Service Temperature Range and Thermal Degradation

Jim Hingst explains how extreme heat can cause the PVC resin of a vinyl film to break down.

In selecting a film for an application, the “Service Temperature Range” is an important consideration. So what exactly is the service temperature range? As you might guess, this term refers to the range of temperature within which an applied graphic can function without failing after being exposed to that temperature for a period of 24 hours.

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Roland Service Technician for Contract Work

Supply55 is seeking a trained Roland service technician to service a population of printers in the Sacramento, California, Carson City, Nevada and Reno, Nevada area. If you’re a trained independent Roland service technician, please contact Supply55 at 734-668-0755 or sales@supply55.com. 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 »

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 »

Should You Buy Ink in Bulk?

Discover the pros and cons of buying ink in large quantities. Want to save money on your ink budget?  Barring using third-party inks, you have two options: buy in bulk or install a bulk ink system. Read more »

Application of Vinyl Graphics to Acrylic Signs

When decorating acrylic sheet, selecting the right vinyl film for the job depends on a variety of factors: Read more »

Testing for Outgassing

Outgassing refers to the release of a gas from some type of material. Natural materials, such as plywood, can outgas vapors as the glues used in its manufacturing cure. Just about any synthetic substance will outgas, too. The list of synthetic materials includes paint, polycarbonate and fiberglass. Read more »

Color Trends

Popularity of colors among designers and consumers can vary from year to year. To keep pace with color trends, vinyl film manufacturers and paint companies try to gauge changes in the marketplace. Colors from the world of fashion and interior décor have impacted color selection in the automotive market and in corporate graphics. Bold and […] Read more »