What are Graphic Overlays?

Graphic Overlays are a thin film that is printed as the top layer of a product. They’re oftentimes decorative in design and help to provide a sense of functionality to a product. They’re attached to the top, viewing surface and are oftentimes used to provide a sense of direction, as well as used as a form of company promotion as they usually implement the product’s name, or the company’s logo. Because of Graphic Overlay’s different functionalities, they’re used in several different industries across the board including health care, business, construction, electronics, and so on.

Their Applications:

Graphic Overlays can provide a variety of different functionalities to your product including:

1. User Interface:

Because Graphic Overlays are oftentimes thought of to be the “face” of your product, they’re the main touchpoint for human interaction as well. Graphic Overlays go over the control panel to address the functionality of every individual button found on the layer beneath. Each touchpoint found on the Graphic Overlay will complete a different function, so the icons or symbols found on the Graphic Overlay are of significant importance. For instance, there may be a button that turns the device’s power on, while another button could be the “emergency stop” button. However, without a Graphic Overlay, you wouldn’t know what button completed what function. Graphic Overlays help to provide a sense of functionality to your product and are the main touchpoint for User Interface.

2. Brand Awareness:

Graphic Overlays also help to provide an element of brand awareness and promotion to your product. Because Graphic Overlays are all customized to fit your specific product’s functions, they also can be customized to display your company’s name or logo.

3. Backlighting:

Graphic Overlays can be designed so that they can be lit from beneath the overlay. Backlighting is used to illuminate specific icons and make them more visible. The backlighting is oftentimes done through LED Lighting and can be used to show functionalities such as on or off.

4. Durability:

Graphic overlays can also be used to provide a sense of durability to your product. As the top layer of your product, they can help to protect your product in several different ways. An oftentimes used example of products needing durability is in a situation similar to a hospital. Hospital equipment needs to withstand harsh chemical cleaners, as they are cleaned very frequently, but still need to be able to function properly. By incorporating a Graphic Overlay to the top layer of your product, the functionality will remain no matter what chemicals or fluids it comes into contact with. A few of the design functionalities that Graphic Overlays can provide are as follows:

• Water-Resistant
• UV Resistant
• Chemical Resistant
• Anti-Glare
• Scratch Resistant
• Heat Resistant

5. Dead Fronting:

The term dead fronting is used to describe an icon that is “dead”, or hidden, from normal view. Take your vehicle’s dashboard for example. There are several icons such as the “low tire pressure” icon, the “check engine” icon, etc. However, unless a problem arises where the icon needs to be displayed to alert you, the icon is hidden. This is made possible through the use of dead fronting in a graphic overlay. Graphic Overlays are also able to be customized to the level of dead fronting you wish to have, depending on how hidden you want icons to be.

Common Industries:

• Electronics
• Marines
• White Goods
• Medical
• Security
• Construction

For more information on Graphic Overlays or our capabilities, reach out!

Meet the Author: Jaclyn King

Jaclyn is a Digital Marketing Specialist on the BTI Team. Her main job responsibilities involve inbound marketing, content creation, and social media management. To get to know more about Jaclyn, check her out on LinkedIn!