3M 1170 Product Bulletin

3

ElectroCut

™

Film

Series 1170

Replaces PB 1170 dated January 2004

Product Bulletin 1170 July 2007

Description

3M™ ElectroCut™ Film Series 1170 is a durable,
transparent, acrylic colored film coated with a
transparent, pressure-sensitive adhesive that is
protected by a removable liner available in the
following colors.

Color

Product Code

Yellow 1171
Red 1172
Orange 1174
Blue 1175
Standard Green (Worboy) 1176
Green 1177
Black (Opaque) 1178
Brown 1179

Series 1170 is intended for use on 3M Reflective
Sheeting as part of 3M’s Matched Component
System™ for signing. Series 1170 E.C. Film has a
clear pressure-sensitive adhesive compatible with
all the following 3M reflective sheetings used in
permanent signing:

3M™ Reflective Sheeting

Engineer Grade Series 3290
High Intensity Grade Series 3870
High Intensity Prismatic Series 3930
Diamond Grade™ Series 3990 VIP
Diamond Grade™ Series 3970 LDP
Diamond Grade™ Series 3990T Translucent
Diamond Grade™ DG3 Series 4000
E.C. Film is designed with a special film liner for

kiss-cutting on electronic cutting machines. Rolls
are available prepunched for sprocket fed cutters
or unpunched for flatbed or friction fed cutters.
Colored E.C. Film is often used instead of silk

screened inks to provide transparent colored
background copy for retroreflective street name
signs and other traffic control signs. Various f ilm
widths are available to fabricate single sign panels
up to 48" wide. For single panel signs requiring
more than a single piece of sheeting or for
multipanel signs such as guide signs, be sure to
follow 3M color matching procedures in
Information Folder 1.10 to achieve satisfactory
results. (For best color uniformity on a colored

multipanel sign, make all panels from the same
lot of E.C. Film.)

Properties

Standard colors of series 1170 E.C. Films
conform to appropriate retroreflective sheeting
specifications – Federal Specification FP-96,
Section 178.01 (a) and ASTM D4956 when
applied over 3M™ Diamond Grade™ Reflective
Sheeting Series 3970, 3990, 3990T or 4000,
3M™ High Intensity Grade Sheeting Series 3870
or 3930, or 3M™ Engineer Grade Sheeting Series

3290.
Due to the high transparency of 3M acrylic E.C.

Films, retroreflective signs made with these E.C.
Films give equal or better retroreflective
performance than sheetings screened with
transparent inks. Transparent blue, green, red, and
yellow E.C. Films applied to white 3M™
Reflective Sheeting can be expected to give
performance comparable to integrally colored
reflective sheetings. The coefficient of
retroreflection of the colored areas of E.C. Film
signs will depend on both the overlay film
transparency and the brightness of the white
reflective substrate.

2

Table 1 gives the minimum and maximum
coefficient of retroreflection (R

A

values) for each
transparent 1170 Series film as a percentage of the
RAof the white reflective background on which it
is applied.

Table 1

Coefficient of retroreflection RA* for colored

E.C. Films applied over white retroreflective sheeting

(expressed as % of white retroreflective

sheeting background)

Transparent (R

A

color/RAwhite background) x 100%

Color

Minimum Maximum

Green 13.0 20
Blue 6.5 20
Red 14.0 24
Yellow 60.0 80
Orange 30.0 ­Brown 5.0 ­Standard Green 8.0 14

(Worboy)**

*RA (cd/lux/m2) measurments shall be made at 0.2˚
observation angle, -4˚ entrance angle, and 0˚ rotation, per
ASTM E-810.

**Standard green color for U.K., Australia, and New
Zealand

Film Liner

Series 1170 films have a transparent film release
liner designed to aid the cutting process and the
removal of the film weed after cutting. The rolls
of film come edge weeded on punched rolls to
prevent adhesive build-up on sprocket fed cutters.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry area 65-75˚F (18-24˚C), 30­50% relative humidity, and use within one year
from date of receipt.

Fabrication – Cutting and Application
Procedures

Important Note: It is recommended that inside

radius corner fonts be used when cutting series
1170 film. Read and follow the manufacturer's
operating manual carefully for proper use of
cutting equipment.

1. Adjust knife pressure to cut cleanly through

the film without cutting into the liner. A 30
degree blade works best. Spacing between
letters or numbers should be adjusted to the
aesthetic preference of the user. Consult the
operating manual for instructions on how to
regulate spacing. Note: Do not cut at high
speed on variable speed machines.

2. Avoid sharp bends when cutting and handling
film as this may cause film to release from the
liner.

3. After cutting is complete, lay sheets flat, face
to face, back to back. Always store sheets in
this manner until the sheeting has been
weeded and transfer tape has been applied to
sheeting.

4. Use a stripping tool designed for weeding
films that has a blunt (not a sharp) edge.

5. After weeding is completed, store sheets flat,
face to face and back to back, until transfer
tape is applied.

6. TPM-5 Clear Transfer Tape is recommended
for best results. SCPM-3 Application Tape is
also satisfactory for use on small signs. Other
transfer tapes are not recommended.

7. Transfer tape can be applied either by hand
using a plastic squeegee or through a hand
squeeze roll laminator. If applying the transfer
tape by hand, care must be taken to al

ways

squeegee from the center to the outside in both
directions. If applying the transfer tape
through the HSRA, the “lead” edge must be
cut square and fed into the nip very carefully
to avoid wrinkles in the E.C. Film.

8. Series 1170 film may be applied to the
sheeting either before or after the sheeting has
been applied to the substrate. Series 1170 film
can be applied to Engineer Grade sheeting
series 3290, High Intensity Grade sheeting
series 3870 and 3930, Diamond Grade™
sheeting series 3970, 3990, 3990T and 4000.
Use of a hand squeeze roll laminator is
recommended to ensure satisfactory results.
Use the “split liner method” – start in the
middle of the sheet and remove half the liner
to ensure proper alignment.

9. After series 1170 film and sheeting have been

applied, remove the transfer tape by carefully
removing the tape at as low an angle as
possible.

10. IMPORTANT! When the transfer tape has

been removed, reroll the sign through the
laminator to ensure good adhesion.

11. A clean cutting blade is required. To remove

adhesive build-up use a soft cloth dampened
with mineral spirits, isopropyl alcohol or 3M
Natural Cleaner.