Type 3 High Intensity – Highway Signage, Construction Zone Devices, and Traffic Delineators
Type 3 Flexible High Intensity – Reboundable applications like Traffic Cones, Zodiac Boats, Banners.
(Encapsulated Lens – Glass Bead Type)
ASTM D4956 Type 3 Retro Reflective Sheeting – A high-intensity glass bead reflective film used for permanent highway signage, construction zone devices, bollards, gates, traffic cones and traffic delineators. An “Encapsulated Lens” glass bead retro-reflective material, meaning that individual glass beads are encapsulated in cells and more exposed to incoming light. High Intensity Type 3 films also use higher index beads. The result is a film that is three times as bright as engineer grade films, and about double the brightness of Type 2 SEG films.
Another feature of High Intensity Type 3 tapes is their ability to reflect at wider observation angles. New tapes by 3m and Orafol feature this wide observation angle characteristic. However, long before these tapes were invented, there was High Intensity Type 3. What wide observation means is that there is a wider cone of reflectivity that is bounced back from the surface. So a viewers eyes can be further away from a light source and still see the tape. Also, because of advanced optics, the beads are brighter, so it can be seen from further out. So if you use high intensity on bollards for example, when you pull into a parking lot where the bollards are, they light up quicker than if they were sheeted with engineer, or even some prismatic tapes. So for close applications of say 100 yards, it is hard to beat high intensity films for brightness, and wide observation angle performance.
High Intensity is available in a standard and flexible version. The “Standard Version” has an acrylic top coat which enhances longevity but results in a stiffer, less stretchable film. The Flexible Version has a polyester top coat and will stretch and conform to uneven surfaces. It is also reboundable, so it can be used for traffic cones and road barrels. While the flexible version of this material can be CAD cut, it is normally not used this way, since cutting the film exposed the edges of the cells that are filled with glass beads. After cutting, edges SHOULD be sealed to protect the edges.
Photometrics for Type 3 Sheeting (minimum coefficient of reflection in candelas)
Observation Angle : positive .2 degrees / Entrance Angle : negative .4 degrees
- White – 300
- Yellow – 200
- Orange – 120
- Green – 54
- Red – 54
- Blue – 24
- Brown – 14
Steven Cole (Economics, MBA – University of West Florida , Business & Innovation – Stanford University) 25 years of experience in the reflective safety business. Specializing in vehicle accident and rear end collision reduction through increased visibility.