Bending Aluminum Direct Prints

[Tfloraditch]

I'm making some .063 aluminum break form pan signs and direct printing to the aluminum before bending the edges. My problem is the print cracks when I bend the aluminum making a lighter edge at the bend. I am printing on a Vutek QS3200 UV printer. I know it can be done because I have seen it first hand. I'm just not having much luck with it.

 

[TimToad]

I don't see how you could mechanically break the edges 90 degrees and not stretch the material at your bend. Did you put a strip of transfer tape over the bend area?

 

[Tfloraditch]

I don't see how you could mechanically break the edges 90 degrees and not stretch the material at your bend. Did you put a strip of transfer tape over the bend area?

I know it doesn't make sense but it did work once. Yes, I did use the transfer tape.

 

[TimToad]

I know it doesn't make sense but it did work once. Yes, I did use the transfer tape.

What do you think you did differently when it didn't work as well? Does that printer let you choose between a more flexible ink or standard?

I'm not familiar with it and am running an old Gerber ION Solara and while its inks are pretty flexible, the sheer pressure of the break's edge and stretching the aluminum is hard to overcome. When we do panfaces, we usually wrap them with a laminated print to avoid that problem.

 

[Oroscoe]

I don't thing the problem is your material. It sounds like the ink may not have enough elasticity for making the bend.

 

[tbaker]

Try lowering the lamp intensity, keep in mind once the ink starts to cure it will eventually fully cure. By lowering the intensity you’ll be working with a soft cure (partially cured) as opposed to a hard curr