3M 180 V3 - Anyone else short?

[eahicks]

Seems like I am getting shorted a bit on some rolls of V3...just ran a job, had it calculated VERY well on how much I'd use. I figured I'd end up with at least 12' left at the end. Well the job finishes and I didn't have but maybe 2 inches to spare before I got a Sub Jam error on the printer....there was NOTHING left. I recalculated, and even with space between prints, and the usual wasted 1-2' at the beginning.
Anyone else noticing the rolls a bit short?

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

yup 6 rolls in a row and 3 more here and there... most was 18', average was 10' short.

3M Techs argue with the sales reps saying its impossible, every roll is measured to exact weight. I literally had a sales rep watch me load a printer with a new roll, dial up a 145' print, and see the end of the roll stop with 10+ ft of print left. we recorded it and he sent it in to 3M and they said my printer calibration is wrong. So he sent all the files I printed and they said that our printer stretches each panel.... now I just report it to my sales rep when it happens with no expectation of resolution.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

its more then vinyl... on a new 8512 laminate roll, i'm 6' short! 69' print ends 6" short... this is on a 75' roll.

 

[TimToad]

You see it all over the place. A half gallon of ice cream is now smaller, etc... But if something has a defined, advertised length on it, it should be that length.

Its sad that a multi-multi billion per year revenue corporation sees the need to short anybody of even an inch of material.

I don't want to have to waste time unrolling every roll of material and measure it to make sure we are getting what we paid for, but you all aren't the only ones who scratch their heads wondering "Boy, that roll sure seemed to get used up fast"

 

[CanuckSigns]

You're still getting your bi-annual price increases from 3M though right? I would hate to see them not keep on top of those!

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

I got word today that they are evaluating one of their plants that seem to be the stem of these shortages.

 

[GAC05]

I use 3M and I am only 5'7" (shrinking with age)......

I have noticed that my 150ft of lam rarely matches up with my 150ft of 180.

I have two 4'x125' signs to run this coming week, I think I'll take notes on what I have left on each roll.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

I bet your material will be shorter then lam

 

[CES020]

It's also my understanding that there's at least one major vendor (who's on this forum) who cuts down their own rolls. It might not always be 3M's issue, it might be an issue with your vendor. I also know this vendor doesn't like people to know that they do it (they are essentially buying the bigger rolls for lower pricing) and denied it was even done until confronted with the information that was giving to the customer by 3M.

 

[zmatalucci]

Lodge a formal complaint with your states division of weights and measures. 3m will have to prove to them or face penalties.

 

[heyskull]

Lodge a formal complaint with your states division of weights and measures. 3m will have to prove to them or face penalties.

I like this a lot!!!!

I had similar issues with a supplier years ago on cut vinyl, each roll was between 12-15' short.
Weird thing was they were never over sized.

At the time where I was working I was trying to log how much vinyl was really being used per job.
It all kind of fell flat on its face when the rolls ended up being shorter even after adding a substantial bit for waste.
After this when I received the full roll i would roll it out to check (sadly you cannot do this on printable material) the amount.
After 6 months I would measure one full roll per order and it ended being OK for a couple of months and then the rolls would magically shorten again.

SC

 

[John Butto]

weights and measures

Do some of you people count the Pringles in the can and compare it to the last can you ate. 3M might do it by weight and the tolerance might be a little off. But I feel they are ripping me off at the high price they charge anyway, just like petrol, they are making millions. So a few feet here and there is the norm and they will tell you they do not do it intentionally but at the end of the day they can make a few more rolls. Then they sell that to FastSigns for $100 cheaper.

 

[HulkSmash]

We have been receiving short rolls of 8518 lam.. alot.

3M has been very prompt to replace them..

 

[player]

Fishsigns gets the best deals eva.

 

[heyskull]

Do some of you people count the Pringles in the can and compare it to the last can you ate. 3M might do it by weight and the tolerance might be a little off. But I feel they are ripping me off at the high price they charge anyway, just like petrol, they are making millions. So a few feet here and there is the norm and they will tell you they do not do it intentionally but at the end of the day they can make a few more rolls. Then they sell that to FastSigns for $100 cheaper.

I feel that maybe 3M should maybe adjust their weight of a roll up and stop being tight with the tolerance of a weight of a roll.
I like everyone else, expects if they order 50 Metres or 45 yards I expect to get at least that.
We do not order material by how much it weighs!!

SC

 

[John Butto]

Really?

I feel that maybe 3M should maybe adjust their weight of a roll up and stop being tight with the tolerance of a weight of a roll.
I like everyone else, expects if they order 50 Metres or 45 yards I expect to get at least that.
We do not order material by how much it weighs!!

SC

Do you think I know how 3M measures or weighs there stock for output.
This is why I am voting "YES" on Thursday.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

Try having an argument through a sales rep with the technical reps.... so to prove it i sent them the full run backing paper, still had core tape on it and everything. Now they are scratching their heads.

Now I'm explaining to 3M how it's more then just being short material or laminate... it now costs us ink, replacement material/lam, labor, production time, etc.

 

[danno]

I had this issue about a year ago. I informed my 3M representative and told him I was submitting a claim through my distributor. I haven't seen it since then. They paid the claim for the short rolls.