Month: January 2022

Due to the materials used to make photoluminescent signs they are most typically used for emergency signage in situations where lighting is extremely limited.

They are commonly used to demark safe routes for evacuations in the event of emergencies, where power is likely to be unavailable, making dark areas difficult and unsafe to navigate.

Of course, this isn’t their only use, and their applications are dependent on your needs. THEY CAN BE CUSTOM PRINTED TO YOUR SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS.

BUT WHAT ARE PHOTOLUMINESCENT SIGNS?

Photoluminescence itself is an interesting material that both absorbs and emits light, which is why it is ideal for low-light situations, such as when the power is out during an emergency.

Because of this it can be used for emergency lighting as well as signage in low-light situations, such as signs that give evacuation instructions and keep people safe in these situations.

Being a light source that requires no electricity since they absorb ambient light and re-emit it when the lights are out, it can be employed without any need for nearby power sources.

Types of signs that benefit from being photoluminescent include emergency signs, exit signs, instructional signs, and more.

TYPES OF PHOTOLUMINESCENT SIGNS

There are also different types of photoluminescence, each providing a different level and duration of light, depending on your needs, we touched on them above with the Class A to D standards.

Lower standards will dissipate quickly, discharge light immediately, and ones that release photons after a delay and at lower amounts, but for much longer.

PHOTOLUMINESCENCE AND SAFETY COMPLIANCE

Photoluminescent signs also add a level of safety and compliance that is a critical part of industrial and commercial operations, making them a commonplace feature of workplaces. Of course, their safety benefits can be extended to residential setups like apartment buildings as well.

Where industry is concerned, power loss can be even more dangerous since obstacles often feature a more hazardous nature in environments like factories and workshops, and in these instances, photoluminescent signs are ideal for keeping up with levels of safety and compliance.

A BROADER RANGE OF USES

While safety is one of the most common features of photoluminescent signs, they can be creatively employed to all types of signage that is likely to be used in low light areas, as long as they do get exposed to enough light to store photons. They can, for instance, also be used for marketing or instructional signage.

BENEFITS OF PHOTOLUMINESCENT SIGNS

Using photoluminescent signs in your place of operations, whether for safety or other purposes, comes with numerous advantages in any context.

The first and most notable benefit is that they are obviously highly energy efficient, and can be employed with literally no connection to a power grid. In times of emergency when there is likely not going to be power available, being energy efficient is a standout characteristic.

Eco-friendliness is another benefit of photoluminescence for much the same reason that energy efficiency is. That is to say that you won’t need to power it with batteries or other discardable materials that contribute to wastage. They also don’t consume any energy from the grid, making them an environmentally friendly.

Being a remarkably energy efficient product makes photoluminescent signs a more affordable option than many other types of signage, particularly those that need to be powered. Your business can save a ton of money over a long period of time, simply by not consuming electricity or batteries.

Photoluminescent signs also boast an incredibly long lifespan, far longer than any lighting solution at about 20 to 25 years. That’s a lot of time to make monthly savings on no power costs for emergency signage.

FIND OUT MORE AT SURE SIGNS

If you would like to know more about implementing photoluminescent signs in your workplace, be sure to get in contact with a representative from Sure Signs today, by visiting our website for details.

Every day the average human is exposed to well over 6000 messages a day. Thousands of tiny ads, signs, and images vying for our headspace, trying to tell us something equally important.

This being said, it doesn’t take a ground-breaking design to get a sign to do what it is meant to, communicate effectively. You just need to make sure that its message is clear, it is easy to see, and is made from the right stuff.

All you need to do is avoid making some of the most commonly made signage design mistakes that make signs altogether ineffective.

It doesn’t matter what the sign is being used for, whether it is branding, relaying instructions, or marking out an exit in an emergency. The smallest design mistakes can make them fail at their job.

Let’s take a closer look at some of these mistakes here…

NOT ENOUGH CONTRAST

While in certain other types of designs, contrast is not always a good thing, in signage, it is absolutely essential for its most basic function; to be visible.

How many times have you seen a sign with lettering that is similarly coloured to the background, making it nearly invisible, especially in bad lighting (but we’ll get to that)?

Contrast is the single most important part of making a sign visible and able to instantly communicate what it needs to.

While it might be tempting to choose a colour scheme with limited contrast, the sign is not meant to be easy on the eye, it is supposed to catch it.

LOW LIGHTING & VISIBILITY

There are plenty of situations where signage is used in low lighting areas, such as in mines, industrial buildings, or even in emergencies where the power might be unavailable.

In these areas, having a sign that is well-lit is important, or nobody will see them when they are needed most.

You have a few options available to you when using signs in low-light areas, you could use photoluminescent signs which emit a glow in the darkness, reflective signs, or even powered ones.

The solution will depend on what you are using the sign for. For instance, if the sign serves for emergency instruction, a photoluminescent sign would be ideal, because they don’t require external power to be lit.

USING THE WRONG MATERIALS

The wrong materials can have a completely negative impact on how effective (and how durable) your sign is. This is a mistake that you see often enough.

Take a walk down the street and see how many signs are rusted, peeling, faded, and otherwise no longer doing their jobs properly simply because the wrong material has been used.

Beyond the durability and weather resistance of the sign, certain materials also look more professional than others.

There are tons of material options. Far too many to cover here. But be sure to discuss which ones should be used with your sign manufacturer to make sure you pick one that works for your needs.

SAYING WAY TOO MUCH

Too much information is a bigger crime than not giving enough, in the world of signage anyway.

A sign needs to say what it needs to as concisely as possible. If you bombard the viewer with a wall of small text, nobody is going to read past the first three words, if you’re lucky.

A sign needs to communicate what it needs to in a second. You need to be able to pass the sign and know what you need to at a glance.

If you put too much information on the sign instead of something that is clear and instantly visible, the sign is not going to relay the information you need it to, its just going to become an eyesore.

CONTACT SURE SIGNS FOR THE PERFECT SIGN

There is a lot to think about when designing and printing signs, no matter what you are using them for, which is why it is a good idea to work with a signage company that can help you get it right.

If you would like to know more about our offers on signage in South Africa, be sure to get in contact with Sure Signs today by visiting our website.