Material Fail?

[SAR.Summerlin]

So we did these signs on Friday and they were put out on Saturday. today the customer sends us this picture. I am new to this and not sure I used the correct material. What could cause this and what should I have used.

Used Dibond substrate with a 3M IJ35 matte vinyl and a unknown brand matte lamination.

Sign is at the local ski resort so is regularly exposed to below zero temperatures.

 

[the graphics co]

Looks like someone picked at the edge of the graphic.

 

[OADesign]

This may be a silly question, but did you clean your dibond well before applying your graphics? And with what?

I use Dibond/MaxMetal ALL the time. But once in a while some comes in with oils on it. Maybe from the manufacture process, who knows? But its wont even hold the protective film. On certain sheets the, protective liner will fall off while sitting on the rack. I use iso or denatured to thoroughly clean the sign before applying the graphics.

Maybe one got by you?

 

[SAR.Summerlin]

This may be a silly question, but did you clean your dibond well before applying your graphics? And with what?

I use Dibond/MaxMetal ALL the time. But once in a while some comes in with oils on it. Maybe from the manufacture process, who knows? But its wont even hold the protective film. On certain sheets the, protective liner will fall off while sitting on the rack. I use iso or denatured to thoroughly clean the sign before applying the graphics.

Maybe one got by you?

I did clean them well with denatured alcohol. Also according to the customer this is happening on all 4 signs.

 

[John Butto]

Did you use wet or dry install.

 

[SAR.Summerlin]

Did you use wet or dry install.

Dry using my laminator

 

[skyhigh]

i doubt this is your problem but how do you use UNKNOWN materials?

Ok maybe that is your problem.

 

[SAR.Summerlin]

i doubt this is your problem but how do you use UNKNOWN materials?

Ok maybe that is your problem.

We are a franchise and when we started the company gave us a starter pack of supplies I am still working through that 6 months later. Unfortunately most of the materials were not labeled so I haven't got a clue as to what brand they are. I have asked repeatedly for a list of the materials we were given and apparently my request has fallen on deaf ears.

 

[SlightlyChilled]

Get some lam and wrap the edges.

 

[SlightlyChilled]

Do you just work at the sign-o-ramma or are you the franchisy? If you are the Franchisy I would be calling your head people at the main office looking for help.

 

[J Hill Designs]

harsh conditions require premium materials

 

[kanini]

Could it be a laminate suitable for indoors application only? Or is all material you have for outdoor use? If it's a laminate used only for paper posters etc. indoors it could happen some strange stuff outdoors, shrinkage of the laminate for example...

 

[Techman]

alcohol is not a cleaner.
It is a solvent. It is not an all magic remover of contaminants.

A solvent reduces a product to a liquid form. It allows it to be moved around whatever. It takes lots more solvent and lots more work to remove contaminants via a solvent.. IT never completely removes all the bad stuff.

A cleaner is completely different. A cleaner uses molecules as a magnet to capture and carry away contaminates.

Molecules have poles. They spin positive or negative. Either way one pole reduces contaminants and the other pole captures the contaminants. Then you wipe away the dirt and it stay with the cleaner.

That is the difference between cleaners and solvents. That is why some cleaners work very well. That is why Alcohol will leave a smear after trying to use it as a cleaner.

 

[DizzyMarkus]

not trimmed properly-- leaving an small "edge" for it to be "rolled" up

outgas before lam?

It does appear looking at it that someone messed with it -- a rolled up edge shouldnt have missing pieces lol

Markus

 

[BobM]

Was there delamination all over the panel or only just on the edges? My guess is the surface was not properly cleaned. I clean with Rapid Prep and then again with Rapid Prep again using unprinted paper towels. I pay special attention to the edges.

 

[SAR.Summerlin]

Do you just work at the sign-o-ramma or are you the franchisy? If you are the Franchisy I would be calling your head people at the main office looking for help.

I just work here.

Everyone else thanks for the feed back we are going to get the bad signs back and see if we can fix this problem so all your feedback helps.

Also I have no clue if the lam was rated for indoor only since I don't know what it is. I would guess though that the company gave me outdoor lam.

 

[2B]

Get some lam and wrap the edges.

would definitely wrap the lam to the back side for an extra level of protection from vandalism


looks like someone was picking the edge, and because of the height of the sign everyone will have access to those edges.

 

[skyhigh]

alcohol is not a cleaner.
It is a solvent. It is not an all magic remover of contaminants.

A solvent reduces a product to a liquid form. It allows it to be moved around whatever. It takes lots more solvent and lots more work to remove contaminants via a solvent.. IT never completely removes all the bad stuff.

A cleaner is completely different. A cleaner uses molecules as a magnet to capture and carry away contaminates.

Molecules have poles. They spin positive or negative. Either way one pole reduces contaminants and the other pole captures the contaminants. Then you wipe away the dirt and it stay with the cleaner.

That is the difference between cleaners and solvents. That is why some cleaners work very well. That is why Alcohol will leave a smear after trying to use it as a cleaner.

and what brand of cleaner do u recommend tech?

 

[SAR.Summerlin]

outgas before lam?

Markus

I run a latex machine do I still need to outgas?

 

[John Butto]

lunch

I run a latex machine do I still need to outgas?

Only if you had gone to Taco Bell.