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Home > Roadway Departure > Nighttime Visibility > Sign Retroreflectivity > FHWA Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide – September 2005

FHWA Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - September 2005

FHWA Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide – September 2005
DOT Logo Notes:  
  • ASTM Types are shown as stated by the manufacturers using ASTM D4956-04 “type” designations.
  • Agencies should verify that the sheeting they use complies with their specifications or ASTM D4956.
  • FHWA does not endorse or approve any material nor does it determine type category(s) for materials.
  • This side of the Sheeting ID Guide is for rigid surfaces only. The other side is for flexible surfaces and non-signing applications.
Retroreflective Sheeting Materials for Rigid Sign Surfaces Made with Glass Beads
Example of
Sheeting
(Shown to scale)		 none triangle star chain link chain link chain link chain link chain link
ASTM Type I II II III III III III III

III
Manufacturer See note A Avery Dennison® Nippon Carbide 3M™ ATSM, Inc. Avery Dennison® Kiwalite® LG Lite

Nippon Carbide
Brand Name Engineer Grade Super Engineer Grade Super Engineer Grade High Intensity High Intensity High Intensity High Intensity High Intensity

High Intensity
Series Number Several T-2000 15000 17000 18000 2800
3800		 ASTM HI T-5500 22000 LH8000
LH8100

N500
N800
NOTES: A              

Retroreflective Sheeting Materials for Rigid Sign Surfaces Made with Prisms
Example of
Sheeting
(Shown to scale)		 chain link chain link chain link chain link with a triangle watermark chain link with a two sided arrow chain link with a one sided arrow chain link with a triangle watermark inside a box chain link with a two sided arrow

chain link
ASTM Type III, IV III, IV, X VII, VIII, X VIII IV, VIII IX IX X

Unassigned
Manufacturer Avery Dennison® 3M™ 3M™ Avery Dennison® Nippon Carbide 3M™ Avery Dennison® Nippon Carbide

3M™
Brand Name High Intensity Prismatic High Intensity Prismatic Diamond Grade™ LDP MVP Prismatic Crystal Grade Diamond Grade™ VIP Omni-View™ Crystal Grade

Diamond Grade™ DG3
Series Number T-6500 3930 3970 T-7500 94000 (IV)
92000 (VIII)		 3990 T-9500 93000

4000
NOTES: B B B,D   B,C     C

  1. All the manufacturers listed on the other side of this guide (except Reflexite) provide Engineer Grade sheeting. Engineer Grade sheeting is uniform without any patterns or identifying marks. Visually, it is indistinguishable from lower quality grades (i.e., utility and commercial grades).
  2. These materials can be classified as different ASTM Types.
  3. These materials are visually indistinguishable from one another.
  4. The arrow or “water mark” on this product is no longer included with new productions.

FHWA Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide – September 2005
Notes:
  • ASTM Types are shown as stated by the manufacturers using ASTM D4956-04 “type” designations.
  • Agencies should verify that the sheeting they use complies with their specifications or ASTM D4956.
  • FHWA does not endorse or approve any material nor does it determine type category(s) for materials.
  • This side of the Sheeting ID Guide is for flexible and non-signing applications. The other side is for rigid surfaces.
  • Below are symbols that have been used to indicate special applications for sheeting on this side of the Sheeting ID Guide:
Cone Drums Temporary Tubes Sign
 
Retroreflective Sheeting Materials for Non-Signing Applications
Example of Sheeting (Shown to scale) chain link grid diamond shapes with a watermark on AR inside a circle diamond shapes chain link grid
ASTM Type III align="center">III V V III VI
Manufacturer Avery Dennison® Reflexite Reflexite Reflexite 3M™ Reflexite
Brand Name High Intensity Prismatic Work Zone High Impact Channelizer Tape Barrier Delineator Barrier Delineator High Intensity Flexible Traffic Cone Collar
Series Number WR-6100 n/a AR1000 AP1000 3840 n/a
Typical Use Reboundable
Device		 Reboundable Device Rigid Non-Signing Surface Rigid Non-Signing Surface Reboundable Device Traffic Cone
Retroreflective Sheeting Materials for Flexible Signs
Example of Sheeting (Shown to scale) chain link with a one sided arrow grid grid grid grid grid
ASTM Type VI VI VI VI VI VI
Manufacturer 3M™ 3M™ Avery Dennison® Reflexite Reflexite Reflexite
Brand Name Diamond Grade™ Roll-Up Sign Vinyl Roll-Up Sign Flexible Roll-Up Sign Flagging Material High Performance Marathon Super Bright Fluorescent
Series Number RS20 RS30 WU-6014 n/a n/a n/a
Typical Use Roll-Up Sign Roll-Up Sign Roll-Up Sign Roll-Up Sign Roll-Up Sign Roll-Up Sign
Contact Information
3M - www.3M.com/tcm Kiwalite - www.kiwa-lite.com Reflexite - www.reflexite.com
ATSM, Inc. - www.atsminc.com LG Lite - www.lgchem.com Nippon Carbide - www.nikkalite.com
Avery Dennison - www.reflectives.averydennison.com FHWA - www.fhwa.dot.gov/retro

 
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