Retroreflective Sheeting

COMMERCIAL GRADE 5000 SERIES

ATSM Commercial Grade retroreflective sheeting is a beaded plastic material that renders high retroreflectivity at night. It is designed for use mainly on traffic signs and is highly resistant against the extremes of hot, cold, dry, and humid weathering conditions. Traffic signs faced with ATSM Brand sheeting and transparent process colors are attractive in appearance and highly visible during both day and night, and contribute greatly to driving safety. This sheeting is available in seven colors.

TYPES OF ADHESIVE: The ATSM 5000 Series sheeting is pre-coated with PS adhesive that will bond the sheeting to the substrate with the application of pressure only. The pressure can be applied with a hand roller, squeegee, or a roller-applicator. Permanent bonding will not take place until 48 hours after the application. DO NOT ALLOW THE ADHESIVE TO FREEZE DURING THE 48-HOUR CURING PERIOD.

COLORS: This sheeting is available in the standard colors as listed on the Table below and conforms with practically all specifications of traffic control signs and devices throughout the world.

Color Color #

White 152

Yellow 155

Red 151

Blue 153

Orange 156

Green 154

Brown 157

REFLECTIVE INTENSITY: ATSM Brand Engineering Grade (EG) sheeting is designed and manufactured to render high head-on and wide-angle retroreflectivity.

A. The minimum Specific Intensity per Unit Area (SIA) required of the standard colors of Type II (EG) sheeting appears in the Standard Specification of Roads and Bridges on Federal Highway Projects 1985 (FP-85) as shown in Table 2, below.

O.A.	E.A.	White 152	Yellow 155	Red 151	Blue 153	Orange 156	Green 154	Brown 157
0.2º 0.2º 0.5º 0.5º	-4º 30º -4º 30º	70 30 30 15	50 22 25 13	14.5 6.0 7.5 3.0	4.0 1.7 2.0 0.8	25.0 7.0 13.5 4.0	9.0 3.5 4.5 2.2	2.0 1.0 1.0 0.5

Note: O.A.=Observation Angle and E.A.=Entrance Angle.

B. Average SIA of ATSM EG Sheeting
Typical SIA of each color, when measured with methods specified in FP-85 and expressed in candelas per foot candle per square foot, appears in Table 3, below.

O.A.	E.A.	White 152	Yellow 155	Red 151	Blue 153	Orange 156	Green 154	Brown 157
0.2º 0.2º 0.5º 0.5º	-4º 30º -4º 30º	113 63.2 48.2 15	77.5 44.7 34.2 27.5	27.8 13.9 14.2 9.9	8.4 4.8 3.8 2.8	62.8 31.1 31.5 21.4	26.6 14.1 12.9 9.4	4.0 2.0 2.0 0.8

DURABILITY: The most important properties of retroreflective sheeting are reflectivity, color, and durability. Of these, durability may be the most important, so special attention was directed towards the selections and use of raw material and production technology that would render maximum durability. Continuous efforts are being made to attain even greater durability for all products. From countless tests conducted, it has been determined that EG applied as recommended can be expected to meet the durability standards given below without any clear coating. Under certain weathering conditions, small hair cracks may appear in the sheeting, but such cracks do not significantly reduce the day or night performance of the signs.

Type	Length of Durability
152 (white) 155 (yellow) 151 (red) 153 (blue) 156 (orange) 154 (green) 157 (brown)	7 years 7 years 7 years 7 years 7 years 7 years 7 years

NOTE: The data above are based in the tests conducted in the United States as well as in Japan. These tests included outdoor exposure and Emmaqua* tests in Phoenix, Arizona, outdoor exposure in Miami, Florida and Sunshine (carbon arc) weatherometer tests. It was found that durability is affected by the type of substrate, surface treatment of the substrate, exposure conditions, and type of maintenance.

*Emmaqua is an equatorial mount with mirrors for accelerated weathering, which includes the spraying at one hour intervals during daylight of distilled water on the test specimen. This type of test is conducted as DSET LABORATORIES, Inc. of Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A.

COLOR MATCHING: When it is necessary to use more than one sheet of sheeting on one sign, care should be taken to use sheeting cut from the same roll. If, however, sheets from different rolls are used, care must be taken to ensure that the daytime and night time colors of the sheeting are matched. Color matching should be done in daylight hours away from colored walls or other objects that can affect the color of the sheeting. To match night color, examine the sheeting in a dark room or area with a light directed on the surface. The light source (flashlight, spotlight, etc.) should be held at eye level and observation should take place from behind the light, as far away from the sheeting as practical.

APPLICATION: ATSM sheeting is pre-coated with an adhesive that will bond the sheeting firmly and permanently to clean and smooth surfaces of tested and approved metal, coated metal, plastic, plywood, etc.

The 6000 Series is bonded to the sign substrate by application of pressure with a roller applicator or a squeegee. When applying to large surface areas, the best results can be obtained by use of a mechanical roller applicator.

STORAGE AND SHELF LIFE: All sheeting must be stored in a cool, dry, and clean area. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight and storage in excessively humid areas. The shelf life of the sheeting is 12 months after delivery.

MAINTENANCE: Any sheeting surfaces covered with dust or small particles of sand should be cleaned with water containing a mild, neutral cleaning solution. To avoid scarring the surface use a soft, clean cloth or sponge when washing and drying. To remove tar and oily substrates, rub lightly with a soft cloth soaked with a mild solvent such as kerosene or turpentine.

Product Specifications Material Safety Data Sheet

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