Do you really wait a day to laminate?

[paul luszcz]

We've been printing with solvent inks for seven years and we rarely wait a day to laminate a print. We have not noticed any ill effects from this practice.

Now we're looking to replace our printer and when comparing a solvent printer (Mimaki JV33) to an HP latex printer, the biggest advantage of latex is the ability to laminate immediately.

do those with solvent printers really wait a day to laminate? Have you noticed any ill effects from laminating shortly after printer and if so, what?

 

[fmg]

We've been printing with solvent inks for seven years and we rarely wait a day to laminate a print. We have not noticed any ill effects from this practice.

Now we're looking to replace our printer and when comparing a solvent printer (Mimaki JV33) to an HP latex printer, the biggest advantage of latex is the ability to laminate immediately.

do those with solvent printers really wait a day to laminate? Have you noticed any ill effects from laminating shortly after printer and if so, what?

Have a JV33 and many Roland printers and never had any issues with laminating the same day as the print.

 

[MikePro]

for solvent printing, assuming you have proper profiles/ink limits setup, you don't need to wait a day.... but you definitely don't want to laminate straight after printing.

if you want reasons for this, then use the search function, as this topic has been beaten to death.

p.s. LOVE laminating straight off my latex printer. just sayin'.

 

[nashvillesigns]

waiting

for my big expensive materials i will wait a day.
everything else? don't matter. there IS a difference. outgassing will show up in tiny bubbles where when you wait for it, the image is much richer and darker..

we print with a mimaki jv33 ss21 inks.

 

[SIGNTIME]

we always thought you had to wait a day but after some reading we now wait a day if we can but if its a rush like it always seems to be we wait atleast an hour. no problems thus far.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

I lose roll my under a fan to outgas overnight...when it's possible. As we all know...that's not always possible and laminate immediately after printing in emergency situations.
The adhesive IS more aggressive when laminated right away.

 

[thinksigns]

I try let the prints dry overnight. If a customer orders something in the morning and needs it that afternoon, I tell them that a quick turnaround like that is against the manufacturers recommendations and I cannot guarantee there will not be problems. Half the time it turns out they can wait another day.

 

[phototec]

I try let the prints dry overnight. If a customer orders something in the morning and needs it that afternoon, I tell them that a quick turnaround like that is against the manufacturers recommendations and I cannot guarantee there will not be problems. Half the time it turns out they can wait another day.

+1
Both Oracal and 3M recommend letting their material OUT GAS prior to lamination, (trapping the solvent and then it migrates into the adhesive), and because I believe the chemist at both companies KNOW more about this than I do, I always try and follow the manufactures recommendations.

That being said, like others here, there are times (RUSH JOBS), when you can't wait overnight, and I let the customer know this will most likely void the warranty.

For the most part proper planning allows for time to let the solvent out gas from the media....

 

[darby07]

We have had a JV33 for years and typically we will wait to laminate, but when we haven't, there has been no problems or complaints that I can think of. BUT, it's always better safe than sorry and stinking to the manufactures recommendations

This reminds me of when I first started in the screen printing industry. I worked in the screen department and when mixing our diazo into the emulsion for coating, you're supposed to let it sit for a few hours. Well, more times than not I ended up coating directly after mixing.... Please don't tell my former production manager (aka DAD!)

 

[anotherdog]

I try to let it sit overnight, sometimes I can't and honestly haven't seen any ill effects. I do belive that it must have a bad effect on either the life or the adhesion of the product. I also like to make some of my customers wait the magic day for the theater of the thing. It must be good if you have to wait.

The "Theatre" is also why I wear vinyl gloves when installing (it also stops getting grease in the surface). It looks more like a surgeon doing incredibly delicate work, so they complain less at the installation fee.

 

[Gino]

We generally will wait the 24 hours or overnight routine. That's what the manufacturer's recommend, so why p!ss off the vinyl Gods ??

We've also only waited a few hours, when something goes wrong and have found no ill effects.

In most cases, our signs, trucks and other digitally produced projects are planned in advance, so waiting the extra time is usually not an issue.

 

[darby07]

I try to let it sit overnight, sometimes I can't and honestly haven't seen any ill effects. I do belive that it must have a bad effect on either the life or the adhesion of the product. I also like to make some of my customers wait the magic day for the theater of the thing. It must be good if you have to wait.

The "Theatre" is also why I wear vinyl gloves when installing (it also stops getting grease in the surface). It looks more like a surgeon doing incredibly delicate work, so they complain less at the installation fee.

 

[mark in tx]

I absolutely notice a difference with Controltac. If I laminate right away, I can feel a difference when I Install the vinyl, it has a "looser" feel to it, and it is easier for things to stretch out of control.
I am using a solvent ink, but I have had them properly profiled, and the effect is negligible for for medium quality calendered vinyls and lams, but those are typically smaller contour cut decals.
With larger prints on calendered vinyl, I will let it dry overnight before laminating. Makes installing to substrates easier.