Alvex Inc.Alvex Inc.Arlington Heights, IL (202) 344-0048

Capabilities

Materials, processes and the tolerances we hold.

If your part is printed, cut, laminated or cast, it is probably in here. If it is not, send the print anyway — most of what we quote sits somewhere between two of these lines.

Download the capability statement

Materials

What we run.

Stock substrates we hold or buy against a firm order. Anything else is available on lead time — tell us what the drawing calls for.

Polycarbonate5 to 30 mil. Velvet, gloss, matte and textured finishes. Printed second surface so the graphic cannot abrade off in service.
Polyester2 to 10 mil. Subsurface printed, for outdoor and chemical exposure where polycarbonate will not hold up.
Aluminium0.016 to 0.032 in, 5005 alloy H34 temper to ASTM-B209. Clear anodised, brushed or natural, digitally printed and lacquered.
PolyurethaneCast, roughly 40 to 90 Shore A. Two-colour work in one part — matte field with gloss debossed detail, to an approved sample.
Vinyl2 to 4 mil cast and calendered, for contour-cut lettering and fleet graphics.
Adhesives3M 467 (2 mil) and 468 (5 mil) transfer tape, 4492B double-coated foam, and closed-cell PE foam tapes at 32 mil for gap-filling and uneven surfaces.

Processes

How the part gets made.

Printing, cutting and lamination in-house or with converters we have used for years. The route is chosen on the part, not on what happens to be free.

PRINT

Digital flatbed

Pantone-matched colour with a white underprint for opacity on clear and metallic substrates. Good for short runs and serialised work with no plate cost.

PRINT

Screen, second surface

Heavier ink deposit and the best opacity for deep solids. Printed on the back of the material so the face is bare substrate.

CUT

Laser profile

Perimeter, slots and windows in one pass, with clean corner radii down to about 0.060 in. No tooling cost and no die lead time.

CUT

Steel rule & rotary die

The economical route once quantities justify tooling. Kiss-cut on the liner, through-cut, or both on the same sheet.

CUT

Digital contour

Cutting around each letter or shape so there is no carrier background left behind — the usual ask on lettering and logo sets.

FORM

Cast moulding

Polyurethane parts to an approved sample, including two-colour and debossed detail, supplied with adhesive applied and the liner in place.

Tolerance & format

What we hold, and how it arrives.

These are working figures for quoting. Where your drawing is tighter, say so at the quote stage rather than the first article — it usually changes the cutting route.

Cut tolerance±0.25 mm typical on die and laser work. Tighter is achievable on smaller parts and is priced accordingly.
Print registration±0.30 mm colour to colour, ±0.40 mm print to cut.
ColourMatched to Pantone reference or to a signed appearance sample, whichever your drawing specifies. The sample wins when the two disagree.
FormatsIndividual pieces, bundled counts, sheeted, or rolled on a 3 in core. Ganged sheets on request, which is usually where the cost comes out.
QuantitiesFrom a single first article to tens of thousands. Blanket orders released weekly or monthly are normal here.
ArtworkVector preferred — AI, EPS, PDF or DXF. We will work from a dimensioned drawing, a scan or a good photograph of the old part if that is what exists.

To quote

Five things, and we can price it today.

You do not need all of them. Send what you have and we will tell you what is missing rather than guessing and quoting the wrong part.

Overall size

Dimensioned drawing, or the old part measured across its longest two axes.

Material and thickness

Or what it needs to survive — sun, solvents, wash-down, abrasion.

Colours

Pantone numbers if you have them, a sample if you do not.

Backing

Adhesive or plain, and what it is sticking to.

Quantity and format

Annual usage and release pattern, and how you want them packed.

Then ask

Send it through and you will have a price and a lead time the same day.

Request a quote