3M 8518 lam issue

[cdiesel]

We've seen this on quite a few rolls of 8518, about 6-8 weeks ago. While heat does dissapate the mottled look for the most part, we shouldn't have to take that extra step to get a sellable product. Our supplier & 3M switched out everything that was bad.

 

[Stuckup]

We've seen this on quite a few rolls of 8518, about 6-8 weeks ago. While heat does dissapate the mottled look for the most part, we shouldn't have to take that extra step to get a sellable product. Our supplier & 3M switched out everything that was bad.

Ya gotta love a good relationship of trust with supplier and manufacturer and user, win win win.

 

[Stuckup]

Yeah.... Not masking laminated graphics is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard. I do it all the time! How else could you apply print and cut graphics and lettering? I love how 3M always has stupid solutions to their manufacturing issues to make the end user look dumb. I have had so many issues with all 3M laminates I nearly refuse to use them. Oracal seems the most consistent with their products.

3M were the leader in the industry, started the game, been to the engineering side of their glues and media.
At moment I feel 3M is reactive, BUT, none of their products are crap, and Avery give me their all, SO I am pro Avery, but be kind to 3M, THEY were the first with quality vinyl.

 

[john1]

Yeah.... Not masking laminated graphics is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard. I do it all the time! How else could you apply print and cut graphics and lettering? I love how 3M always has stupid solutions to their manufacturing issues to make the end user look dumb. I have had so many issues with all 3M laminates I nearly refuse to use them. Oracal seems the most consistent with their products.

I used 8509 laminate and had curling issues on a few projects. I had no idea it wasn't really laminate until Colorado on here told me about it. They shouldn't offer it as laminate if it's not.

Called 3M, of course nothing is their fault and it's a unheard of problem (bull there are other posts about it).

Industry leader or not, Marketing something that's clear pvc vinyl as laminate when it's not is complete bull.

 

[AdamLarson]

To clarify, we understand that prespace tape needs to be used in the application of dicut graphics, but the user must understand that this can possibly cause a lessening of the gloss level of the overlaminate. What pre-space tape are you all using?

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?hhhhhjK59tWIam3J1NpV1mCJVLK2VtK58LihVLihVhhhhhh--

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?6666660Zjcf6lVs6EVs666Tt3COrrrrQ-

Again, 8509 is a vinyl overlaminate. It is not sold/positioned as a digitally printable clear. The only product that 3M positions as both an overlaminate and a clear digitally printable film is IJ10-114. I am sorry that 8509 did not work for your application. Have you ever thought about using 8508? It is a bit glossier and also a CAST overlam. The cast nature of this product should lend itself to better performance in your application. As always, pick up the phone and give me a call if you wish to discuss in more detail.

Regards,

Adam Larson
3M Commercial Graphics- Marketing
651.733.9259; ajlarson@mmm.com

 

[ProWraps]

mountain out of a mole hill.

this is EVERY roll of 8518 for the last 5-6'.

so what, post heat the graphics!!!! you should be doing this anyways!

sometimes i wonder....

 

[HulkSmash]

mountain out of a mole hill.

this is EVERY roll of 8518 for the last 5-6'.

so what, post heat the graphics!!!! you should be doing this anyways!

sometimes i wonder....

it's more than post heat. Way more. I've had it to where i had to literally spend 3 hrs going over a vehicle with heat to get the marks out.

now Avery..I had whole roles that did this on a regular. Don't use that anymore.

 

[cdiesel]

You should post heat your wraps to ensure proper adhesion, yes. You should not have to go over every square inch of it very slowly to get manufaturing defects out of the film.

 

[JoshLoring]

This tread cracks me up. So many people use Oracal Lam on 3m. I know at least 5 locals that do the same thing. What's the point of mix and match? You totally defet the manufacturer warranty.
Switch to 3751ra with 290lam. They really hit it with this product. Installs and removes like a breeze, better shrinking and amazing price point. Oh and.. No tape primer needed

 

[4R Graphics]

+1 on the 3751ra

Oracal 3751ra like almost all of there products is a winner.

 

[sfd2122]

I was told by my 3M rep that they had a bad batch of 8518. He said that the last step of the manufacturing process is for the laminate to run through a furnace to post heat the material to give it the gloss. He said that the furnace was not working correctly and they had very inconsistant results on the gloss levels. I have had a ton of rolls like this and my opinion is that there is a bigger issue that what he told me. This has been happening for about 6 months. We do not mask any of our wraps and it is this way straight out of the laminator. So if it doesn't get better soon we may have to make a switch.