Streamlining Your Large Format Printing Operation with KalaXY Automatic XY Cutters / Trimmers

One of the most valuable things in a print shop or sign operation is time, and if you’re in the wide format printing business, you know that time is money. The more efficiently your shop can produce high-quality prints, whether wallpaper, banners, or posters, the more profitable your business will be.

That’s where a KalaXY Automatic XY Cutter / Trimmer comes in. Engineered and manufactured in Europe by Kala Finishing Systems, this cutting-edge machine streamlines your finishing process, allowing you to produce high-quality prints with speed and precision.

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Wind Slits in Vinyl Banners

Opinions about wind slits in banners vary. The purpose of these semi-circular cuts in the vinyl banner material is to relieve the wind load that can shred a banner to pieces. Sign makers often use anything from soup cans to coffee cans as templates for cutting slits with an Xacto knife or utility knife. To […] Read more »

Selling Banners

Banner sales represent a significant segment of the sign industry. As well as durable outdoor promotional banners, other opportunities include lightweight vinyl banners, synthetic paper banners and printed fabrics for general purpose interior applications, such as Point-Of-Purchase banners and tradeshow signs. The smooth finishes of vinyl banner materials and top-coated fabrics are perfectly suited for […] Read more »

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 »

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 »

Using Car Wax On Printed Dry Erase Vinyl

My story, How to Minimize Ghosting on Dry Erase Boards,  explains how to condition EZ Erase dry erase vinyl film with Rain-X liquid car wax.  After writing on the film with dry erase markers, you can also use the car wax to wipe the surface clean with no residue or ghosting. Read more »

Graphics Troubleshooting

Yesterday I received an email with a couple of pictures of applied vinyl graphics with what looked like bubbles underneath the film. See the photo below. The message that accompanied the pictures read: “Could you please take a look at the enclosed pictures and help us with your assessment.” Read more »

Getting Past the Gatekeeper

Gatekeepers can block you from speaking to prospects. Learn how to improve your sales prospects in Jim Hingst’s article… Read more »

Accelerating the Curing Process

Printing and Cutting Heat Transfer Appliques Using Roland’s BN-20 Many T-shirt shops have purchased Roland’s VersaStudio 20″ BN-20 Desktop Inkjet Printer/Cutter so they can offer digitally printed heat transfer appliques to their customers. In addition to printing appliques, the BN-20 is also a nice entry-level machine for those shops expanding into the sign market. Read more »

Printing with Solvent and Ecosolvent Inks

Solvent and ecosolvent inks allow you to print onto various types of uncoated films, including RTape’s VinylEfx® vinyl print media. As wonderful and easy to use as these print systems are, you must test and evaluate the inks and your printer settings prior to production. Incompatibility between the ink system and the print media could […] Read more »