Mr. Bean,
With regards to digitally printed Traffic
Signs:
Brief History - ARO thirty years ago, most ALL FHWA certified Highway and Street Traffic
Signs were screen printed on 3M High Intensity Film. Since 3M was the only game in town for HIP film, 3M priced their product $6.00+ a square foot. Cities, Counties, and State DOT
sign shops were typically mandated to screen print their traffic
signs using extremely harsh inks that would last outdoors 7-10 years without fading. In the early 1990's, OSHA put the kibosh on many government screen printing operations due primarily to the carcinogens in the screen print inks; therefore, many users turned to cutting cast vinyl and applying the vinyl to 3M HIP in order to maintain the 7-10 year outdoor mandate. In early 2000, wideformat digital inkjet printers were introduced to the industry; however, the
eco solvent inks would only last 3-5 years outdoors. The advent of digital printers coincided with 3M's patent for HIP expiring. Avery, Nikkalite, and Orafol quickly jumped into the market for traffic
sign HIP products. The price per square foot for material lowered to around $2.00 a square foot. Even though material pricing had lowered significantly, DOT's still wanted 7-10 year outdoor performance.
Technology advanced to the point where some manufacturers were willing to extend outdoor warranties on their HIP film when printed on their film with a specific ink and laminated with their clear overlam.
Today, your options as follows:
1. Avery TrafficJet - Consists of a Mutoh printer, printing an Avery proprietary ecosolvent ink on Avery HIP and laminated with Avery clear film. Warranty is up to 10 years.
2. Grimco System - Consists of HP Latex 365 (only) printer, SAI/3M Traffic RIP software, printing standard HP latex ink on 3M HIP and laminated with 3M clear laminate. Warranty is up to 10 years.
3. Orafol System - Consists of expensive Agfa Anapurna UV printer, AGFA RIP software, printing on Oralite HIP and laminated with Oralite clear laminate. Orafol is looking to add the HP Latex printer to their portfolio later this year. The goal is up to 10 years outdoor warranty.
4, Nikkalite System - Consists of OKI ColorPainter, printing OKI eco-solvent ink on Nikkalie HIP and laminated with Nikkalite clear overlam. Warranty is expected to be same as their competition.
2CT noted that he has learned from 3M reps that 3M is working on a Solvent (Eco-solvent) solution? That kind of surprises me as ALL solvent/ecosolvent inks require outgassing which means laminate typically cant be applied to printed substrates for about 24 hours. That would significantly slow down production.
2CT also noted that "3M through (threw?) HP under the Bus at a recent conference and is jumping in bed with OKI ColorPainter series now." I assume the conference was ATSSA in Tampa, FL last month? That was not the impression I got from 3M?
I would love to learm more fro 2CT if he/she would PM me?
Bob
Theres hundreds of forum posts about people who have 1-2 heads just randomly fail like all of ours did, and no solutions. 
