Signage
ADA/ABA compliant sign with raised lettering and Raster-Braille™
New Hermes patented method for engraving raised-letter signage
General signs
ADA/ABA Signage: Perhaps the largest change in government signage requirements is a direct result of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA). The ABA, similar to the Americans with Disabilities Act, applies to all Federal Facilities that are intended for use by the public or where individuals with disabilities might be employed. Specifications for sign visibility and assistance for the blind are clearly laid out in both acts. On November 8, 2005, the GSA adopted new standards based on the United States Access Board's updated Architectural Barriers Act guidelines. These new ABA standards, known as the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS), took effect on May 8, 2006, and applied to all federally-funded facilities, except residential, postal, and military facilities. Since then, similar standards have been adopted by the Departments of Housing and Defense and the U.S. Postal Service.
Soon after the passage of the ADA in 1990, New Hermes engineers developed a patented system for producing raised-letter signage using engraving machines. A recent addendum to the ADA requires dome-shaped Braille "dots"; the traditional routed process no longer meets the requirements. Accent Signage (www.accentsignage.com), also a GSA contractor, worked with New Hermes in the 1990s to develop its patented Raster-Braille™ system, which pops beads into a pre-engraved pattern of holes, creating attractive and durable, as well as fully-compliant ADA/ABA signs. Many government agencies have relied on New Hermes machines, materials and processes to help ensure full ADA/ABA compliance.
Other advancements New Hermes has developed to address government signage issues include an injection-molded modular frame system that's flexible and tamper-resistant, and engraving-specific software for fast setup and "job saves" for repeated projects.
Signage Tools: Examples
- IS6000, 7000, 8000 ? large table (24 x 16, 32, or 48 inches) rotary engraving systems for engraving many signs at once
- GravoStyle 7 engraving software
- Auto Raster™ — attachment that inserts Raster™ Braille beads, on the same run as cutting the signs
- M40 Rotary Engraver ? 12 x 8 in. engraving area, smaller signs one at a time
- Raster™-Pen ? for inserting beads by hand
- Quick-Click engraving software (included with M40)
- GravoTac 2-ply plastic material, for New Hermes' patented raised-letter signage process
- Complete line of indoor and outdoor plastics and metals, modular frames and accessories
Making ADA Signs: How To's
Below are reference guides to help you with your ADA engraving projects:
- Using a Cutting Bed – 36kb PDF
- How to make Routed Braille – 67kb PDF
- How to make window and slider signs – 52kb PDF
- Photopolymer vs. Engraved Method – 67kb PDF
- How to engrave ADA signs: A step by step guide – 67kb PDF
- How to create Inlay letters – 259kb PDF
- How to set up the Auto-Raster – 109kb PDF
- How to ensure engraving quality – 61kb PDF
- How to create Raster Braille using a laser engraver – 65kb PDF
- Advanced procedures for engraving Ada signage – 88kb PDF
Regulations and Policies
New Hermes is providing the following links to help inform and remind you of some federal regulations your institution must adhere to.
- ADA Guidelines – 238kb PDF
- Fine-tuning your ADA knowledge – 74kb PDF
- The Ins and Outs of ADA Signage – 67kb PDF
- ADA Standards for Accessible Design - The revised 1994 standards issued by the US Department of Justice – 67kb PDF
Contact us
To learn more about New Hermes’ government engraving machines and materials please contact us.
Phone Toll-Free: 1-800-843-7637
Email: govsales@gravograph-newhermes.com