Getting started with road sign design in EasySIGN Pro

Audience

This article is for signmaking companies, print-and-cut users, and new EasySIGN Pro users who want to design or prepare road signs, traffic signs, diversion signs, or wayfinding artwork in EasySIGN.

Primary use cases

Use this article when you want to:

• Prepare road sign artwork in EasySIGN Pro.

• Import existing vector files such as SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, or DWG.

• Use external font resources for traffic sign lettering.

• Create or adjust signs for printing, cutting, or print-and-cut production.

• Start a workflow for Dutch road signs, WIU/diversion signs, or USA-style traffic sign lettering.

• Understand what EasySIGN can support and what must be supplied or verified by the customer.

Customer scenario

A customer wants to use EasySIGN Pro to design and produce traffic-related signs.

The customer may already have a printer, cutter, plotter, or RIP workflow and needs guidance on where to start with fonts, sign symbols, vector files, and output preparation.

EasySIGN Pro can be used as the design and production software in this workflow, but EasySIGN does not include every official traffic sign library or every regional traffic font by default.

Summary

EasySIGN Pro can support road sign and traffic sign workflows by importing and editing vector artwork, preparing print or cut files, adding text, creating contours, and sending output to production devices or RIP software.

For many traffic sign workflows, customers need external resources such as licensed fonts, official specifications, SVG files, CAD files, or other vector files.

EasySIGN provides general workflow guidance only. Customers remain responsible for checking that the final design, dimensions, colors, materials, reflectivity, and legal requirements match the applicable local or national standards.

1. Purpose and scope

This article explains how to get started with road sign design in EasySIGN Pro.

It covers:

• How EasySIGN Pro fits into a road sign production workflow.

• Which file types are commonly useful.

• Where customers can start looking for external traffic sign resources.

• Guidance for Dutch road sign and WIU/diversion sign workflows.

• Guidance for USA-style MUTCD/FHWA font workflows.

• Important limitations around official specifications and legal compliance.

This article does not provide legal approval, traffic engineering advice, or official certification for road sign production.

2. Symptoms or customer problem

Customers may ask:

• “Can I use EasySIGN for road signs?”

• “Does EasySIGN include traffic sign fonts?”

• “Does EasySIGN include MUTCD or FHWA fonts?”

• “Where can I find Dutch road sign symbols?”

• “Where can I find WIU or diversion sign files?”

• “Can I use SVG, PDF, AI, DXF, or DWG files in EasySIGN?”

• “Can EasySIGN help me prepare files for printing, cutting, or print-and-cut production?”

• “Can EasySIGN replace my previous sign design software?”

3. Cause or background

Road sign workflows often depend on regional standards, official dimensions, specific fonts, color values, material requirements, and approved sign layouts.

EasySIGN Pro can be used to prepare the artwork and production files, but the required source files and fonts may come from external or official sources.

For example:

• Dutch road sign workflows may use ANWB-style lettering and vector sign sources.

• Dutch WIU/T-series diversion signs may require official specifications or professional CAD/NLCS sources.

• USA traffic sign workflows may require MUTCD/FHWA-style fonts such as Roadgeek or Highway Gothic/FHWA fonts.

• Some fonts are not included by default in EasySIGN and must be obtained separately by the customer.

• The customer must verify whether the chosen resources are suitable for official production.

4. Solution

Use EasySIGN Pro as the design and production software, and combine it with appropriate customer-supplied or externally sourced resources.

Recommended workflow:

• Collect the required sign symbols, fonts, specifications, and vector files.

• Import the artwork into EasySIGN Pro.

• Check dimensions, scale, colors, and lettering.

• Add or edit text and graphic elements.

• Prepare output for print, cut, or print-and-cut production.

• Verify the final design against the applicable official requirements before production.

EasySIGN can guide the software workflow, but the customer must verify legal and technical compliance for official traffic sign production.

5. Step-by-step procedure

Step 1: Confirm the required sign type and region

1. Determine whether the work is for Dutch road signs, Dutch WIU/diversion signs, USA-style MUTCD/FHWA signs, or another regional sign system.
2. Check whether the customer already has official source files, templates, CAD files, PDF files, SVG files, or existing design files.
3. Confirm whether the customer needs print, cut, print-and-cut, routing, or another output workflow.

Step 2: Collect the required fonts

1. Check which font standard is required for the job.
2. For Dutch road sign lettering, customers may consult external ANWB-related font information and resources.
3. For USA-style traffic sign lettering, customers may need MUTCD/FHWA-style fonts.
4. Note that MUTCD/FHWA fonts are not included by default in EasySIGN.
5. Install the required font in Windows before using it in EasySIGN.
6. Restart EasySIGN if the font does not appear immediately after installation.

Step 3: Collect vector artwork or templates

1. Use vector files where possible.
2. Common useful file formats include SVG, PDF, EPS, AI, DXF, and DWG, depending on the available source files.
3. Import or open the source files in EasySIGN Pro.
4. Check whether the artwork imports as editable vector objects.
5. If the file contains text, verify whether the correct font is installed.
6. If the file contains colors, verify whether the imported colors match the intended output workflow.

Step 4: Prepare the design in EasySIGN Pro

1. Set the correct page size or working area.
2. Scale the imported artwork to the required dimensions.
3. Add or edit text.
4. Check object alignment and spacing.
5. Create or adjust contours if cutting or print-and-cut is required.
6. Organize objects, layers, or colors as needed for production.
7. Save the EasySIGN worksheet before sending the job to production.

Step 5: Prepare output

1. Choose the correct output workflow for the production device.
2. For printing, send the file to the required printer or RIP workflow.
3. For cutting, check the plotter or cutter setup.
4. For print-and-cut, confirm that cut lines are correctly defined.
5. Run a small test output when starting a new workflow.
6. Verify the final result before full production.

Step 6: Verify compliance before production

1. Check the final sign dimensions.
2. Check the text, symbols, spacing, and layout.
3. Check the colors and production material requirements.
4. Check reflectivity or other material requirements where applicable.
5. Verify the design against the current local or national guidelines.
6. Do not rely on EasySIGN as the legal compliance authority for official traffic sign production.

6. Validation

The workflow is ready when:

• The required fonts are installed and visible in EasySIGN.

• The sign artwork imports correctly.

• The design is scaled to the required size.

• Text and symbols are editable where needed.

• Colors and output settings have been checked.

• Print, cut, or print-and-cut output has been tested.

• The customer has verified the design against the applicable official requirements.

7. Important notes and limitations

• EasySIGN Pro can support road sign design workflows, but does not include every official sign library by default.

• MUTCD/FHWA fonts are not included by default in EasySIGN.

• EasySIGN can guide customers to external resources where suitable fonts or files may be available.

• External files and fonts may have their own license terms.

• Customers must make sure they have the right to use external fonts, symbols, and templates.

• EasySIGN does not provide legal compliance advice for official road sign production.

• Customers must verify final signs against current rules, standards, specifications, dimensions, colors, materials, and reflectivity requirements.

• For WIU/T-series diversion signs or other official sign systems, official specifications or professional CAD/NLCS sources may be required.

• EasySIGN Support can help with EasySIGN workflow questions, but cannot certify that a road sign is legally correct.

8. Support checklist

Before advising the customer, check:

• Which country or regional sign system is the customer working with?

• Is the customer creating regular road signs, wayfinding signs, diversion signs, or construction/temporary traffic signs?

• Does the customer already have official source files or templates?

• Which file formats does the customer have?

• Does the customer need specific fonts?

• Are the required fonts installed in Windows?

• Does the imported artwork remain editable in EasySIGN?

• Is the job intended for print, cut, print-and-cut, or another output workflow?

• Which printer, cutter, plotter, router, or RIP is used?

• Has the customer verified the legal and technical requirements outside EasySIGN?

• Should the customer be referred to official specifications, a traffic sign authority, or a professional sign source?

9. Conclusion

EasySIGN Pro can be used as part of a professional road sign design and production workflow.

The best starting point is to collect the required fonts, vector files, specifications, and output requirements before building the design in EasySIGN.

EasySIGN helps with design, editing, import, contour preparation, and output, but the customer must verify that the final sign meets all applicable official standards.

Appendix A - Related paths, settings, files, screenshots, examples, or references

External resources for Dutch road sign workflows:

• https://www.wegenforum.nl/viewtopic.php?t=2243&start=30

• https://www.wegenwiki.nl/Lettertypes_bewegwijzering

• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category%3ASVG_road_signs_in_the_Netherlands

• https://github.com/ndwnu/qgis-verkeersborden-style

External resources for USA-style MUTCD/FHWA font workflows:

• https://github.com/sammdot/roadgeek-fonts/

• https://www.cufonfonts.com/font/highway-gothic-d-fhwa

Commonly useful file formats:

• SVG

• PDF

• EPS

• AI

• DXF

• DWG

Important note:

• External resources are provided as general starting points only. Customers must verify licensing, correctness, and suitability for their intended production and legal requirements.