How to Become an Expert In ADA-Compliant Braille Printing

By Gabby Houck

As wide-format producers look to other avenues to expand their signage and graphics offerings, one area to keep in mind is braille. While braille can be a profitable opportunity, it also needs to be ADA-compliant.

In a recent webinar sponsored by MUTOH and hosted by Alliance Media Brand, Wide-format Impressions, experts on braille printing explored the art and science of ADA-compliant production.

Dan Marx, editorial content director of WFI, moderated the discussion. He was joined by MUTOH team members Kerrie Thompson, marketing specialist; Emilio Rangel, UV product manager; and Derek Moffett, development manager.

Braille’s Ongoing Evolution

To get the conversation going, Thompson detailed the history and regulations of ADA signage.

Founded in the 1800s by Charles Barbier to try to communicate during nighttime war.

In 1824, Barbier takes his ideas to the Royal Institute of the Blind Youth, where Louis Braille began his work on braille as we know it today.

Fast forward, the American Disabilities Act is enacted in 1973 – covering all civil rights prohibiting discrimination based on any disability.

The ADA is signed into law by President George Bush in 1990.

In 2010 the ADA standards for accessible design were enacted and then became mandatory in March of 2012.

“The reason I'm telling you this is that it's been a long time coming for us to get to this point, and just recently, they've actually even made an additional update, which I believe is going to be taking place in January. It's going to be enacted into law as well, with light variations. So, it's constantly evolving,” Thompson said.

Across the board, Thompson said that when making ADA signage, MUTOH strictly adheres to the ADA, which you need to do, considering there are different types of ADA signage with different regulations.

“There are several types of ADA signage. The one that we currently use for UV printers is a lot; it's the identification one that needs to have the most regulations,” Thompson said. “Informational, directional, wayfinding, and overhead signs you can pretty much print on several signs, but the identification has a lot of actual rules and regulations as far as where it needs to be placed, and the size of the dots in the pictogram. There are a lot of variations, so make sure that you know what you're doing when you're printing your ADA signs.”

Thompson also mentioned the importance of knowing regulations specific to each state and the need for compliance with ADA standards — for example, not using a glossy finish to help reduce eye strain and reflections for individuals with visual impairments, which helps to reduce readability in various lighting conditions.

She further discussed the significance of fonts, colors, and contrast in ADA signage, noting that sans serif fonts are more compliant than serif fonts.

The Various ADA Sign Making Methods and Materials

Thomspon explained that there are numerous braille sign-making methods, but these are the most popular in the industry.

Raster Braille Beads: They’re used to engrave and make holes within the substrate, whether it's plastic or acrylic.

Pictograms: This is your man, the woman, the handicapped sign, and those are all usually just cut, whether it's a router or with a laser, and applied.

Photopolymer: It’s similar to screen printing, but very messy and time-consuming.

Thermoforming: This one requires some type of substance where you're putting it into an actual mold, pressing it in, and then actually forming that shape.

Inkjet: Braille dots, pictograms, and other elements are “built” to specific shapes using layers of UV-curable ink.

“There are a lot of steps, a lot of materials, a lot of cost and time involved in each of these. So, materials for ADA signage are going to vary,” Thompson said. “There's plastic, there's different types of metals, woods, and acrylics.”

Printing Requirements for ADA Signage

After Thompson concluded her portion of the presentation, Rangel took over to talk about UV printing requirements, including dot height, tactile letter height, and ink layering.

For dot height, Rangel explained that it needs to be between .025 and.037″ For tactile letters, they need a minimum of .032″ from the base of the material. And to achieve that, Rangel said the UV printer used must be capable of layering ink to meet those height requirements.

“Be sure always to verify these dimensions when you produce an ADA sign, whether it's with a depth gauge or micrometer on the finished parts. You cannot rely solely on visual inspection, because ADA compliance is a big deal. There are laws behind it,” Rangel said.

Once you have the height down, Rangel said you need to turn your focus to the sign’s durability.

“With the braille and raised text, it needs to resist abrasion. These signs are going to be touched. They're going to be, you know, handled. They need to maintain that sort of consistency. The braille dots cannot come off as well, as you need to be able to clean them with mild common cleaning agents like alcohol or mild soap,” Rangel said.

Rangel also discussed the importance of variable dot control – meaning that the print head can control the dot size to form a clean, round braille dot with sharp edges and smooth curves. He also discussed the use of white ink for tactile elements in UV printing, and as role the of RIP software in supporting multi-white varnish passes, layer sequencing, and spot channels for ADA-compliant braille printing.

Numerous Business Opportunities

To wrap up the webinar, Moffett closed things out by talking about the business opportunities in the ADA signage market, particularly in hospitals, schools, and apartment complexes.

Hospitals:

Moffett revealed that in the average hospital, there are 1400 doors that all need ADA-compliant signage.

"There's obviously a great opportunity with hospitals, and you're going to want to identify those opportunities in your local area or even nationally, and get in with the right people to capture that business."

Schools

Moffett explained that each year, 300 new public schools are built, and the average number of ADA signs for the average high school is between 80-100. So, in total, approximately 27,000 ADA signs need to be produced just to meet the demand of new builds.

“This does not take into account facelifts, or remodels, or changing of things within current schools, and it doesn't even touch the universities. So, at $75 bucks a sign, that's a $2 million opportunity,” Moffett said.

Apartment Complexes

For the average apartment complex, Moffett said that it could need between $20,000 to $50,000 worth of ADA signage.

“And it’s also a great opportunity to cross-sell with a complex’s new monument signs and other graphics,” Moffett said.

And, given that ADA signage isn’t a stylistic choice but a necessity, it’s a great revenue stream for wide-format producers.

“ADA signage is the only sign product that is federally mandated. It makes it the most consistent revenue stream that you can tap as a sign shop owner,” Moffett said.