Traffic Signing
Visibility for the life of the roads
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Road infrastructure should provide maximum driving comfort and safety by making the road visible and providing information guidance during day and night. Older drivers need more time and light to read signs and make decisions compared with other drivers, whilst truck drivers, spending many hours on the road, are sitting much higher above the headlights of their vehicle. This means that for the traffic sign to remain visible, the cone of reflected light has to be much wider.
The first retro-reflective sheeting on the market was based on glass beads with a reflective coating behind these beads. The resulting optics returned 6 to 8% of the incident headlight towards the light source. But 75 years later technology has enabled this to be almost 10 times better. Since micro prismatic technology was born, traffic signs have experienced continuous improvements. The use of tougher polymers also generates more durable and weather resistant retro-reflective films.
- In addition to improved retro-reflectivity 3M’s prismatic reflective sheeting materials offers a number of environmental benefits over glass beaded sheeting with a 97% reduction in volatile organic compounds, a 77% decrease in energy consumption and a 46% decrease in solid waste during the manufacturing process.
Featured Product:
3M™ Diamond Grade™ DG³ Reflective Sign Sheeting
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Outsmart the dark.
DG³ sheeting is our top-of-the-line reflective sign sheeting. With nearly twice the reflectivity of our lower-grade signage material, 3M Diamond Grade Sheeting helps create more visible signs, and more visible signs have been shown to cut nighttime accidents by up to 46%.*
Learn more about 3M™ Diamond Grade™ DG³ and how it compares to other sheeting types on our next page.
*Ripley, D.A, Howard R. Green Company, ITE AB04H313, Quantifying the Safety Benefits of Traffic Control Devices - Benefit-Cost Analysis of Traffic Sign Upgrades, 2005 Mid-Continent Transportation Research Symposium Proceedings.
What is an effective sign?
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An effective and efficient sign attracts drivers' attention day and night. At night drivers require the right level of brightness, while during the day, colour and contrast are critical. For high risk and accident zones, such as school zones and road works areas the use of fluorescent colours improves day time visibility.
How important are brighter signs at night? A study from the University of Iowa found a direct relationship between a sign’s brightness and a driver’s ability to see the sign and its message. Study participants were able to read and understand brighter signs substantially faster. This study suggests that brighter signs require less eyes-off-the-road time, leaving drivers more focused on the task of driving—an especially important advantage when driving at night.
CE Marking
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CE Marking is a declaration by the manufacturer (through third party verified testing) that the product meets all the appropriate provisions of the relevant legislation implementing specific European Directive(s).
CE Marking provides companies easier access into the European market to sell their products without adaptation or rechecking.
Since 2009, all 3M types of retro-reflective sheetings have complied with European construction product regulations. The CE mark and additional product information (lot number and durability) is embedded as a watermark in the retro-reflective sheeting.
Extended Warranty
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Get peace of mind
We are firmly committed to providing innovative safety solutions designed to maximize visibility and safety on the road.
As part of this commitment we offer an Extended Warranty on all permanent traffic signs through our network of Approved Traffic Signmakers who are audited and accredited annually by 3M Technical Service Specialists.
Our 3M Approved Traffic Signmakers are authorised to provide the benefits of the 3M Extended Warranty for Permanent Traffic Signs to their customers. These Approved Signmakers undergo training and an annual audit process as well as being subject to rigorous 3M manufacturing guidelines.
Digital Signing Making Process
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Digital technology is already revolutionising sign making by offering speed, flexibility and quality of print that can't be matched by traditional methods. 3M has been at the forefront of pioneering this technology in collaboration with major printer manufacturer Durst. Signs can be produced in less steps with less waste than traditional production methods and conform to all requirements.
All of 3M's micro-prismatic sheeting products are suitable for digital printing, using our specially developed inks. It is possible to print large areas of solid colour, and transparent colour of very specific hues that are permanent in all weathers.
Digital printing permits speed, ease-of-use and print-on-demand with the option of nesting signs to eliminate waste, and opens up new opportunities for signmakers to offer innovative and one-off designs more easily.
Product Categories
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3M™ Diamond Grade™ DG³ Reflective Sheeting 3M™ Diamond Grade™ DG³ Reflective Sheeting3M™ Diamond Grade™ DG³ Reflective Sheeting
3M Diamond Grade DG³ Reflective Sheeting satisfies or surpasses the criteria required for all the performance classes including RA2 and existing Class 3.
Full cube corner optics mean that more light is reflected back to the driver than with any other sheeting.
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3M™ High Intensity Prismatic Reflective Sheeting 3M™ High Intensity Prismatic Reflective Sheeting3M™ High Intensity Prismatic Reflective Sheeting
3M High Intensity Prismatic (HIP) Reflective Sheeting is designed for use on permanent and temporary road signs and delineators in rural road situations.
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3M™ Engineer Grade Prismatic Reflective Sheeting 3M™ Engineer Grade Prismatic Reflective Sheeting3M™ Engineer Grade Prismatic Reflective Sheeting
3M Engineer Grade Reflective Sheeting meets the specification for Class RA1. It’s the material of choice for general signing that is less critical for road users, such as street name plates and parking plates.
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Sign Making Components Sign Making ComponentsSign Making Components
Any sign is only as good as its weakest component so we have developed printing inks, functional overlay films and application tapes that are compatible with all our reflective sheeting, and will maximise the performance of the final road signs.
Product Categories
-
3M™ Diamond Grade™ DG³ Reflective Sheeting
3M Diamond Grade DG³ Reflective Sheeting satisfies or surpasses the criteria required for all the performance classes including RA2 and existing Class 3.
Full cube corner optics mean that more light is reflected back to the driver than with any other sheeting.
-
3M™ High Intensity Prismatic Reflective Sheeting
3M High Intensity Prismatic (HIP) Reflective Sheeting is designed for use on permanent and temporary road signs and delineators in rural road situations.
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-
3M™ Engineer Grade Prismatic Reflective Sheeting
3M Engineer Grade Reflective Sheeting meets the specification for Class RA1. It’s the material of choice for general signing that is less critical for road users, such as street name plates and parking plates.
-
Sign Making Components
Any sign is only as good as its weakest component so we have developed printing inks, functional overlay films and application tapes that are compatible with all our reflective sheeting, and will maximise the performance of the final road signs.
-
Product Categories
-
3M™ Diamond Grade™ DG³ Reflective Sheeting
3M Diamond Grade DG³ Reflective Sheeting satisfies or surpasses the criteria required for all the performance classes including RA2 and existing Class 3.
Full cube corner optics mean that more light is reflected back to the driver than with any other sheeting.
-
-
3M™ High Intensity Prismatic Reflective Sheeting
3M High Intensity Prismatic (HIP) Reflective Sheeting is designed for use on permanent and temporary road signs and delineators in rural road situations.
-
-
3M™ Engineer Grade Prismatic Reflective Sheeting
3M Engineer Grade Reflective Sheeting meets the specification for Class RA1. It’s the material of choice for general signing that is less critical for road users, such as street name plates and parking plates.
-
-
Sign Making Components
Any sign is only as good as its weakest component so we have developed printing inks, functional overlay films and application tapes that are compatible with all our reflective sheeting, and will maximise the performance of the final road signs.
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