What is a graphic overlay?
Often also referred to as a panel overlay, membrane, printed fascias or fascia panels, a Graphic Overlay is a bespoke product that serves to enhance the functionality of the following:
- Machinery
- Control panels
- Membrane switches
- Membrane keypads
- Switchboards
- Machine interfaces
- Human-machine interface
- Industrial equipment
Sometimes, however, a Graphic Overlay will act as a stand-alone graphic making the machinery far more aesthetically pleasing as Graphic overlays can be used to brand machinery and equipment alike. They are an essential part of modern machinery, making it easier for users to interact with their devices.
The process begins with designing the layout of the overlay and then selecting materials that best suit the application and the mechanical drawings. This can include adding text, your company brand and colours, embossed buttons, windows, a variety of shapes, adhesive free areas or further overlay functionality depending on the desired outcome. The finished product is tested in house for accuracy and durability before being shipped to our customers who will then apply them directly onto their equipment.
Industry-Leading Finishes, Materials & Knowledge to bring you the very best Graphic Overlay!
We offer industry-leading processes, unrivalled knowledge, finishes and materials for all your printed graphic overlay needs. We supply to our graphic overlays across a range of industries such as:
- Automotive
- Audio and visual
- Medical
- Aerospace
- Defence
- Government bodies
- Catering
- Retail
- Food and Drink
Drawing on our years’ of experience, we promise to supply the very best quality quality graphic layer possible and we’re only too aware that you only get one first impression! Given our vast customer base, we work to a variety of specifications set by our client. Whether it’s a Graphic Overlay that needs to be resilient to wear and tear (resistant to abrasion), allow for a backlight light source, printed clear or tinted windows, flame retardant, mark resistant, die cutting, clear windows, exposed to harsh environmental conditions, anti-microbial or a whole host of many different applications. We promise to offer the best printed solution for your requirement.
Our colour matching process ensures that the graphic or logo we create for your application will match the exact colour of your desired automotive finish. We can simulate ral, pantone and RGB colours and often colour match to our clients’ enclosure or mouldings. We use only the highest quality materials to ensure that our interface is durable and long lasting. Our experienced staff are knowledgeable about the latest printing techniques and can provide assistance throughout each step of the manufacturing process. Our superior products and services are what enable us to manufacture the best possible product available on the market today.
Our Graphic Overlay Printing Process
Our durable graphic overlays are manufactured by first selecting an appropriate substrate which will be a perfect fit for our customer’s mechanical drawings. All of our products are bespoke meaning that every graphic overlay we produce are custom overlays. Sometimes our client may have different requirements such as the overlay being exposed to high temperatures, different functions of buttons, leds, uv-resistant, etc.. and this will make for an unrivalled user experience.
Next, we start reverse printing the graphic overlays. Why reverse printing? This insures that the print integrity will remain intact as once we laminate the adhesive on the reverse side of the graphic overlay, the ink will be sandwiched between the layer of a membrane and the adhesive making sure that the ink will show no signs of wear and tear. Our overlays are used situation whereby the print integrity is essential so they must remain both functional and instructional at all times.
Our custom designed overlays are completely bespoke to your specific requirements which means that they can come in various sizes and materials. We hold a large material collection in stock which comprises of various material thicknesses (measured in microns, e.g typically 175mic, 250mic, 375mic, 500mic) as well as pressure sensitive adhesives.
About us
We are fully rohs and Reach compliant as we consider the environment. We work very closely with the local authorities.
We pride ourselves on our attention to detail. We take special care when it comes to the design and manufacture of all of our printed products as we know that our overlays are typically used in extremely important operational and environmental industries.
Send us an enquiry today.