Descriptions of graphic overlays, their use, and a list of graphic overlay manufacturers
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Terms like graphic overlays, faceplates, dead front panels, and user interfaces describe relatively robust printed items affixed to equipment. They offer critical information about machine controls and switches, facilitating human-machine interaction. Installed on machinery, these overlays serve as essential guides for workers and contribute to workplace safety. By design, graphic overlays are crafted from durable materials such as polycarbonate, vinyl, or polyester. They may feature display windows, embossed buttons, vibrant colors, graphics, and various shielding types to enhance functionality.
In today's tech-driven world, graphic overlays play a crucial role in offering users straightforward and clear operating instructions. They are fundamental components that enable users to interface with electronic circuits and machinery. Early overlays were simply paper or plastic labels positioned near equipment controls, indicating switch or button functions. However, these primitive versions lacked durability and practicality for repeated use, prompting the evolution of more sophisticated and robust overlays.
Graphic overlays have been integral to a diverse array of machinery, tools, and products for decades, providing an appealing visual while serving crucial operational purposes. The explosive growth in commercial and industrial electronics has driven the creation of versatile overlay graphics to align with specific customer and product needs.
An essential part of the planning of a graphic overlay is the design phase, which involves several critical factors for optimal user experience and product performance. The primary functions of graphic overlays include protecting sensitive circuitry, providing operational guidance, enhancing product appearance, allowing ease of use, and delivering essential information. Each of these factors, as well as additional nuanced considerations, shape the graphic overlay design process, ensuring overlays meet both functional and aesthetic requirements for a wide range of industries.
The first step in the graphic overlay design process is determining the precise dimensions of the overlay—including size, shape, thickness, and placement. The final location of a graphic overlay depends on available space, related electronic components, and the need for seamless integration with existing circuitry. With the evolution of modern equipment and human-machine interfaces (HMI), ergonomic design plays a fundamental role in guaranteeing user comfort, intuitive operation, and quick access to controls and display elements.
Basic specifications for graphic overlays also include user interface considerations. These overlays function as tactile or visual interfaces, bridging the gap between device operators and internal electronic circuits. The design must account for signal transmission, feedback mechanisms, and compatibility with keypads, membrane switches, or touchscreens. Proper overlay design ensures efficient operator interaction and reliable device performance.
The broad application of graphic overlays spans settings from industrial automation and manufacturing floors to medical devices, consumer electronics, schools, and music production equipment. Since the advent of the digital era, the demand for customized keypads, durable buttons, intuitive user instructions, and legible labels for sophisticated technology has soared. Adapting overlays for diverse environments necessitates material choices that withstand harsh elements—including extreme temperatures, exposure to chemicals, moisture, UV radiation, particulate matter, physical impacts, and heavy usage cycles. Premium overlay materials such as polycarbonate and polyester offer durability and resistance tailored to specific sector requirements.
During the design phase, engineers and designers leverage user data and environmental analytics to select suitable substrate materials and printing technologies (such as screen printing or digital printing). Considerations like abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, and expected product lifecycle become crucial, as clients expect overlays that maintain performance and visual clarity over prolonged use in challenging operating conditions.
A critical aspect of the environmental factors influencing overlay design is effective lighting, which impacts readability and user safety. Harsh sunlight or inadequate ambient light can render a graphic overlay’s information difficult to see. To combat these issues, backlighting and other illumination solutions, such as LED (light-emitting diode) lighting, electroluminescent panels, fiber optic elements, or light guide films, are often integrated. Each lighting technology increases visual clarity, making the overlay easy to read regardless of lighting conditions, which is essential for medical, industrial, or outdoor applications.
The choice of backlighting is incorporated early in the design process, guaranteeing optimal control panel visibility and efficient energy usage. Proper lighting not only improves the navigation of device functions but also enhances the overall user experience by ensuring symbols and information remain visible and accessible in all environments.
While base overlay materials may be inherently tough, manufacturers further augment durability by employing an array of surface finishes, protective coatings, and specialized treatments. Such enhancements are vital for overlays exposed to extreme operating environments or subject to frequent handling, as is common with industrial control panels, medical instruments, and consumer electronics.
Common finishing options—such as glossy, matte, textured, metallic, anti-glare, anti-scratch, antimicrobial, and UV-resistant coatings—serve distinct purposes. These finishes can reduce reflections, eliminate glare, extend product life, and ease cleaning and sanitation. The right combination of finishes elevates both the durability and the tactile feel of the overlay, supporting regulatory compliance and user satisfaction in demanding sectors like healthcare, food processing, and automotive controls.
The concise information conveyed via a graphic overlay must be designed for instant comprehension. With limited available space, the choice of clear symbols, intuitive icons, standardized letters, and numbers becomes paramount, especially where overlays serve as control panel interfaces, equipment instructions, or indicator panels.
Industry-specific symbols and pictograms are incorporated based on compliance with international standards such as ISO or ANSI. Designers collaborate with clients to ensure the selection and arrangement of symbols provide maximum clarity and actionable guidance, even as machinery and electronics become increasingly sophisticated. As part of usability testing, overlays are evaluated for legibility, intuitive design, and accessibility to accommodate a global user base with varying languages and literacy levels.
Among the design attributes, color selection is often the first aspect noticed, substantially impacting both product appeal and function. Accurate color matching is crucial for brand consistency, safety signaling, and intuitive navigation of device controls. The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is widely used to maintain color consistency across substrates, ensuring overlays produced in different batches or facilities retain a unified visual identity.
With current printing technologies, designers have access to thousands of colors, ranging from muted industrial tones to high-visibility shades for emergency equipment. The layer-by-layer application of inks—from darkest to lightest—ensures color vibrancy and coverage on various overlay materials, such as polycarbonate or polyester films. This flexibility enables the production of overlays for any sector, from medical devices demanding clean, legible interfaces to rugged machinery requiring clear differentiation between operational buttons and safety stop features.
Cut outs are precision-engineered openings in graphic overlays that allow for access to underlying display screens, indicator lights, touch-based elements, or control hardware. The size, shape, and placement of cut outs are dictated by equipment requirements and user interaction needs. In some designs, these openings remain concealed until device activation, enhancing operational security or visual simplicity.
Beyond providing visual or functional access, cut outs contribute to multi-layered interface designs—creating tactile contrasts and spatial separation between functional zones on a single panel. They are especially prevalent in overlays for complex electronic instrumentation or devices needing robust hardware mounting. Early collaboration with engineers and clients in cut out planning is crucial, as post-production modifications are typically not feasible. Well-designed cut outs enhance both the aesthetics and the usability of advanced equipment, ultimately leading to greater customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
When customizing graphic overlays for specific applications, additional factors come into play to ensure the end product meets all operational and branding requirements. For example, overlays can be engineered for EMI/RFI shielding to protect sensitive electronics in high-interference environments, a critical consideration for medical, aerospace, and defense markets. Adhesive selection is another key variable, with high-performance adhesives ensuring overlays remain securely affixed to metal, plastic, or glass surfaces—even amid temperature extremes or exposure to harsh cleaning agents.
Prototyping and sampling are essential steps, allowing for real-world testing of material selection, tactile feedback, backlighting effectiveness, and overall durability. Advanced printing methods and strict quality assurance protocols help ensure overlays meet exact color and graphic specifications, in addition to regulatory and industry standards for performance and safety.
For organizations seeking to optimize their graphic overlay procurement strategy, consulting with experienced overlay manufacturers early in the design phase is highly recommended. Professional design input helps avoid costly revisions and ensures each overlay delivers the required aesthetics, functionality, and resilience—reinforcing both product quality and user confidence.
The process of manufacturing graphic overlays involves a series of precise steps designed to guarantee both optimum performance and longevity. At its core, the creation of a high-quality graphic overlay for control panels, user interfaces, or membrane switches hinges on two major factors: material selection and printing techniques. Both are essential for ensuring that overlays are durable, visually appealing, and provide all necessary information clearly. During the design phase, experienced engineers guide clients in understanding the unique attributes of various overlay materials, as well as different printing options, helping them select a solution tailored to their specific application requirements and environments.
Multiple advanced printing methods are available for producing graphic overlays. The selected material—often polyester, polycarbonate, or vinyl—plays a crucial role in determining the appropriate printing process. While the fundamentals of these methods are similar, some manufacturers excel in specialized techniques, offering greater flexibility and customization. As device and machinery interfaces become increasingly sophisticated, the demand for intricate graphics and detailed symbols in custom overlays grows. High-precision printing is vital to ensure all visual elements—such as text, logos, and icons—remain clear, readable, and aligned, even under heavy usage or harsh industrial conditions.
The selection of materials for graphic overlays is dictated by the intended use, environmental exposure, and durability requirements. The most common starting point in material choice is endurance—a crucial property for overlays in demanding industrial, medical, or consumer electronics applications. In addition to physical strength, overlays must present a visually pleasing surface, as they serve as the visible face of countless instruments, touchscreens, and electrical panels. This combination of durability and aesthetics is central to manufacturing overlays for diverse industries.
High-performance overlay materials include polyester (PET), known for its outstanding chemical resistance and flexibility in membrane switches; polycarbonate (PC), valued for its optical clarity and impact resistance; acrylic (PMMA), with its excellent optical properties; and durable vinyl for budget-sensitive projects. Each material offers distinct advantages for specific use-cases—ranging from abrasion resistance for harsh environments to UV stability for outdoor applications. Overlay films typically range between 5 mils and 20 mils in thickness (1 mil = 0.001 inch or 0.0254 mm). Materials thicker than 20 mils can present challenges during cutting and fabrication, potentially increasing production costs.
To create functional and attractive graphic overlays, a variety of advanced printing techniques are employed. These methods are engineered to meet industry standards for quality, durability, and visual clarity—important in sectors such as medical device manufacturing, industrial control systems, appliances, and automotive dashboards. Leading forms of graphic overlay printing include screen printing, digital printing, thermal transfer, laser marking, UV curing digital print, and lamination processes. Since the overlay surface serves as the user interface and branding point, each phase must be meticulously planned to ensure long-term legibility, tactile feedback, and compatibility with backlighting when required.
Screen printing (or silk screen printing) is a time-tested and versatile technique used across various substrates, including plastics and polymers commonly found in graphic overlays. This process uses stenciled screens to transfer inks—often UV or solvent-based—onto the overlay material, delivering excellent color vibrancy and resilience to repeated usage. In mass production environments, automated screen printers allow for rapid, consistent imaging across large volumes, making screen printing especially popular for overlays with solid colors, tactile features, or embossed areas. The process excels in applying thick layers of ink for enhanced abrasion and chemical resistance—important for keypads and industrial switch overlays.
Screen printing is compatible with most overlay materials and is ideal for applications requiring superior opacity, custom color matching (Pantone or custom blends), or selective texturing. Its sharpness and durability make it a go-to choice for operator panels, OEM equipment, and ruggedized user interfaces.
Digital printing has transformed the custom graphic overlay and membrane switch industry by offering full-color, high-resolution graphics with photographic detail and rapid prototyping capability. This method streams artwork and layouts directly from digital files to printers, eliminating the need for screen stencils or plates. Digital printers use advanced color management (CMYK and spot color systems) to reproduce gradients, fine lines, and variable data for product branding and regulatory compliance. Designers can efficiently update, personalize, or localize overlays for different markets—making digital printing ideal for low- to medium-volume runs, short lead times, and quick-turn prototyping.
State-of-the-art digital printers also support imaging on clear, dark, or textured substrates, maintaining image clarity and detail across all overlay types. This technology is perfect for overlays used in retail electronics, point-of-sale devices, fitness equipment, and wherever marketing messaging or customer experience matters as much as durability and precision.
Thermal transfer printing employs a heated printhead and ribbon coated with wax or resin inks to permanently transfer images onto the overlay substrate. The resulting overlays are notable for their durability and resistance to environmental stressors such as chemicals, solvents, UV exposure, and mechanical abrasion—making thermal transfer overlays preferred in heavy-duty industrial equipment, laboratory controls, or outdoor applications. This process is ideal when overlays require serialized data, barcodes, or batch coding for traceability.
Laser marking technology uses focused laser beams to permanently etch information, logos, or patterns onto polymer overlay surfaces. This non-contact process achieves fine resolution and exceptional material compatibility, even on textured or contoured overlays. CO2 lasers are most often used on plastics, offering tamper-resistant, fade-proof identification for mission-critical applications in aerospace, healthcare, electronics, and security panels. Laser-marked overlays can withstand extreme temperatures, caustic cleaning agents, and repeated use without loss of detail.
UV printing is a highly advanced digital process in which specialized inks are instantly cured by ultraviolet light during application. This rapid curing yields vivid, high-resolution images with superior abrasion resistance, chemical stability, and resistance to fading. UV print technology supports enhanced layering for tactile and 3D effects, elevating both the durability and aesthetics of custom overlays. The tight registration of UV printed graphics complements touchscreens and illuminated control surfaces used in medical, marine, automotive, and high-visibility environments.
The main advantages of UV cured overlays include fast turnaround, eco-friendly operation, outstanding durability, and the flexibility to print on nearly any overlay material—even on irregular or curved substrates. This process significantly extends the service life of equipment and panel overlays deployed in mission-critical or harsh environments.
Lamination is an essential finishing process that adds a protective layer (gloss, matte, or silk finish) over the printed surface of a graphic overlay. Laminating films create a barrier against abrasion, moisture, UV exposure, and chemicals—significantly extending the overlay's lifespan in demanding applications. The choice of lamination enhances tactile feel, visual style, and cleaning ease, making it an important specification for overlays in healthcare, food service, and consumer electronics.
Combined with primary printing techniques, lamination amplifies durability while supporting branding and visual communication requirements. Manufacturers continuously innovate with new composite films and eco-friendly protective coatings to meet evolving demands for performance and regulatory compliance. When comparing overlay suppliers, consider not just print and lamination capability, but also their proficiency with cleanroom manufacturing, environmental testing, and adherence to quality standards such as ISO 9001 or IPC certifications.
In Mold Decoration (IMD) is a progressive technique integrating graphical elements directly into molded plastic components during the manufacturing process. Unlike traditional overlays which are applied post-production, IMD embeds artwork, branding, and functional graphics within the part itself, delivering robust scratch resistance and seamless integration. This innovative process is widely used in automotive interiors, appliance panels, medical equipment, and high-volume consumer goods.
The IMD process begins with printing desired graphics onto a specialized film. After forming and trimming to the correct dimensions, the film is placed inside an injection mold, into which molten resin is injected and bonded, encapsulating the design. This one-step molding-plus-decoration approach streamlines production, reduces waste, and improves design flexibility, enabling complex overlays with backlit icons, textures, and multi-color artwork.
Typical in mold decorating workflow steps include:
Adhesive backing is a critical aspect of graphic overlay manufacturing. The choice of industrial-grade adhesive systems ensures overlays securely attach to panel surfaces—whether metal, powder-coated, plastic, glass, or textured composites. Pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs), structural adhesives, and die-cut transfer tapes are engineered to withstand long-term environmental exposure, vibration, and temperature fluctuations while preventing graphic delamination or edge lifting over time.
Proper adhesive selection reflects the application’s surface energy, bonding area, and expected environmental stress. Advanced adhesives are available for high humidity, outdoor UV, exposure to cleaning chemicals, and even for overlays requiring EMI/RFI shielding capabilities. Professional die-cutting of adhesives allows for complex cutouts and precise fitments over displays, windows, or indicator lights, streamlining assembly for OEMs and panel manufacturers. In critical control panels or medical instrumentation, the right adhesive system boosts not only durability but also user safety and equipment reliability.
Once the adhesive system is in place, overlays are precisely cut, trimmed, and shaped to conform to the device or panel surface. The choice of cutting technology depends on overlay thickness, production volume, and complexity. Steel rule die cutting remains a staple for high-volume, repeatable production, punching overlays to exact dimensions with tight tolerances. Digital cutting (plotter knife or laser) provides flexibility for rapid prototyping, custom shapes, and low-volume runs. Thick overlays (typically >20 mils) may require specialized routing or water jet cutting for intricate geometries.
Precise cutting is essential for aligning display windows, tactile buttons, LEDs, and printed legends to ensure seamless functionality and a professional user experience. Computer-controlled cutting equipment facilitates consistent quality across batches, while post-cut inspection processes check dimensions, button placement, and compliance with customer-specified tolerances. Manufacturing partners with expertise in both high-volume die cutting and digital prototyping can support diverse industry requirements—from medical equipment overlays and ruggedized keypads to emergency vehicle dashboard interfaces.
The many features and uses of graphic overlays is contingent on the materials from which they are made. The base material serves as the foundation for graphic overlays and is where the functions of a graphic overlay are imprinted. Materials have to be robust enough to endure constant use and be durable enough to last, as well as provide a pleasing and practical appearance.
The selection of materials for graphic overlays includes polyester (PET), polycarbonate (PC), vinyl, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylic, and aluminum. Since the impressions for graphic overlays are printed on clear material on its backside in reverse, the ink of the graphics is never exposed. The thickness of the base material protects the graphics and serves as a strong support. In essence, the images, displays, and visuals are encapsulated between the base material and the adhesive backing, a configuration that adds durability, strength, protection, and a long life.
Polyester is used for the manufacture of graphic overlays due to its exceptional durability. The chemical resistance of polyester is one of the main reasons that it is so widely used. Although not true of all forms of polyester, most polyester materials are resistant to UV rays, which makes them applicable for outdoor applications. A common practice with polyester overlays is to coat them with anti-bacterial compounds so that they can be applied to equipment used in cleanrooms, medical facilities, and pharmaceutical laboratories.
The material used to produce polyester is a synthetic thermoplastic polymer made from the polymerization of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. Polyester was introduced to the public in the 1950s after being researched for over thirty years. Activation switches and buttons produced using polyester can endure millions of actuations without splitting, cracking, or deteriorating. Polyester is considered to be the toughest, most durable material available.
Polyester comes in thicknesses of 0.005 in up to 0.010 in for indoor use and 0.006 in and 0.008 in for outdoor use. It is not flame retardant and comes in a limited range of textures. Polycarbonate offers clearer images and graphics.
The outstanding feature of polycarbonate is its excellent appearance that provides sharp clarity. It is made from the polymerization of bisphenol A (BPA) and phosgene. The main characteristics of polycarbonate is its impact resistance, high temperature stability, and exceptional optical transparency. In comparison to polyester, polycarbonate comes in a wider selection of textures and colors.
Included in the characteristics of polycarbonate are its UV resistance, chemical resistance, formability, and thermal stability. The flexible formability of polycarbonate enables designers to produce intricate and complex shapes using polycarbonate’s exceptional printability. Precise and vibrant graphics are easily displayed on its surface. Its UV resistance prevents it from yellowing or degrading over time.
The outstanding feature of vinyl is its flexibility, compared to the other graphic overlay materials. It can be bent, curved, configured, and contoured into regular and irregular shapes. Vinyl can be applied directly due to its natural static cling or be mounted using an adhesive backing.
One of the main reasons for choosing vinyl is its low cost in comparison to polycarbonate and polyester, which is due to vinyl’s low durability and inability to withstand abrasions, weather, or chemicals. Vinyl is widely used in less stressful conditions and normally has a glossy, matt, or clear finish as protection.
Vinyl overlays have a printed design or solid color. They are commonly used for applications where information is constantly changing, since they can be easily removed and replaced. Vinyl overlays are not designed to last and must be treated with care when in use. Cleaning and upkeep for vinyl overlays is completed using non-toxic cleaning products such as dish or hand soap.
Acrylic is a transparent thermoplastic polymer that is lightweight and made by the polymerization of the liquid monomer methyl methacrylate. It has the greatest clarity of all of the graphic overlay materials, which is similar to that of glass. Acrylic is commonly used for transparent overlays and backlit control panels. The resistance of acrylic to UV rays makes it ideal for outdoor use and applications where equipment is constantly exposed to UV rays.
The scratch resistance of acrylic helps it maintain its aesthetic appearance. It can be scratched when subjected to materials with high hardness, which can be overcome with the application of a protective coating. Since acrylic can be printed on using any of the recommended methods, graphic overlays will have high quality graphics with sharp vibrant colors. The clarity, versatility, and durability of acrylic has made it a highly sought after graphic overlay material.
As with vinyl graphic overlays, PVC overlays are less expensive than polycarbonate and polyester graphic overlays. The strength of PVC overlays makes them suitable for any environment due to their resistance to abrasions and scratches, chemicals, and the effects of corrosive materials. PVC overlays have low to medium strength and durability properties that give PVC overlays a shorter life. The surface hardness of PVC graphic overlays limits their use to applications that do not have membrane switches or touch panels.
The properties of PVC are somewhere between polyester and vinyl. It is not as strong as polyester but can be adjusted and textured to increase its strength to match polyester. A broad range of colors, finishes, and textures are available for the design of PVC graphic overlays. The characteristic that has increased the use of PVC graphic overlays is their exceptionally pleasing appearance.
Embossing and backlighting are special features that are added to graphic overlays during production. They enhance and simplify the user experience and are customized to fit a client’s specifications. These additional features are designed to increase the efficient use of equipment and provide a direct interface with the electronics of a device.
Graphic overlays are vital and important components for manufacturers. They clarify equipment, machine, and device operations to ensure quick and efficient performance. Several features are added to graphic overlays to make users more comfortable. Although the list of features contains a long list of proprietary and custom enhancements, embossing and backlighting are two commonly used ones.
Embossing is raised areas on a graphic overlay that provides a physical response to user touch. The process of embossing accentuates key areas of a graphic overlay and can be included to raise LEDs to offer a decorative effect. The embossing of keys helps operators to quickly find a key, enhances the feel of buttons, and provides a three-dimensional appearance. The process of embossing pushes the plastic material upward from its surface.
The presence of embossing is an indication of the presence of a switch, which is usually a membrane switch that has a conductive layer covering a domed shaped actuator. The pushing of the embossed button connects it with the conductive layer and actuator. Although it is a simple tactile layer to the user, in actuality, it is a connection to the functions of a device.
Two ways to emboss graphics are hard tooled and print. With hard tooled embossing, a male or female die is used to make an impression on the substrate. It is a mechanical process that is selectively and carefully administered. Embossing raises the substrate to heights 0.005 in up to 0.015 in with widths of 0.04 in up to 0.07 in. The height of embossing is limited to six times the thickness of the graphic overlay material.
Print embossing is a non-mechanical process that involves adding layers to the surface of the substrate by passing ink multiple times over the surface. It is a stressless process that does not deform the surface of a graphic overlay. Since the embossing process leaves the graphic overlay flat, the overlay has greater adhesion. The height of print embossing is limited to 0.006 in up to 0.010 in.
Two forms of graphic overlay buttons are rim and pillow. Rim embossing creates a border around buttons, which differentiates the buttons from the surface of a graphic overlay. It is commonly used in applications where precision control is necessary. Pillow embossing is the raised surface type of embossing that creates a domed appearance. The configuration of pillow embossing ensures contact and provides tactile feedback regarding the activation process. The domed surface highlights a button and makes the activation process distinguishable. As part of the inclusion directive, embossing may have tactile letters, such as braille.
Since graphic overlays are a small portion of equipment, they can necessitate the use of light to enhance their readability. It is an optional feature that can be added to a graphic overlay to make switches, instructions, displays, and images more visible. Backlighting creates a dramatic effect in different environments and is a vital part of instruments on motorized equipment.
The traditional forms of backlighting are incandescent and LED lights that are attached to a subpanel. The use of backlighting influences the functionality of a graphic overlay and improves its aesthetic appearance. The choice of backlighting affects graphic overlay design, material, and color.
Backlighting choices include:
Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) – LED lights are widely used due to their reliability, longevity, and low cost. Combined with other light sources, LED lights can be designed to light the entire surface of a graphic overlay.
The use of graphic overlays covers a wide spectrum of devices from kitchen appliances to space craft. In the modern era, graphic overlays have become an essential part of manufacturing as a method of providing users with an easy interface. What used to require weeks of training to operate complex equipment has been simplified into several days. The purpose of a graphic overlay is to provide an interface for users to interact with products.
The instructions provided by a graphic overlay provides guidance for the operation of a device. As the complexity of equipment increases, clear and concise instructions become crucial to the safety of operators. Certain types of equipment require graphic overlays that meet the standards of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) regarding the protection of operators and hazardous conditions under NFPA standard 79.
The more practical aspect of graphic overlays is their ability to prevent dirt, moisture, debris, chemicals, and other matter from contaminating electrical circuits. The film material combined with the adhesive backing create a solid impenetrable barrier from outside elements. The most crucial component of a graphic overlay’s protection is providing a layer of protection for mechanical electrical components.
The quality of graphic overlay protection is dependent on certain design factors. Cut outs have to be sized and installed correctly. During the cutting and shaping phase of production, graphic overlays must be cut to dimensional tolerances.
Not considered to be a necessary part of graphic overlay functions, the promotion of brand image has become one of their major components. The crisp sharp colors and strategically placed images promote the manufacture of equipment and devices. They are printed in brand colors and may contain a brand's tagline or slogan. The strength and durability of a graphic overlay supports the principles of the brand it displays.
Graphic overlay manufacturers take pride in the stability and strength of their products. Activation switches and buttons are guaranteed to be protected under the layers of a graphic overlay for the lifetime of a piece of equipment. The inclusion of a graphic overlay ensures the life expectancy of equipment controls and circuits. The layer of coverage prevents accidental activation, breakage, and accidental offs. Embossed buttons and switches cannot be pushed too far or fail at a critical time.
Common Types of Graphic Overlays:
Industries that use Graphic Overlays:
Machinery That Use Graphic Overlays:
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