Advertising technology

Advertising signs, displays, illuminated signs, standees and other advertising elements must not only be visually convincing. Depending on the place of use, UV resistance, weather resistance, impact resistance, low weight and good machinability are also required.

Plastics offer versatile possibilities for advertising technology. Different materials can be printed, milled, cut to size or thermally formed and thus specifically adapted to the respective application.

At Martan Plastics you receive plastic sheets and engineering plastics for individual applications in advertising technology as well as support in selecting and machining the right material.

Which materials are suitable for durable advertising displays?

For durable advertising displays, plastics whose properties match the place of use and the mechanical stress are particularly suitable. For outdoor applications, for example, UV and weather resistance play an important role. For heavily stressed displays, on the other hand, high impact toughness can be decisive.

The relevant materials for advertising signs and displays include, among others:

• Acrylic glass (PMMA) for transparent and visually high-quality advertising elements
• Polycarbonate (PC) for particularly impact-resistant and robust applications
• Rigid PVC for lightweight signs and carrier sheets that can be machined in many ways
• PET-G for transparent and easily thermoformable advertising elements

Which plastic is the best choice therefore depends not only on the visual appearance. The place of use, desired service life, mechanical load and the planned further processing should be considered together.

You can find out more about suitable materials for outdoor use in our guide to UV-resistant plastics.

Requirements for plastics in advertising technology

Advertising plastics are used for very different applications. Accordingly, the requirements for the material also differ.

UV and weather resistance

Advertising signs and advertising boards outdoors are permanently exposed to sunlight, moisture and changing temperatures. For such applications, a material should be specifically selected that is suitable for the respective ambient conditions.

PMMA, for example, has very good UV and weather resistance. Polycarbonate can also be used for demanding outdoor applications with suitable UV stabilisation or coating.

Low weight and good stability

Plastic sheets combine comparatively low weight with good mechanical properties. Depending on the design, this facilitates transport, installation and further processing of advertising boards, displays and signage.

Good machinability

For individual advertising signs, sheets often have to be cut, drilled, milled or otherwise machined. The right combination of material and machining process enables individual contours, recesses and constructions.

Martan Plastics also carries out professional plastic machining for individual components and cut pieces.

Optical properties

For transparent displays, illuminated signs or decorative advertising elements, light transmission, surface quality and transparency play an important role. Transparent plastics such as PMMA, polycarbonate or PET-G are particularly suitable here.

Advertising signs made of plastic: which material is suitable for what?

The right advertising sign material depends above all on the application and the environment of use.

Plastic	Typical properties	Possible applications in advertising technology
Acrylic glass (PMMA)	transparent, visually high-quality, very good UV and weather resistance	illuminated signs, displays, transparent signs, shop window elements
Polycarbonate (PC)	transparent, very impact-tough and break-resistant	robust displays, protective covers, heavily stressed advertising elements
Rigid PVC	lightweight, dimensionally stable and easy to machine	advertising signs, carrier sheets, exhibition stand construction and displays
PET-G	transparent and easily thermoformable	formed displays, transparent covers and advertising elements

The table serves as initial guidance. For specific projects, material thickness, construction, fastening and ambient conditions should also be taken into account.

Acrylic glass for high-quality advertising signs and displays

Acrylic glass, also known as PMMA, is one of the well-known transparent plastics in advertising technology. Its high transparency and good weather resistance make the material particularly interesting for visually demanding applications.

Typical possible uses are:

• illuminated signs
• transparent advertising signs
• displays
• shop window decorations
• covers
• decorative advertising elements

PMMA is particularly suitable when a high-quality transparent appearance is to be combined with good resistance to UV radiation.

You can find suitable sheet materials in our plastic sheets section.

Polycarbonate for robust advertising displays

When high impact toughness and break resistance are required, polycarbonate (PC) is an interesting choice.

Polycarbonate combines transparency with high mechanical load capacity. As a result, the material is suitable, for example, for displays, covers or advertising elements where the material may be exposed to higher mechanical stresses.

The relevant properties include:

• high impact toughness
• high break resistance
• good optical properties
• good temperature resistance
• good machinability

For long-term outdoor applications, the specific design should be checked with regard to UV protection and ambient conditions.

Rigid PVC for advertising signs and carrier sheets

Rigid PVC is a versatile engineering plastic that can be machined well. Due to its combination of stability, low weight and easy processing, the material is also suitable for applications in exhibition stand construction and advertising technology.

Possible areas of use are:

• advertising signs made of plastic
• carrier sheets
• displays
• exhibition stand construction elements
• structural advertising elements

At Martan Plastics you receive rigid PVC sheets in various versions and can have the material further processed to suit your application.

PET-G for transparent and formed displays

PET-G combines transparency with good thermoformability. As a result, the material is particularly suitable for advertising elements whose shape is to be produced by thermal machining.

Possible applications are transparent displays, covers and formed presentation elements.

Further information on the classification of various PET variants can be found in our article Plastics compared.

Custom-made advertising boards made of plastic

Advertising boards made of plastic do not have to be limited to simple rectangular standard formats. Modern machining processes allow plastic sheets to be individually adapted to the desired geometry.

With the CNC milling of plastics, for example, contours, recesses, holes and more complex shapes can be produced precisely.

Depending on the material and component geometry, the following machining operations are possible, among others:

• sawing and cutting to size
• CNC milling
• drilling
• edge finishing
• thermal forming
• other material-dependent machining processes

This allows both individual advertising elements and recurring components for displays and advertising systems to be realised.

Which plastic is suitable for your advertising sign?

When selecting the material, you should first define the requirements of your application:

Will the advertising sign be used indoors or outdoors? For outdoor applications, UV and weather resistance are particularly relevant.

Should the material be transparent? For transparent applications, for example, PMMA, polycarbonate or PET-G are suitable.

Is high impact resistance required? Under high mechanical stress, polycarbonate can offer advantages.

Does the material need to be thermally formed? Then the thermoformability of the respective plastic should be taken into account.

Are individual contours or recesses required? In this case, mechanical machinability plays an important role.

By coordinating these criteria, the advertising sign material can be selected more specifically and matched to the planned service life and use.

Plastic solutions for advertising technology from Martan Plastics

Martan Plastics supports you in selecting and machining engineering plastics for applications in advertising technology. Depending on the project, you receive plastic semi-finished products as well as individually machined components according to your requirements.

Our range includes, among other things:

• plastic sheets and semi-finished products
• individual cut pieces
• CNC-milled plastic parts
• various engineering plastics
• support in material selection
• machining according to individual specifications

This gives advertising technicians, manufacturers and industrial processors a plastic solution tailored to the respective application.

Are you planning an advertising sign, display or another component made of plastic? Talk to us about your requirements.

Frequently asked questions about plastics in advertising technology

Which materials are suitable for durable advertising displays?

For durable advertising displays, depending on the application, for example PMMA, polycarbonate, rigid PVC or PET-G are suitable. For outdoor applications, UV and weather resistance are particularly important. Under high mechanical stress, polycarbonate can offer advantages due to its high impact toughness.

Which material is suitable for advertising signs outdoors?

For advertising signs outdoors, materials with suitable UV and weather resistance should be used. PMMA has very good natural UV and weather resistance. Polycarbonate can also be suitable for outdoor applications with appropriate UV stabilisation.

What are the advantages of advertising boards made of plastic?

Advertising boards made of plastic can combine low weight, good stability and versatile machining options. Depending on the plastic used, transparent, robust, weather-resistant or thermoformable versions are possible.

Which plastic is suitable for transparent advertising signs?

For transparent advertising signs, acrylic glass or PMMA, polycarbonate and PET-G are particularly suitable. Which material is suitable depends, among other things, on the requirements for appearance, impact resistance, weather resistance and formability.

Can advertising signs made of plastic be cut to size individually?

Yes. Depending on the material, plastic sheets can, for example, be sawed, drilled or CNC-milled. This makes individual dimensions, contours and recesses possible for advertising signs, displays and other advertising elements.

What is important when selecting advertising plastics?

Important selection criteria are the place of use, UV and weather resistance, transparency, mechanical load, material thickness and the desired machining. The material selection should therefore always be matched to the specific application.