-piece construction
- Vandal resistant
- Built with a face-painted base
- Back painted or direct digital printed
- Finished with paint-tipped or foil-stamped tactile elements
- ADA compliant when using tactile, including:
- ADA fonts
- Grade 2 braille
With IdG's patented photopolymer process, acrylic signs are compressed with raised text and braille beads. Compared to competitor processes, which are often less environmentally friendly, IdG's photopolymer process is more cost-effective and uses recycled material.
Production begins with a digital design built to client specifications. The image is reversed so it appears backward on the production sheet but reads correctly through the finished sign. The lettering starts out black because color is added at the very end, when the clear film is applied. Multiple signs from the same order are processed together on a single sheet before the final clear film step completes the sign.
3. Thermoformed Signage
Thermoformed signs are a durable, reliable, and vibrant way to display information, especially under ADA sign regulations. The compression technology is similar to applied tactile and photopolymer solutions, but the molding process sets it apart. Thermoformed signs use a custom mold to create raised copy, symbols, and braille.
Thermoformed signs offer:
- Indoor or outdoor use
- High durability
- Two base options:
- 10 UV-stable solid colors, or non-glare
- Acrylic with direct digital print or back painted
- Permanent fusing through compression
- Cured ink process
- Water resistance
- Vandal resistance
- One-piece construction
- Bonded substrate braille
Built to be completely vandal-proof, these signs are produced by pressing acrylic into a custom-routed mold. The tactile copy and braille are permanently embedded into the acrylic and cannot be removed. Compared to other sign types, thermoformed compression signs deliver a richer, more textured finish.
With IdG's proprietary compression process, you can produce fully fused text and graphics on metal, wood, or any substrate in custom colors. Our thermoforming process delivers signs that meet ADA regulations and reinforce the wayfinding aesthetic of any building.
4. Choosing the Right ADA Sign Compression Process
ADA-compliant business signage is no longer optional. Regardless of your industry or how many buildings you own, your facilities need to meet ADA requirements. Custom ADA signs deliver a better experience for visitors and employees, and they reinforce your brand at every touchpoint.
Each compression process serves a different purpose:
- Applied tactile is the most cost-effective option, ideal for high-volume programs and standard finishes.
- Photopolymer delivers a clean, integrated look with one-piece construction and strong design flexibility.
- Thermoformed is the most durable, vandal-resistant option with a premium textured finish for premium environments.
Identity Group, based in Nashville, TN, has everything you need to set your business apart with ADA signage that performs.