Photoluminescent Printable Substrates

Photoluminescent Printable Substrates, perfect for your production processes:

Digital printing with solvent-based / eco-solvent based inks
ADA signage with raised letters and Braille for the Visually Impaired
UV and Air Dry screen printing
Plotter-cut, die-cut, punch Permalight® flexible films
Thermal transfer printing (e.g. EdgeTM suited 15-inch perforated film)
Heat forming Permalight® Rigid PVC into dimensional L and V shaped signs that project from the wall

The U.S. Codes now require UL1994-listed Printable Substrates for certain Code-enforced Signs and Permalight® offers you three different code-compliant Printable Substrates, listed to Standard UL1994 by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. as:

Model: CC-TAPE – Flexible Polyester Thin Film, self-adhesive, rolled onto a 3-inch core
Model: CC-RIGIDX – Rigid PVC, non-adhesive, stiff, yet slightly bendable flat sheets
Model: CC-RIGID – Rigid PVC, non-adhesive, stiff, yet slightly bendable flat sheets in even brighter luminance
Model: CC-ALU – Firm Aluminum, non-adhesive, stiff flat metal sheets

In addition, Permalight® offers you basic glow-in-the-dark films and rigid PVC sheets for non-code related sign making, as well as Top-of-the-Line Super High Performance Photo Luminescent (SHPPL) printable substrates for your stringent luminance demands!

Printable Substrates Catalog

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UL1994-listed Substrates for Tactile Sign Making

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Flexible Films (Bulk Format)

*For COMPARISON PURPOSES, row “Guaranteed Luminance” shows glow results in millicandela per square meter (mcd/m²), following laboratory activation by 1000 Lux (93 foot-candles) of Xenon Lighting for 5 minutes (DIN 67510). The results are shown as X mcd/m² at 10 minutes in the dark and Y mcd/m² at 60 minutes in the dark. (Example: 20 / 3 mcd/m² explains: 20 mcd/m² at 10 min. and 3 mcd/m² at 60 min.)

Permalight® Photoluminescent flexible vinyl and polyester film rolls

Item-No.:: 81-2509
Description:: plus 55/8 Polyester Thin Film, self-adhesive
Roll Dimensions:: 39 3/8 in x 54.7 yd
Film Thickness Total (Film only):: ~ 0.013 in total (0.007 in film only)
Daylight Color:: Light Yellow; Semi-Glossy surface
Standards:: 2.75 times brighter than Standard Glow. IMO A.752(18) Signage.
Guaranteed Luminance of*:: 55 / 8 mcd/m²
This material is ideal for:: Areas with permanent lighting during operating hours.

Item-No.:: 81-250924
Description:: plus 55/8 Polyester Thin Film, self-adhesive
Roll Dimensions:: 24 in x 54.7 yd
Film Thickness Total (Film only):: ~ 0.013 in total (0.007 in film only)
Daylight Color:: Light Yellow; Semi-Glossy surface
Standards:: 2.75 times brighter than Standard Glow. IMO A.752(18) Signage.
Guaranteed Luminance of*:: 55 / 8 mcd/m²
This material is ideal for:: Areas with permanent lighting during operating hours.

Item-No.:: 81-250915
Description:: plus 55/8 Polyester Thin Film, self-adhesive, suited for Gerber Edge™
Roll Dimensions:: 15 in (with perforation) x 54.7 yd
Film Thickness Total (Film only):: ~ 0.013 in total (0.007 in film only)
Daylight Color:: Light Yellow; Semi-Glossy surface
Standards:: 2.75 times brighter than Standard Glow. IMO A.752(18) Signage.
Guaranteed Luminance of*:: 55 / 8 mcd/m²
This material is ideal for:: Areas with permanent lighting during operating hours.

Item-No.:: 81-2566
Description:: power 150/22 Polyester Thin Film, self-adhesive
Roll Dimensions:: 39 3/8 in x 54.7 yd
Film Thickness Total (Film only):: ~ 0.015 in total (0.008 in film only)
Daylight Color:: Yellowish; Semi-Glossy surface
Standards:: UL1994-listed as CC-TAPE. 7.5 times brighter than Standard Glow.
Guaranteed Luminance of*:: 150 / 22 mcd/m²
This material is ideal for:: Emergency staircases guiding out of high-rise buildings (office, hospital, hotel/motel, etc.) per IBC/IFC/NFPA codes.

Item-No.:: 81-256624
Description:: power 150/22 Polyester Thin Film, self-adhesive
Roll Dimensions:: 24 in x 54.7 yd
Film Thickness Total (Film only):: ~ 0.015 in total (0.008 in film only)
Daylight Color:: Yellowish; Semi-Glossy surface
Standards:: UL1994-listed as CC-TAPE. 7.5 times brighter than Standard Glow.
Guaranteed Luminance of*:: 150 / 22 mcd/m²
This material is ideal for:: Emergency staircases guiding out of high-rise buildings (office, hospital, hotel/motel, etc.) per IBC/IFC/NFPA codes.

Item-No.:: 81-2700
Description:: HPPL (High Performance Photo Luminescent) power 250/30 Vinyl, self-adhesive
Roll Dimensions:: 39 3/8 in x 54.7 yd
Film Thickness Total (Film only):: ~ 0.018 in total (0.012 in film only)
Daylight Color:: Yellow-greenish; Matte surface
Standards:: 12.5 times brighter than Standard. IMO A.752(18). APTA HPPL-former.
Guaranteed Luminance of*:: 250 / 30 mcd/m²
This material is ideal for:: For areas with poor lighting and specific requirements for safety, such as: Low Location Lighting on-board passenger ships, inside passenger trains.

Permalight® new APTA-compliant HPPL (High Performance Photo Luminescent) rolls

APTA = American Public Transportation Association

Item-No.:: 81-2750
Description:: new APTA Flexible Vinyl in power 450/60 mcd/m² NON-adhesive
Roll Dimensions:: 39 3/8 in x 27.35 yd
Film Thickness Total:: ~ 22 mil
Daylight Color:: Yellowish; Matte surface
Standards:: 22.5 times brighter than Standard. New APTA (2007 update).
Guaranteed Luminance of*:: 450 / 60 mcd/m²
This material is ideal for:: Emergency Signage & Low Location Path Marking in Passenger Trains.

Before starting a full production run, always test suitability of product for your printing / converting processes. Material sizes, features and performance are subject to technical changes without prior notice. Data as of April 2017.

Flexible Films (Bulk Format) – DEMO

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Rigid Sheets (Bulk Format)

Permalight® Photoluminescent rigid PVC sheets

Item-No.:: 81-1026
Description:: Standard Rigid PVC; NON-adhesive
Sheet Dimensions:: 39 3/8 in x 47 1/4 in
Rigid Thickness:: ~ 0.043 in
Daylight Color:: Off-White; Matte surface
Standards:: Standard Glow. DIN 67510.
Guaranteed Luminance of*:: 20 / 3 mcd/m²
This material is ideal for:: Bright indoor areas with permanent lighting or daylight (e.g. office room & corridors with windows).

Item-No.:: 81-1066
Description:: power 150/22 Rigid PVC; NON-adhesive
Sheet Dimensions:: 39 3/8 in x 47 1/4 in
Rigid Thickness:: ~ 0.046 in
Daylight Color:: Pale Yellow; Matte surface
Standards:: UL1994-listed as CC-RIGIDX. 7.5 times brighter than Standard Glow. IMO A.752(18).
Guaranteed Luminance of*:: 150 / 22 mcd/m²
This material is ideal for:: Staircase Identification Signs, Floor ID Signs; Emergency staircases guiding out of high-rise buildings (office, hospital, hotel/motel, etc.) per IBC/IFC/NFPA codes.

Item-No.:: 81-1077
Description:: HPPL (High Performance Photo Luminescent) power 250/30 Rigid PVC; NON-adhesive
Sheet Dimensions:: 39 3/8 in x 47 1/4 in
Rigid Thickness:: ~ 0.046 in
Daylight Color:: Pale Yellow; Matte surface
Standards:: UL1994-listed as CC-RIGID. 12.5 times brighter than Standard Glow. IMO A.752(18).
Guaranteed Luminance of*:: 250 / 30 mcd/m²
This material is ideal for:: Staircase Identification Signs, Floor ID Signs; Emergency staircases guiding out of high-rise buildings (office, hospital, hotel/motel, etc.) per IBC/IFC/NFPA codes.

Item-No.:: 81-1275
Description:: SHPPL (Super High Performance Photo Luminescent) power 450/60 Rigid PVC; NON-adhesive
Sheet Dimensions:: 39 3/8 in x 47 1/4 in
Rigid Thickness:: ~ 0.049 in
Daylight Color:: Yellowish; Matte surface
Standards:: UL1994-listed as CC-RIGIDHI. 22.5 times brighter than Standard Glow. IMO A.752(18).
Guaranteed Luminance of*:: 450 / 60 mcd/m²
This material is ideal for:: Emergency staircases guiding out of high-rise buildings (office, hospital, hotel/motel, etc.) per IBC/IFC/NFPA codes.

Item-No.:: 81-1028
Description:: SHPPL (Super High Performance Photo Luminescent) power 600/90 Rigid PVC; NON-adhesive
Sheet Dimensions:: 39 3/8 in x 47 1/4 in
Rigid Thickness:: ~ 0.056 in
Daylight Color:: Yellow-greenish; Matte surface
Standards:: 30 times brighter than Standard Glow. IMO A.752(18).
Guaranteed Luminance of*:: 600 / 90 mcd/m²
This material is ideal for:: For areas with poor lighting and very specific requirements, demanding THE BRIGHTEST.

Permalight® Photoluminescent rigid aluminum sheets

Item-No.:: 81-60007
Description:: Aluminum in sheets; Power 150/22 NON-adhesive
Sheet Dimensions:: 39 3/8 in x 47 1/4 in
Rigid Thickness:: ~ 0.033 in
Daylight Color:: Yellow-greenish; Matte surface
Standards:: UL1994-listed as CC-ALU. 7.5 times brighter than Standard Glow.
Excitation with 2 fc = 21.6 lx for 120 minutes:: NYC LL26. RS6-1/6-1A. MEA #302-05-M. BR: 36-9-6 UV (MEA = Material and Equipment Acceptance by City of New York)
This material is ideal for:: IBC / IFC building code compliant Stair ID Signage. New York City high-rise building signage.

Rigid Sheets (Bulk Format) – DEMO

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Photoluminescent rigid aluminum sheets – DEMO

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Permalight® photoluminescent flexible and rigid substrates are perfect for the production of safety signs and exit path markings per domestic and international standards (ASTM, DIN, IMO, IBC/IFC, NFPA, UL, NYC RS6-1, Local Law 26, Local Law 141, APTA, etc.) requiring photoluminescent materials. Due to our active participation in code and standard writing organizations like ASTM, APTA, UL, NFPA, DIN and others, we are intimately familiar with photoluminescence-related requirements and supply YOU the necessary material luminance grades. Contact us with your NON-electrical, NON-radioactive, photoluminescent material needs. Let us consult you on YOUR particular project!

General Technical Feedback

Permalight® Flexible Films, self-adhesive/ non-adhesive, rolled onto a 3-inch core

Permalight® photoluminescent Vinyl (Polyvinylchloride) and Polyester films are ideal for a multitude of uses, including as flexible media/ printable substrate for glowing signage, as tape rolls to mark handrails and outline exit doors, push bars and firefighting equipment, and as perimeter demarcation lines along the wall in floor proximity. The films are self-adhesive and their thickness ranges from ~0.007 in to 0.013 in (~ 7 to 13 mil without liner), depending on the item number you select. Permalight® Super High Performance (Item-No.: 81-2750) power 450/60 Vinyl film at ~0.022 in (~ 22 mil) thickness is only available non-adhesive. This Vinyl typically gets used in railcars as signage, on seats, walls and windows for the APTA – American Public Transportation Association requirements and the railcar manufacturers typically have their own adhesive requirements. IMPORTANT! Permalight® Item-No.: 81-2566 Polyester Thin Film is UL1994-listed by Underwriters Laboratories Inc as UL-Model: CC-TAPE and is ideal to create Photoluminescent Floor Identification Signs and emergency exit symbol signs “Man Running Left” and “Man Running Right”, to mention the most common Photoluminescent Egress Path Marking System signs required by the IBC (International Building Code), IFC (International Fire Code) and NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code). Permalight® photoluminescent Polyester Thin Films are only ~ 13 mil thick overall (film + liner) and therefore recommended for plotter-cutting, die- and kiss-cutting. They are highly form-stable and show virtually no shrinkage, compared to vinyl films. The photoluminescent Polyester films are also well-suited for digital printing with solvent-based and eco-solvent inks, screen printing and thermo-transfer printing. Permalight® self-adhesive photoluminescent Flexible Films are available with luminance values – when measured per DIN 67510 Standard – from 55/8 milli-candela per square meter (mcd/m²) up to high performance power 250/30 mcd/m² and power 450/60 as top-of-the-line is NON-adhesive. In addition to big log rolls, Permalight® offers photoluminescent films in narrow tape rolls or as custom-made pre-cut panels for the sign making industry. In general, we recommend our photoluminescent films for indoor-use. The photoluminescent effect becomes visible when the luminance emitted is higher than the ambient lighting and outdoors all too often ambient street lighting and car headlights are brighter than the luminance. Nonetheless, Permalight® photoluminescent Polyester Thin Film 81-2566 has an expected Exterior Life of 3 years. This bright glowing film has been successfully used outdoors in a number of applications, including on hunting equipment and as sign graphics in fully dark environment. Permalight® vinyl films should not be used outdoors.

Permalight® Photoluminescent Rigid PVC, non-adhesive, in flat plastic sheets

Permalight® photoluminescent rigid PVC sheets are sturdy, semi-stiff plastic substrates, combining high elasticity and toughness at the same time. The 39 3/8 in x 47 1/4 in flat sheets may be cut to size using a process cutter or guillotine shear. Small cuts can be done with a fresh-blade utility knife and a long ruler; yet you will have to guide the knife a few times to cut through the sturdy rigid PVC. Protect your fingers from that utility knife though! These photoluminescent rigid PVC sheets are excellent substrates for UV dry and air dry screen printing, using standard commercially available opaque inks. They are also ideal for digital printing with solvent-based / eco-solvent inks. Permalight® rigid PVC sheets are NOT made by laminating a flexible film onto a stiff backing! The photoluminescent effect is inside the material. You may wipe clean Item-Nos. 81-1066, 81-1077, 81-1275 and 81-1028 with isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth. ONLY clean Item-No.: 81-1026 “Standard Rigid PVC” with a water-moistened microfiber cloth (no alcohol, no thinner)! IMPORTANT! Permalight® offers three UL1994-listed Rigid PVC Substrates, listed by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. to create Photoluminescent Floor Identification Signs and emergency exit symbol signs “Man Running Left” and “Man Running Right” to mention the most common Photoluminescent Egress Path Marking System signs required by the IBC (International Building Code), IFC (International Fire Code) and NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code).

CC-RIGIDX 81-1066
CC-RIGID 81-1077
CC-RIGIDHI 81-1275

These Permalight® glow-in-the-dark rigid PVC sheets work well to produce ADA signage with raised letters and Braille to support the Visually Impaired. You may also apply plotter cut graphics (e.g., reflective lettering) to our photoluminescent rigid PVC sheet substrates to create signs that both reflect light AND glow in full darkness. Create darkness-readable evacuation route diagrams by printing the map on a clear film and placing our glowing substrate behind the map. Create 3-dimensional L- or V-shaped signage by heat-forming the rigid PVC (Item-No.: 81-1066) on a strip heater (do NOT use 81-1026 on a Strip Heater / Heat Former). The photoluminescent Rigid PVC sheets are non-adhesive, yet you can easily apply double-sided tape or use a wavy bead of construction adhesive for sign mounting to a surface. Another option: drill holes and screw attach rigid PVC signs. A major advantage of rigid over film: if the installation surface (e.g., a brick wall) is not smooth, rigid PVC signs look smooth and elegant, while a thin flexible film sign would show the wall unevenness. If you want to create outdoor signs, consider the bright effects of street lighting, car headlights, retail window spotlights that may be brighter in the middle of the night than the luminance emitted. If you envision a photoluminescent outdoor sign application:

it has to be in a pitch dark environment
you should only use our high-performance or super high-performance rigid PVC substrates or better even our Aluminum sheets
add your graphics / text in reflective film … this way, your outdoor sign is both Photoluminescent in pitch darkness AND Reflective when struck by car headlights.

Permalight® Photoluminescent Aluminum, non-adhesive, in flat metal sheets

Permalight® photoluminescent Aluminum sheets are sturdy and stiff (just a little bendable), providing light-weight, non-ferrous metal toughness. They come in 39 3/8 in x 47 1/4 in sheet size with ~0.033 in (~33 mil) thickness. These non-adhesive photoluminescent Aluminum sheets are excellent substrates for UV dry and air dry screen printing, using standard commercially available opaque inks. They also work for Digital Printing with solvent-based / eco-solvent inks. You may also apply plotter cut graphics (e.g., reflective lettering) to the photoluminescent Aluminum surface to create signs that both reflect light AND glow in full darkness. Imagine these signs in parking environments or with forklift traffic around! IMPORTANT! Permalight® Aluminum is UL1994-listed as UL-Model: CC-ALU by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. and may be used to create Photoluminescent Floor Identification Signs, emergency exit symbol signs “Man Running Left” and “Man Running Right” to mention the most common Photoluminescent Egress Path Marking System signs required by the IBC (International Building Code), IFC (International Fire Code) and NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code). Permalight® photoluminescent aluminum sheets work well to produce ADA signage with raised letters and Braille to support the Visually Impaired. Permalight® Aluminum 81-60007 is also New York City MEA (Material and Equipment Acceptance) certified with number: MEA 302-05-5-M BR: 36-9-6 UV. The UV designation certifies that Permalight® Aluminum successfully passed the stringent UV-resistance tests of Standard ASTM G 155-2004. Permalight® photoluminescent Aluminum sheets are non-adhesive: easily apply double-sided tape or use a wavy bead of construction adhesive for sign mounting to a surface. Another option: drill holes and screw attach aluminum signs. Clean Item-No.: 81-60007 photoluminescent Aluminum with a water-moistened microfiber cloth (no alcohol, no thinner)! Major advantages of aluminum:

UV-resistance
Resistant to certain chemicals + varying temperatures
if the installation surface (e.g., a brick wall) is uneven, aluminum signs look smooth and elegant, while a thin film sign would show the wall unevenness