Material Testing for State Fair Map
Research on what materials and sealants to use, and how we could combine several for testing.
Types of Material
ASA
- Best UV resistance
- Heat Resistance: 185-203 F
- Cold Resistance: -7.6 F
- *Not the best when it comes to warping (map is flat…)
PETG
- Moderate UV resistance (better than PLA, not as good as ASA)
- Heat Resistance: 176 F
- Cold Resistance: -29.2 F
- *Better at not warping than ASA
ABS
- Not the best with UV
- Heat Resistance: 221 F
- Cold Resistance: -4 to -22 F
- *Darker colors are worse with heat resistance
PLA
- Not the best with UV
- Heat Resistance: 113 F
- Cold Resistance: 32 F
Types of Sealants:
Resin
- Most people recommend avoiding this
- Fills fine details, creates rounded edges and too slick for tactile reading
- Yellows over time, especially with UV
UV-Resistant Clear Acrylic Spray
- Thin layers (helps preserve fine tactile detail)
- Good UV and moisture protection
- 2-6 light mist coats (10-15 minutes between coats)
Automotive Clear Coat
- Excellent UV resistance
- Long outdoor lifespan
- Tough against hand oils and wear
- Application can be tedious and toxic
*If you are using ASA, you could just use a acrylic clear coat as it needs wear resistance, not UV protection
*If you are using PETG, you need a sealant that protects against UV (any of the ones listed above)
- Table of combinations we plan to test
- Weather and conditions each test experiences (temperature, water, etc.)
