Method for forming dye sublimation images in and texturing of solid substrates

A method for texturing a thermoplastic substrate, while forming a dye sublimation image in the thermoplastic substrate, comprising:

• forming a stack comprising a thermoplastic substrate and a plurality of processing layers, wherein the plurality of processing layers comprise a dye carrier having a dye image of dye sublimation ink formed thereon and an elastomeric membrane and wherein at least one of the processing layers of the stack is textured;
• providing a vacuum pressure on the stack through the elastomeric membrane, wherein the stack is clamped together;
• heating the stack to at least a sublimation temperature of the stack, which causes the dye sublimation ink to sublimate and penetrate through a side of the thermoplastic substrate, creating the dye sublimation image in the thermoplastic substrate and wherein texture from at least one of the process layers is transferred to the thermoplastic substrate;
• cooling the thermoplastic substrate to a release temperature, which causes the thermoplastic substrate to be substantially rigid;
• removing the vacuum pressure after the thermoplastic substrate is cooled to the release temperature;
• and
• removing the thermoplastic substrate from the stack.