PROBLEM: Poor adhesion of the overlaminate to the print. CAUSES: Print not dry. Incompatibility of component parts. Read more »
Overlaminating Film Troubleshooting Checklist
Banner Care
Recommendations on Cleaning, Storage and Shipping of Banners If your customers want their banners, awnings or flexible sign faces to last longer, they should be instructed to keep them clean, by simply washing them periodically with a mild detergent and warm water. Flexible materials that are not properly cleaned on a regular basis are guaranteed […] Read more »
Design Basics for Banners
By adding a little creative flair to your banners, you can differentiate the banners that you produce from the more commonplace banners that your competitors produce. One of the objectives of any good sign design is attracting attention. Any sign competes daily with the myriad of visual images that bombard the consumer. For any design […] Read more »
The Advantages of LED UV Curing Lamps
Jim Hingst explains how UV inkjet systems utilizing LED curing lamps differ from inkjet printers utilizing traditional UV curing lamps. UV ink cures when it is exposed to UV light. In this curing process, the photo initiators in the ink absorb the UV energy and break down into reactive components that initiate the polymerization process. […] Read more »
How to Apply Vinyl Graphics to Banners
Application of graphics to vinyl banner material requires slightly different surface preparation and application techniques than other applications. What follows is a compilation of some suggestions to make your job easier. Secure the Banner. Before applying pressure-sensitivevinyl graphics, tape or secure the banner to your work table surface using good quality, two-inch masking tape or by […] Read more »
Comparing Heat Transfer Films with Screen Printed Graphics
A high quality polyurethane heat transfer film will outlast a screen printed garment hands down. In fact, if you properly process and care for a polyurethane heat transfer, the applique should last the life of the garment. We all know what happens to a screen printed shirt after a dozen washes. Plastisol inks crack. By […] Read more »
Hemming Vinyl Banner Material
Sewing is the traditional way to hem the edges of a vinyl banner. Today, you have many other alternative finish methods. Many of these methods are just as reliable as sewing and require less skill. These include banner tape, adhesives, chemical welding, heat welding and RF welding. Each finishing method has its own advantages and […] Read more »
The Fast Growing Fabric Banner Market
This story is an excerpt from an article which appeared in Sign Builder Illustrated magazine in 2006. Although digitally-printed textiles currently represent a very small segment of the signage market, manufacturers see the potential of this fast growing market and have invested in developing top coated fabrics for solvent, ecosolvent and UV inkjet printers. While many of […] Read more »
What Is Post Cure of UV Curable Inks?
Exposure to UV light initiates the chemical reaction that causes the ingredients of a UV curable ink to bond together. Exposure in the curing unit doesn’t a completely cure the ink though. In fact, only about 90% of the chemical reaction is complete. This chemical reaction that the UV light initiates can continue and the […] Read more »
Color Concepts
When you are learning about color, three concepts that you will need to grasp and add to your vocabulary are: hue, value and saturation. Hue is synonymous with the color itself, such as blue, green, yellow, orange, red. On a color wheel, the yellow, blue and red are described as the primary colors. Value describes the […] Read more »
