Edge or similar thermal output for backlit

[10sacer]

I am an inkjet guy and don't have any experience with thermal type printers and am wondering if you can use thermal output for a backlit application.

Basically - is the output (black) opaque enough to block light like a duratrans will?

I have a small face-mounted backlit that is black only with white type for a product display case and trying to get someone to do a 24x19 duratrans at a reasonable price has been difficult to say the least as it doesn't meet most shop minimums - so they want to charge me $150+ to do it.

Tried to do it with rich black inkjet, but light still showed through. Didn't work at all on clear vinyl imaged rich black and a white backlit material imaged rich black illuminated a purplish hue.

Am replacing an exiting panel with a logo change and previous panel was duratrans (or similar film-based application)

So, will a thermal printer achieve this or is there a better inkjet way to do it or are there vendors other than the 4 or 5 that come up in Google that are in California that will do it. The face mount with optically clear adhesive is the kicker.

Thanks

I tried one merchant here and they passed on it already.

 

[iSign]

what kind of art? vector? simple or complex?

the edge can't print that size, but with vector art, the spot color printing capabilities might be a step in the right direction for you... you can do double hit's with the black, or even triple... and even if it is a raster file, you could print as spot, using super opaque black with multiple hits... but the size limitation still exists. I don;'t know if wider thermal printers work the same, but I'd bet that the smaller print head might result in a banding sort of tool mark under back lighting conditions... but that is just a guess... too complex for cut vinyl I guess...

 

[GAC05]

Something that small black with white type seems like it would be easiest to do with cut vinyl.Guess it would depend on the type and how much of it there is.
You could set it from the back so it would be single surface up front.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[10sacer]

Art

the art is simple white text outlined in Illustrator with vector white logo at top.

Thought about cut vinyl and would probably work great if it was applied to front of acrylic, but since its face applied to the back it needs to be single surface or there will be adhesive voids and look like pi$$

See attached pic of original display box. The logo is no longer blue.

Black strips are 24.375 x 6" - should have specified that in first post

 

[iSign]

face applied is a new term for me. That sounds like applying vinyl to the face of the sign. reverse applied of second surface are far more common terms for what you are now describing... but maybe I'm the one out of the loop... i just never heard of "face applied" meaning reverse applied..

so, you said 24" x 19" but now it's 24" x 6"... well, edge print it then!!

 

[Fred Weiss]

the art is simple white text outlined in Illustrator with vector white logo at top.

Thought about cut vinyl and would probably work great if it was applied to front of acrylic, but since its face applied to the back it needs to be single surface or there will be adhesive voids and look like pi$$

See attached pic of original display box. The logo is no longer blue.

Black strips are 24.375 x 6" - should have specified that in first post

I don't understand what the benefit would be to printing them ... you still need to apply the adhesive film to the acrylic without leaving any defects. I've done hundreds of them on a second surface and hundreds more on the inside of windows without defects. An occasional defect gets removed and replaced. Therefore I always charge more for second surface applications.

As a first suggestion, I would recommend using translucent black which has a very smooth adhesive surface designed to give you great results. Also use a wetting solution to insure an even, defect free application. Then just finish with an appropriate paint for the blue and white such as Lacryl or Grip-Flex available from most sign supply distributors.

The other way to go would be to cut a paint mask, apply it and paint it all with either Lacryl or Grip-Flex. The paint masking films use a low/medium tack removable adhesive and work very well for the purpose you intend.

 

[GAC05]

I think cut vinyl would work.
Cut the white voids out of the black so it is the first material on the inside of the acrylic.
Use solid white on the backside of the black to fill those voids.
If you are worried about that halo effect with stacked vinyl that is reverse mounted use 2mil premium for both the black and white.
If it is still a problem cut the lettering out of the white with a very small color trap to allow it butt up tight against the acrylic inside the holes in the black and still keep any gaps between the two from showing up.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[iSign]

I think cut vinyl would work.
Cut the white voids out of the black so it is the first material on the inside of the acrylic.
Use solid white on the backside of the black to fill those voids.
If you are worried about that halo effect with stacked vinyl that is reverse mounted use 2mil premium for both the black and white.
If it is still a problem cut the lettering out of the white with a very small color trap to allow it butt up tight against the acrylic inside the holes in the black and still keep any gaps between the two from showing up.

wayne k
guam usa

that's how i would do it too

 

[10sacer]

Thanks guys