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heat sublimation to acrylic?

andrewthomas

New Member
I am looking for advice on a method and a printer to purchase that can do heat sublimation onto acrylic sheets.
I am including a photo to show what i mean.

1-94.jpg
 

hybriddesign

owner Hybrid Design
1.) If you want to sublimate on acrylic you need to buy special acrylic coated on the back for sublimation. This is not that common and the printing is not opaque, it's kind of translucent. The example you sent it not sublimation.

2.) To do what you're showing in the example you need a flatbed UV printer to print directly on the plexiglass.

3.)Alternatively you can print on clear vinyl with a solvent printer and mount it to the back of the plexi as well as adding a layer of white vinyl behind it.

Option 2 is probably the best way but likely the most expensive.
Option 3 works really well and can be done with more inexpensive printers but is more labor intensive.
 

andrewthomas

New Member
I am looking for light to be able to shine through so i can make a lightbox so i am looking for something that is slightly translucent. that image i posted is also translucent
here is another product with led strip behind it

how do you suppose this is made?

1643275930184.png
 

SignMeUpGraphics

Super Active Member
Looks direct UV printed on the top of the acrylic to me. Nothing challenging there.
There is an LED strip underneath on the far side (motherboard) to light it up. Plenty of pics/videos out there about these.
The Mimaki UJF-3042 is probably the smallest machine available that can do these.
You could do it cheaper if you printed on clear vinyl and adhere it to the acrylic as well.
 

andrewthomas

New Member
Looks direct UV printed on the top of the acrylic to me. Nothing challenging there.
There is an LED strip underneath on the far side (motherboard) to light it up. Plenty of pics/videos out there about these.
The Mimaki UJF-3042 is probably the smallest machine available that can do these.
You could do it cheaper if you printed on clear vinyl and adhere it to the acrylic as well.
thanks!
I guess UV flatbed is a bit out of budget for a startup idea, happen to know anyone with one where i can possibly contract orders through them?
 
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