Contoured exterior signage made of printed acrylic
Here are some instructions for making a sign out of printed acrylic using your Trotec Laser and JobControl® Vision.
Preparation
Required Material
- Digital Print Series 5/16th in. (8mm) thickness, 24.25" x 49"
- 1/4 Sheet TroGlass Satins pink + Self-adhesive-Film
- 1/4 Sheet TroGlass Color Gloss Fuchsia + Self-adhesive Film
- 1 packet signage wall mounts, (about 1/2" to 1")
Machines Used
* SP3000, 400W and Speedy 400, 100W
* 5" lens and 2" lens
* Acrylic slat table and vacuum table with acrylic grid
Naturally you can produce this pattern (depending on the size) with any machine from the Speedy Laser Engraver series.
Tip
Experiment with different textures and colors from the TroGlass range for different finishes for customers.
Step by step
Step 1: Print and import design
Print the template on 8 mm acrylic and import our laser file into your graphics program. Send the laser contour for the shield with the following print settings to your Trotec laser:
Process mode | Resolution | Cut line |
---|---|---|
Vector Job | 1000dpi | None |
Halftone | Others |
---|---|
Color | Optimized Geometries, Inner Geometries First |
Important: Make sure that in the Corel print window, the color black is already stored in the parameter selection with the process "register marks." This will help you recognize the registration marks later in JobControl®.
Step 2: Laser process printed acrylic
Place the printed acrylic face-up on the acrylic blades in your SP3000. Cover the remaining working surface. The parameters may vary depending on the laser machine used and available laser power:
Laser Parameter | Color | Process | Power (%) | Speed (%) | ppi/Hz |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Registration Marks | Black | Reg Marks | - | - | - |
Cutting | Red | Cutting Co2 | 85 | 2.3 | 20,000 |
Laser Parameter | Passes | Air-Assist | Z-Offset | Advanced |
---|---|---|---|---|
Reg Marks | - | - | - | - |
Cutting | 1 | ON | -2mm | - |
Step 3: Acrylic lettering
To achieve a special three-dimensional effect, the lettering of the sign is glued on colored TroGlass. We cut it with a Speedy 400. To do so, send the logos with the following settings to your Trotec laser.
Process mode | Resolution | Cut line |
---|---|---|
Vector Job | 1000dpi | None |
Halftone | Others |
---|---|
Color | Optimized Geometries, Inner Geometries First |
Tip:
If you attach the lettering freehand without a template, you can also save space by turning the letters and arranging them nested in order to save material.
Step 4: Laser process acrylic lettering
Now place the respective TroGlass sheets on the acrylic grid cutting table in your Speedy 400, cover the rest of the processing surface and cut out the various lettering. The parameters may vary depending on the laser machine used and available laser power:
Color | Process | Power (%) | Speed (%) | ppi/Hz |
---|---|---|---|---|
Red | Cut CO2 | 100 | 1 | 1000 |
Passes | Air Assist | Z-Offset | Advanced |
---|---|---|---|
1 | on | - | - |
Tip:
We have set a framework around the word "Chicago." After the laser process, we secure the letters to the frame with tape so that the entire word can be glued in the perfect alignment.
Step 5: Finishing
For finishing, peel off the protective film on the front of the acrylic shield. First, place the lettering loosely on the sign. If you are satisfied with the orientation, stick each letter one after the other on the acrylic shield. The lettering "Chicago" we place at the end, as soon as the word "jazz club" is fixed. The contour-cut sign made of TroGlass is finished, which you can easily attach to the wall using wall spacers.
Why is TroGlass suitable for this application?
This product line includes a large range of acrylic sheets in a variety of colors, each with different finishes and degrees of transparency. These and a range of other benefits make our "specially developed for laser" acrylic glass the number one choice for eye-catching and creative applications. TroGlass convinces with a very high weather resistance and optimal light scattering and is very easy to work with.
Inspiration
- Illuminate the sign from behind with an LED strip to make it visible even in the dark.
- Create table numbers and name badges for staff to match exterior signage.