With the growth in the economy of Ireland, we expect to see an increasing demand for glues for the sign and display sector and it was early last week that our lab received an interesting request. A sign company was requested to manufacture a batch of illuminated signs which used channel letters and it was to us they came for advice.

But what are ‘channel letters’……………?

Channel letters are used in the manufacture of three dimensional graphic display signs. They consist of a sheet of material, typically metal or plastic, into which the letter shapes are laser cut. This creates the back of the channel. Usually the sides of the letter are formed using the same material, which is cut to a height of typically 75 mm. These sides are normally mechanically fixed or glued to the channel backing. Normally a translucent plastic face, typically made from plastics such as acrylic or polycarbonate, is cut to fit into the open face of the letter. Finally a trim cap border is applied to the letter edges. This gives the letter’s face a finished appearance.

The request which our lab received, was for an adhesive suitable for gluing cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) trim cap borders onto acrylic letters. For this application, the answer was simple…….Scigrip 55.

Scigrip 55 is a two component 1:1 mix ratio polyurethane glue which is supplied in very easy to use 50 ml cartridges. It has been formulated for gluing a wide range of plastics including PETG, buffed acrylics and cellulose acetate butyrate.

Scigrip 55 is a water clear adhesive, making it the perfect glue for applications where overall clarity is important. The product has a working time of approximately six minutes and a fixture time of about two hours. Approximately eighty per-cent of the ultimate bond strength is reached after seventy two hours. The product is applied using a CM2 manual gun and a CNOZ-B-25/50 static mixing nozzle. For applications where precise location of adhesive is required, our Smooth Flow Tips are applicable. 18, 22 or 25 gauge tips being optimum.

Scigrip 55 adhesive delivers high quality performance and opens the door to novel applications within the sign & display sector. It boasts several unique properties, including:

• Very easy to use.
• Structural strength for all signage applications.
• Glass clear, perfect for manufacturing displays.
• High temperature resistance.
• Excellent resistance to discolouration and UV light.

For channel letter gluing within the sign & display sector, Scigrip 55 is the obvious choice. As Ireland’s leading research based manufacturer & distributor of adhesives and sealants for the sign & display sector, we are always here to help, especially in the most demanding applications.

Scigrip 55, as well as the required application gun and static mixing nozzles, are stocked in our Dublin and Cork sites.