of the laminate 62 the welders 70 serve to essentially drive the heated web 34 into the embossing tool 44 to initiate formation of the microcube corner retroreflective elements 14 the laminate 62 then passes under pressure rollers 60 and is moved with the belt 44 around the heating roller 46 and then along the belt 44 through a generally planar cooling station 76 the film 38 which has a higher glass transition temperature than the web 34 performs several functions during this operation first it serves to maintain the web 34 under pressure against the belt 44 while traveling around the heating roller 46 thus assuring conformity of the web 34 with the precision pattern 16 of the tool during the change in temperature gradient as the web 34 drops below the glass transition temperature of the material second the film 38 maintains what will be the outer surface of the sheeting in a flat and highly finished surface for optical transmission finally the film 38 acts as a carrier for the web 34 in its weak u201c molten u201d state and prevents the web 34 from otherwise adhering to the pressure rollers as the web 34 is heated above the glass transition temperature the cooling station 76 is preferably of a type disclosed in the aforementioned u s pat no 4 601 861 which operates with chilled fluid the machine 30 includes a stripper roller 80 around which the laminate 62 passes to remove the laminate 62 from the belt 44 shortly before the belt 44 itself contacts the post cooling.