Needing a heavy duty vinyl or just clear coat the vinyl.

[OPI_Matt]

Hi everyone,
My company has been doing decals for a concrete company in our area for like 8 to 10 years and they like to have them on the drums of their cement trucks. Only thing is that they wash with power washers and acid cleaners to get the cement off when the job is done. Then the vinyl starts to fall off in like a couple months.
So is there a vinyl and laminate that would work great for cement truck's drum or just clear coat over the vinyl?

Thanks from a novice, Matt

 

[J Hill Designs]

what do you currently use

 

[OPI_Matt]

We are using a Concept 201HTAP vinyl with a Concept 231 AutoMark Laminate on the drums at this time.
We have used Orajet 3169RA with Oraguard 270G Stone Guard Film and Orajet 3165RA with Oraguard 210. We still use the 3165RA vinyl on the doors of the cab and they are fine.
Would a 3M material be better?
The company I work for just started to have me work more on the vehicle wraps and that is the material that I use.

Thanks.

 

[petepaz]

when ever they are using pressure washers and chemicals to clean the vehicle you will have issues. it's just a matter of when.
best bet is to use a hi-tack vinyl and maybe try a thicker lam like what they use on the motor cross decals for low surface energy plastics or what they use for the helmet decals.
they other thing is whoever is cleaning the trucks has to be careful how they spray the trucks and take it easy on the decal areas.
as far as the chemical or acid cleaners i don't think there is any vinyl that will hold up to that stuff.

 

[gabagoo]

I too had the same issue, but when I researched the type of vinyl that was on the vehicle from the mfg.. (Putzmeister) I found that it was a very high adhesive type of vinyl that was basically more for the screen printing industry and not available in roll form. After telling them that when they wash they need to be very careful with pressure washers and to keep the nozzle farther away when washing, the problem ceased.

I also did 20 drums for one company and to this day they are still on and look good. I just used 3M 220

 

[jfiscus]

We doa lot of drums for a local company here, and we use 3m 680 (reflective). We also Edge Seal EVERYTHING, including the factory decals for them. Haven't had any troubles.

 

[rjssigns]

If its a single color make a stencil and paint it. OP didn't say how many colors.

 

[OPI_Matt]

The vinyl is a print cmyk color decal that is 2 different pieces(Flag state separate from text). Printed off a Roland XC-540.

We have tried sealing the edges of the vinyl when we applied them, but they still keep come off and the customer said they could do it better themselves like 4 years ago(I was also just starting at the company). So, we have just being print them and they applied the vinyl.

Hope that helps and thank you all for the info.

 

[rjssigns]

Something that is going to take that kind of abuse I'd bury in Imron clear coat. Imron is used on aircraft. Probably outlast the truck.

 

[kheebl]

I am looking to do the same on some drum logos (about 20 trucks) I talked to signteam to do my printing and this is what was suggested to me. Going to be pricy though. Does that sound like a good combo? I believe the high adhesive vinyl is arlon.

I found the best solution for your client. Will be the High Adhesive with print Shield High performance film (protects UV and ink-jet prints from a wide variety of stains, chemicals and also Anti-Graffiti)