Get your teeth into it

The most typical signage applications for vinyl films tend to be anything that can be stuck to a surface—this could be windows, vehicles, floors and even brick walls. The advances in technology have meant that there is very little that cannot be stuck to and this means the creative types can develop some truly exceptional designs.

A great example is this feature's main picture, which shows a project created by Malvern Art Products using Metamark MD5. The company has opened up a brand new revenue stream by creating bespoke car wraps for customers of The Morgan Motor Company.

Choosing the right self-adhesive graphics solution requires two key pieces of information. What are the properties of the mounting surface, and how long do you want it to stay there? OK, there is a bit more to it than that, but it is worth looking at the basic facts to help understand the difference between the base material choices.

Paper certainly does not have the flexibility, tear resistance or durability of vinyl, but it also will not shrink over time and is easier to apply. Polyester is dimensionally stable so it will not tear or shrink, and it can also be extremely clear. Vinyl is soft and flexible, will not tear easily and is extremely durable. However, vinyl shrinks over time. This is especially a problem when printing edge to edge. Polypropylene is a good balance between cost and durability; it has better tear resistance and durability than paper, but is certainly not tearproof.

Having selected the material, you then need to consider the quality of the adhesive in the context of how long you want the graphic to remain in place.

“We’re often asked what the difference is between permanent and removable adhesive,.” says operations director of Sihl Direct UK, Ian Turnbull, who goes on to explain: “Permanent adhesives will generally activate on contact, making second chances for installation rather difficult. They also form a lasting bond, which means there is usually residue to remember them by if attempting to remove them. Removable adhesives are designed to come off with relative ease even after extended contact. And generally they remove with little or no residue remaining on the mounting surface. However, the longer a ‘removable adhesive’ is left in place, the stronger the bond becomes. In other words, all removable adhesives eventually become permanent.”

Another key question is whether to print using solvent or aqueous inks. Turnbull adds: “Solvent adhesive products tend to be more expensive, as the manufacturing of solvent based adhesives requires more stringent safety controls. Solvent adhesives will offer a more outdoor durable solution as the strength of their adhesive bond is not weakened by exposure to moisture. However, they are really only required for long-term outdoor applications—more than five years—such as vehicle wraps. For a life expectancy of less than three years, aqueous adhesives will do just fine.”

He goes on to say: “Sihl Direct’s Classic Vinyl is a premium, outdoor-durable, calendered vinyl for long lasting applications. The bright white inkjet coating provides universal compatibility on most common dye and pigment ink printers. It also provides water and fade resistance for long-term outdoor use. The permanent solvent adhesive is ideal for strong, lasting adhesion to flat and uneven surfaces.”

No more glue

One of the major issues with self adhesive vinyl, particularly from an end user perspective, is the difficulty of actually applying the signage to the required surface. Traditionally, unless you have the right tools and technique, you can end up with bubbles and this adds to the time, cost and complexity of installations, particularly as the end user will require an expert to come and apply the graphics. One company putting a lot of effort into ironing out these problems is Fujifilm.

“We have created a technology we call Wonder Tack, a solvent printable, white satin gloss polypropylene film, which adheres to smooth, flat surfaces without the use of adhesive. The film has unique, micro-porous suckers on the adhering side, which means anyone can apply and even reposition graphics quickly and easily.

"End users can apply the signage themselves, saving time and cost in installation. In addition, the lack of adhesive makes this a very environmentally-friendly solution,” explains international account manager for Fujifilm Sericol Deutschland GmbH, Rene Bourgeois.

Another new product from Fujifilm is Fusion Tack, a self adhesive vinyl film that Bourgeois says can be quickly and easily applied to brick walls: “Fusion Tack is very easy to apply and can transform a plain wall into a striking mural or a revenue raising opportunity. Once applied, graphics can be removed without leaving any residue for up to six months afterwards.”

He continues: “Fujifilm’s Euromedia range of vinyls include solvent and water-based products that we have created in line with industry demand. We work with printer manufacturers and customers to ensure we design the products that are really needed to make life easier for the end user.”

In conclusion, Bourgeois adds some tips for increasing business for sign-makers, “We do recommend that self adhesive vinyl graphics are laminated for added protection and durability. This, as well as the fact that Wonder Tack allows graphics to be applied more quickly and easily, means that sign-makers can gain additional work and revenue by being more flexible and cost-effective than the competition.”

Easy application

The amount of skilled hands available to burn down whatever the current production workload presents is often a factor limiting the growth of signs and graphics producers. Once, in the not too distant past, the choke point was the speed at which marketable output could be printed or cut.

Today, with hardware output speeds headed north and the price such hardware commands headed in the opposite direction, the choke point is more likely to be the handling and application stages of production, rather than in the printing or cutting itself.

Another materials manufacturer making vinyl films that are easier to handle is Metamark.

“Recent innovations in the formulation of digital media, and in particular in the adhesive systems these media use, have resulted in media that is notably easier to work with at every stage of the life of the applied graphics,” says Mark Godden of Metamark.

He continues: “Metamark has given its MD-Class digital media a big appetite for ink. In our experience within the field of printed and applied graphics, there is a preference for what we call advertisers’ colours. Advertisers’ colours are a little larger than life and so require more of an ink load to render successfully. In handling the ink load confidently, MD-Class media print a little faster and dry more readily so making the printed output available for application that much sooner than marginally qualified media would be.”

In the application stakes, there is much to be gained too, as Godden suggests: “Graphics now venture into and onto parts of vehicles, for example, that would have once been ruled out of bounds. Compound curves and recesses are now routinely covered.”

Metamark has developed its Apex adhesive system expressly for the purpose of accelerating the application stages of signs and graphic production that limit productivity. The adhesive, a single component cross-linked chemical revolution, presents a manageable initial bond to the substrate during initial handling and exhibits a good degree of flexibility in positioning. Once applied, the adhesive system builds to a powerful and determined bond that ensures the graphic remains where it is applied and is unlikely to fail as would be the case with marginal adhesion.

Recognising that productivity is an end-to-end consideration, the Apex adhesive system saves what many producers are arguing is its best trick for last. Despite the strength of the bond, the applied graphics are relatively easy for an application specialist to remove, crucially, with the adhesive intact.

Removal of applied graphics, for example those used for the duration of a short advertising season, presents a time-consuming and potentially error prone process that most dread. The Apex system permits fast removal with no residue to concern the applicator applying the next campaign.

“Faster application and removal lead to lower costs overall and, equally importantly, to raising the bar on productivity. As one of our sign-maker customers was heard to say, ‘don’t upgrade your printer, change your media’,” concludes Godden.

Generating business through vinyl films means identifying the right product for your customer’s requirement. Whether it’s durability, ease of application or an unusual surface, products are out there that will do a job. As well as a printer, you will also need some sort of cutting machine and for the ultimate in ease of use and space saving, an integrated printer/cutter, such as the Mimaki CJV range is an excellent option.

With the cost and complexity much reduced for adhesive vinyl applications, this is a market seeing considerable activity and growth. Sign-makers need to look closely at the potential and take advantage where and when they can.