Reflective Sheeting Structure vs ASTM Type

Is glass bead the same as ASTM Type I?

No. Glass bead / enclosed-lens and microprismatic / cube-corner describe optical structure. ASTM D4956 Type is a performance classification determined by testing. Final Type for a SKU follows its test report.

Two axes buyers mix up

Axis	Examples	Use it for
Structure	Glass bead, microprismatic, cube corner	Manufacturing/optics discussion; secondary filter
Performance class	ASTM Type I, III, IV, VIII, IX, XI; EN RA1/RA2	Specification, compliance, RFQ primary axis
Marketing grade	Engineer grade, HIP, microprismatic traffic	Catalog navigation labels

Rules we enforce in every ReflectivePlus page

1. Never write “glass bead = Type I”.
2. Never use Diamond Grade as a generic category (3M trademark spanning multiple Types).
3. RA1/RA2 are EN performance classes — name the standard/version.
4. Print compatibility and outdoor durability are per SKU (and often per color/geometry).
5. Every live SKU must publish Type via TDS/test report — demo pages mark placeholders clearly.

Catalog implication

ReflectivePlus uses performance grade as the primary category axis. Structure, application, processing, and size are facets and landing pages. That matches how export buyers arrive: with a Type/RA in hand.

Related

• How to choose reflective sheeting
• ASTM D4956 Types overview