A very common question many customers ask us: is there a graphic overlay material that is better suited for a product that will live outside with constant UV exposure?

The answer to this question is really dependent on the membrane switch design.

If the membrane switch doesn’t have a window, then the polyester Autotex XE would be ideal.

If the membrane switch does have a window, then we have found that the best UV resistant graphic overlay material is actually polycarbonate as there is no available UV polyester (including Autotex XE) that is non-textured which would be required for any part with a window. 

When it comes to UV resistant polycarbonates, these are really the best available material options:

HP92W: UV resistant gloss hard coat – non-texturable

HP92X: UV resistant – texturable

Thicknesses:

.007 (7mil) is needed for anything that requires an emboss

.010 (10mil) can be used for parts that don’t require an emboss or standalone windows.