All About Magnets

[brycesteiner]

Do you print directly to magnets with your inkjet?

It looks like it can be done but others on the forum talk about printing to a vinyl then applying it.

Is a higher number of poles per inch stronger or weaker magnets? I'm struggling to find a clear answer.

Have you every attempted to cut it with a plotter cutter?
Can it be done or does it have to be a flatbed and or/diecut?
I'm sure the thickness matters in this regards.

I'm looking at some magnets for vehicles
What would you use?
Magnum Magentics
Car-Safe
MSI PowerMag?

Thanks for any help.
Bryce

 

[rjssigns]

While you can print on magnetic material IMO I wouldn't. Been there head struck that. We do the print, lam, apply method. The super thin fridge magnet material you can kinda get away with, but it still has it's issues.
Contour cutting works okay on the fridge stuff. If I'm doing a set or two on vehicle mag(0.030") with intricate cuts I use my Olfa knife. Large quantities get jobbed out.

IIRC we have a roll of Magnum in our shop. Only redo's are when they get stolen because the rep didn't take them off the vehicle overnight.

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

Agree. You can print on magnet material with several different printers. Just like the guy before me though. IMO I wouldn't do it. Your looking at a lot of issues if that head strikes possibly. If I had to do a couple colors I would screen them. I think you will get longer durability out of them. If we had to do full color prints, then white vinyl on the printer it is. We also use magnum. Never had a problem with it and always sticks well.

As to countour cutting the magnet. I don't do it. Maybe if I had a Summa tangential cutter I might. but I have tried and the knife always seems to get hung up. I have never tried it with fridge quality magnet though.

 

[qmr55]

We print direct on magnets all the time. DigiMag is the product we use. Also, contour cut them as well. Make it score the magnets about half way through then you can either run a knife through to cut the rest, or just break them apart and you get a nice clean contour cut magnet.

When printing just make sure your temps are correct, material is loaded correctly and you should have zero problems printing it.

 

[royster13]

For most of my car magnets, I order from a supplier that prints on a flat bed press on un-magnitized material from Magnum....They corner round it and then they magnetize it.....

 

[N.E.]

For most of my car magnets, I order from a supplier that prints on a flat bed press on un-magnitized material from Magnum....They corner round it and then they magnetize it.....

I don't know why they don't just print on magnet. I print direct on a Vutek GS3250LX often using Promag .020 and .030. Router cut them and done.

 

[Mosh]

Print film and apply...I do everything in my power to up-sell to direct vehicle lettering too.

 

[brycesteiner]

Print film and apply...I do everything in my power to up-sell to direct vehicle lettering too.

Thanks for all the responses. It gives me some ideas.

Mosh, I'm not understanding your response. What does upselling have to do with printing film and applying it to magnet material.

Thanks!
Bryce

 

[SIGNTIME]

Tried it, it works, but it's a PITA. I have even tried cutting in the plotter with poor results. We only offer magnets with straight cuts printed on vinyl. We also try to up sell to direct vehicle lettering because magnets look cheap and are cheap (not very professional). Don't forget to round your corners.

 

[royster13]

I don't know why they don't just print on magnet. I print direct on a Vutek GS3250LX often using Promag .020 and .030. Router cut them and done.

No idea why they do what they do....but I suspect with their volume they have come up with a way to do it that is less costly than other methods....

 

[bulldozer]

i can't get mine to feed due to the magnet sticking to the platen on my xr-640, so we have to do vinyl then lay.

 

[MagnetStew]

If using magnetized, find the thickest self adhesive vinyl you can get your hands on and then either double it up or laminate it with some really thick laminate and apply it to your pre-heater so it creates a barrier between the heater plate and the magnetized material. You will still have to play with your PF adjustment as it will have a harder time pulling through the printer but it does work in a pinch.

 

[Mosh]

My point is MAGNETICS SUCK! I hate selling stuff that you are not happy with. Some customers have their mag signs for YEARS and NO problems,
some customers the things fly off before they leave my parking lot. Same Materials, Same Printing Process....I hate it.
My point was I try NOT TO SELL them. Just my 3 scents.

 

[Jackpine]

I print on vinyl, laminate and apply.

 

[brycesteiner]

My point is MAGNETICS SUCK! I hate selling stuff that you are not happy with. Some customers have their mag signs for YEARS and NO problems,
some customers the things fly off before they leave my parking lot. Same Materials, Same Printing Process....I hate it.
My point was I try NOT TO SELL them. Just my 3 scents.

Got it! That makes more sense. I wasn't reading clearly.

 

[Farmboy]

Print and then apply. We liquid lam all magnets. Using liquid helps keep them a little more pliable and less likely to fly off. Educate your customer about their mags. Magnum has a good Care Sheet available on their site.