Our custom graphic overlay manufacturing services help customers across industries create high-quality overlays that are durable enough to withstand challenging conditions.
Often used as the critical layer to a user-interface, an overlay is typically the first thing a user sees when interacting with a product. So, it’s vital these components are easy to use and made with quality materials to achieve long-lasting performance.
There are many finishing techniques and material options that design engineers can use for touchscreen interfaces, control panels, UV resistance, anti-glare, human machine interfaces (HMI) or to satisfy other application needs. We’ve created custom graphic overlays for a wide variety of industries including appliances, medical devices, consumer electronics and many others. DuraTech can create overlays that are designed as standalone labels or as part of a membrane switch assembly using a variety of adhesive solutions.
By using the latest technology and our deep experience to achieve optimal form and function, we provide custom graphic overlay manufacturing to meet nearly any need.
Our custom graphic overlay manufacturing capabilities
Our cutting-edge technologies allow us to provide the most important features and finishes for your custom graphic overlays, including:
- Selective textures – We can create graphic overlays with glossy, matte and other selective textures, giving manufacturers more opportunities to customize the look and feel of the finished product. We can match textures where possible and even feature multiple textures on the same graphic overlay, if required.
- Custom thicknesses, sizes and shapes – We can die-cut graphic overlays to create nearly any size or shape for unique applications. We can also use our materials science expertise to help manufacturers choose materials with the right thickness to minimize costs while achieving desired product performance.
- Embossing – Make images stand out with pad embossing, rail embossing and other embossing techniques that add function to graphic overlays. We can also emboss braille to improve accessibility for consumer-facing applications.
- Transparent windows and cut outs – We can produce dead front and backlit overlays with windows and cut outs of nearly any size or shape. Windows and cut outs can be clear, have varying degrees of dead front or feature transparent colors for more dynamic functionality.
- Four-color process printing – We use digital and screen-printing techniques to add a wide range of colors to graphic overlays, creating higher definition graphics and patterns.
- Dead front graphics and windows – Create dead front graphics that only appear when backlit for a clean look and better user experience.
- Selective adhesives – We can create a full coverage adhesive on the back of a graphic overlay or use selective adhesives to work around windows and cut outs. As a preferred 3M converter, DuraTech was a beta tester for a new 3M screenable adhesive and we continue to explore new ways we can use adhesives to improve the performance of graphic overlays.
Graphic overlay prototypes
Speed product development with custom graphic overlay prototypes that can seamlessly be converted over to production. Our prototypes are created in a production-like setting and are true finished parts with the same or equivalent construction as traditionally manufactured products. We can work with your engineers to develop a custom graphic overlay that will satisfy all technical requirements and provide significant business benefits by reducing the speed and cost to get products into market.
Featured Product
Autotex® Antimicrobial Film
Autotex® AM, or Antimicrobial is a unique hard coated polyester film incorporating Microban® antimicrobial protection. The Microban® technology is incorporated into the Autotex® AM textured hard coat and the film surface. The technology works 24/7 to inhibit the growth by surface contamination on the treated surface. The result is a film that stays hygienically cleaner and fresher longer.
Benefits
Typical Applications
Industries
DuraTech is proud to provide custom graphic overlays to customers across a wide range of industries. Whether they are used to decorate, inform or add function, we’ve helped create graphic overlays for:
- Industrial machinery
- Appliances
- Medical devices
- Electronics
- Telecommunication devices
- Automotive
- Many other industries
Graphic overlay materials
With the right material, graphic overlays can be extremely durable and resistant to abrasion, UV exposure and harsh chemicals like cleaning solvents. The vast majority of graphic overlays are made with either polycarbonate for its flexibility, or polyester for its superior life expectancy. Vinyl or UV resistant laminations can also be used to extend the life of outdoor applications.
Because DuraTech is a Preferred 3M Converter, we have access to some of the highest-quality and most sought-after materials available in the market today. We maintain significant inventory of commonly used materials to speed turnaround time and help manufacturers avoid sourcing issues. Our materials experts can help design engineers select the optimal material for a given application and ensure compliance with any UL or CSA requirements.
Why choose DuraTech Industries®?
Manufacturers choose DuraTech for graphic overlay manufacturing because we are truly the custom graphics experts. While many material converters and other companies can create overlays, these products are not at the core of what they do. DuraTech, on the other hand, lives and breathes custom graphics applications each and every day.
We have the knowledge, experience and the technical skill to create flawless overlays with every production run and enhance your operation with our materials science expertise. We also have a global reach, which helps avoid supply chain disruption and speed turnaround times.
Ultimately, manufacturers choose DuraTech because they trust us to provide a great experience and deliver projects on time and on spec with every run.
