.oo5" lexEdge

[Bill Modzel]

As you probably know, Gerber dropped the 5 mil LexEdge from their product line a few years ago. Fortunately, Graphic Marking Systems picked it up and has been selling it since than. Now, they also have discontinued the product.

I have one customer that I have been doing 4 or 5 different lexEdge labels for the last 4 or 5 years now. Most of their product line is finished with these labels and there is no substitute that I can come up with. The 10 mil is too thick to make work within the specs needed.

I have been talking to GSP about stocking the 5 mil product again but they do need to justify a certain quantity to once again add it to their product line. I am looking for other Edge users who may be in the same situation that I am in and see if we can put together a large enough order to get Gerber over the fence on this product. I'm getting desperate as this is a monetarily huge account for me, not to mention this could bring them to a standstill fairly quickly if I can't find a substitute for them.

 

[J Hill Designs]

what about an overlam?

https://www.hyatts.com/sign/ul-laminate-5-mil-lexan-13x50yd-velvet-T77246

btw hyatts still shows lexedge 5 mil on their site...did you try ordering with them?

 

[Bill Modzel]

We reverse print and than laminate a high tack adhesive to the print side of these. Our adhesive has a transparent carrier so we can cut the labels, which include holes and knock outs, from the back side on the GsX plus.

I'm not sure that we could pull it off with the lex laminate but I'll definitely think about it.
Thanks.

 

[GB2]

I have what looks to be a new unopened 50 yd. roll of 5mil Lexedge that I rarely use, if it would help I might be able to part with some of it.

 

[rudeez]

Hi!

I had the exact same problem a few months back. My biggest customer ordering labels in the size of 30 x 15 mm and i used the same method as you describing with 5 mil armalex reverse print, 10 mil was to think but i've now solved the issue and they're really happy with the new solution, the prints are alot brighter and more detailed with this new method aswell.

Before i used armalex 5 mil reverse print and then 3M 467 MP for adhesive.

Now i use White High-Bond 2 mil. 15 in x 50 yd Polyester w/High-Bond permanent adhesive. (UL recognized)
http://www.shopgms.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=PY781550W

and then 5 mil. Lexan® clear velvet overlaminate with a permanent pressure sensitive adhesive. 13 in x 50 yd (UL recognized)
http://www.shopgms.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=LEX51350CV

Im using a cold laminator to apply it but you could aswell just laminate it by hand really.

Settings im using for cutting is:
Acceleration: 1.6
Speed: About 10-12
Knife pressure: 11-11.5g
Corners: 0.18

The polyester is avilable in clear, white, matte silver, brushed aluminium and possibly something more, idk.

Works like a charm, my customer is very happy with it.
The process takes a bit more time with lamitanting etc but rather spend some more time doing the labels then loosing them as a customer since they're my biggest and buying for about $56000 a year.

Hope this helps man!

/Jimmie

 

[rudeez]

Actually i never use 3M edge material. Companies here in Sweden rarley selling it and from what i've seen it's expensive indeed.

This new combination i use is a bit more expensive then just reverse print on the old armalex edge ready material BUT, back when using that i always had to print a white background as the last step of the procedure and foils are expensive aswell. So really i think this new combo might be a little cheaper in the end.
It's 280 + 237 dollars and then you have white background thanks to the white polyester and therefore don't need to print that.
Wich ends up in $10.34/yard.
Old armalex edge ready was $336 and i buy original gerber foils for about $125 here in sweden, they might be cheaper in the states.
3M 467 MP adhesive is about $185 here in sweden, same thing there, might be cheaper in the states.
That ends up in 336 + 125 + 185 = $12.92/yard.

Ans really, when i think about it, the new "method" dosen't really takes more time since i actually had to laminate that 3M 467 adhesive before. So really it's the same procedure now but instead of laminating adhesive it's laminating the lexan to the polyester.

Downside of this is that they get just a bit thicker then they used to, it's not that bad really tho. Not as thick as 10 mil reversed would have been. But really, theres no other way to come around this, not when using gerber edge printer atleast. I looked at some solutions for this were i had A3 format lexan wich could be printed in a laser printer and then cut with a optic eye plotter but, you needed a badass laser printer for it so we simply couldent afford it and also you should have need to do one A3 at a time.
Summary, new method is even cheaper then the original

 

[Bill Modzel]

I'm missing something here.
The labels that I'm doing have either two holes or a small "viewing window" for
an LCD screen in them.
Once printed, I laminate an adhesive with a clear poly liner on it. The registration mark is easily visable and I cut them from the "back" side or
print side of the .005" poly.

If your are printing the face side of the normal polyester decal stock and than laminating the .005" poly over the face of that, how do you cut it? You might be able to score cut the top lexedge, but than you have to cut through the polyested decal stock and the liner also.

How are you guys accomplishing that?

 

[rudeez]

Actually i don't really understand what you mean here, could you possibly post some images of recent work and what you wanna do?

The labels im doing im cutting from the upside, through the lexan and through the polyester but not through the paper liner.

 

[Bill Modzel]

rudeez. Wow, you have enough cutting control to cut through the lex AND the poly and still leave the liner intact? I don't know if I could pull that off with my GsxPlus. As it is, I'm cutting 4 passes at about 4-5 in pressure and still have to bend and crack them out.
The adhesive I use is special ordered and has a carrier that is about 3 mils all by itself.
Here are a couple of the labels. The pink areas are not printed and show the adhesive carrier which is pink. The white decal has two holes cut out and the black one has the rectangle cut out.

I guess your technique might work if I can get enough pressure on it. How much are you using? My customer is used to receiving these as shown so I'd have to change things a bit.