tomasimattia
New Member
My company wont buy a flatbed printer for printing on prepainted aluminum. There are same problem with ocè/fujifilm printer ko/ki ink (indoor/outdoor)? My best preference are from Durst Omega 1... thank for all replies!
-
I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...
Printing alluminium
- Thread starter tomasimattia
- Start date
ChicagoGraphics
New Member
Welcome to Signs 101
J Hill Designs
New Member
welcome from cali, USA 
not sure how to reply to a seemingly non-question
not sure how to reply to a seemingly non-question
tomasimattia
New Member
i write from italy... sorry for my english! i want know if same one have experience about printing on prepainted alliumumin with similar printer....
Ditchmiester
New Member
I've printed on pre-painted aluminum with a Colorspan 72UVR and have had good results with adhesion.
FireSprint.com
Trade Only Screen & Digital Sign Printing
Welcome from Omaha!
We screenprint ours.
We screenprint ours.
Nicky Zhou
PrintLinks
We are using Oce 550GT to do similar job. To get a good adhesion on such media, we need to use max power of UV lamp, then everything doing great.
We try on Oce 318GT, and 350GT,360GT, seems not as good as 550GT. By the way, we are using flexiable ink.
tomasimattia
New Member
how i can print on aluminum without flatbed printer ??
HulkSmash
New Member
oce and fuji will work fine. Durst seems like overkill for just printing on aluminum.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
you don't need a flatbed to print on aluminum. Ask me how I know
Yes, please explain how you've figured a way to by-pass digital vinyl and print directly to a piece of aluminum without any profiles for durability.
J Hill Designs
New Member
I seem to remember a few years ago someone mentioned putting .040 alum. in their r2r solvent and it worked...cant remember for the life of me who it was tho
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Oh yes..... you can do it, but there won't be any reason to do it, as in almost all cases, the ink won't last printed directly onto aluminum, designated for digital media of some sort.
I can put pancake batter in a spray gun and spray it on a car and even clear coat it, but it won't last.
There's no need to print to something your printer isn't designed to do, unless you've made some major changes.... which no one mentioned yet.
I can put pancake batter in a spray gun and spray it on a car and even clear coat it, but it won't last.
There's no need to print to something your printer isn't designed to do, unless you've made some major changes.... which no one mentioned yet.
luehrslogistics
New Member
Sepiax
ChicagoGraphics
New Member
I tryed printing 0.32 aluminum with my JV3 and it worked, the only thing is if your going to print large sheets I would build some type of tables to butt up against the printer so the material doesn't flap while going into the printer causing head strikes.
Sorry guys and girls, was gone for a while - the aluminum printing without a flat bed is quite simple - I do that all day long - on my Epson 9700 - there are s%^% load of ink receptive coatings, just rub it on the aluminum sheet, dry it w heat gun, stick it into the printer and print away. Make sure the printer is against the wall so you can lean the sheet - taking some weight off the printer. Then you can finish with automotive clear coat - I have powder coating shop next door, so I go that route - but automotive clear coat is as good. The whole concept of a flatbed printer is overrated imo - why can't you print on a media of choice and mount the thick substrate? That's not to say that I don't have one - I do, but I built one myself - just couldn't stomach shelling out that much $ for
couple of actuators. Going to print some tomorrow - will take a video for you to see.
couple of actuators. Going to print some tomorrow - will take a video for you to see.
All the above - " to avoid the vinyl and laminate costs?" - but it's a collateral benefit - the visuals are unbelievable - after coating the image pops out off the surface, the sheen and all...You have to see it to appreciate. No way one can achieve same with vinyl or whatnot. The client is an artist/photographer, I do some 20 - 25 pieces a month for the guy and it gets only better. Here is the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5VH_CvN8ZMs
Gino
Premium Subscriber
It's a rather nice ending to a need out of necessity, but the OP's question was if you can print directly to aluminum with something other than a flatbed.
I think most took it to mean just that.... directly.
All the extra steps are manageable, but I personally, would not want to do that routinely. You'd never be capable of staying competitive with other flatbeds.
I think most took it to mean just that.... directly.
All the extra steps are manageable, but I personally, would not want to do that routinely. You'd never be capable of staying competitive with other flatbeds.
Yeah, it's brushed aluminum. I do print on stainless steel, copper, bronze - you name it - pushing the printer to limits - the worst thing is gonna happen the sheet will slide trough - never happened yet. I've printed sheets as large as 40x60. Sometimes I'll have to adjust the paper feed, nothing more...
artbot
New Member
hey guys... yup. printed exclusively flat .040 aluminum, and veneer on my flatbed jv3 for about eight years straight. you'll need to build two air (air hockey style) tables with some guides and feather boards. it works quite well for 4x6... a bit iffy past that. i've printed as big as 5x10, and 4x12 but would keep that to artistic purposes rather than signage.
all this was done with the jv3 (and a lot more)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alldredge/sets/72157627000489887/
i'm lucky to have an early CET 6x10 (16 head) flatbed now. getting used to the workflow and doing my mods to it currently.
here's what the rig looked like.
all this was done with the jv3 (and a lot more)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alldredge/sets/72157627000489887/
i'm lucky to have an early CET 6x10 (16 head) flatbed now. getting used to the workflow and doing my mods to it currently.
here's what the rig looked like.
Attachments
artbot
New Member
the secret is to have the material head very slightly down hill into the nip then exit very slightly uphill. this puts a mild reverse crown on the material. using this method, the sheet will be drawn through the printer (almost) without the pinch rollers down. straight through works, but not as well.
it's hilarious and just plain wrong what i did this poor house to get where i had to go. you can see the kitchen in the background. i now have a 33,000 square foot building and we've gone through about $400,000 and climbing setting it up (with all used equipment, save the limac cnc). funny thing is, in a few days i now, according to my eight year old divorce decree, have to put the house up for sale in two weeks. perfect timing if you ask me.
it's hilarious and just plain wrong what i did this poor house to get where i had to go. you can see the kitchen in the background. i now have a 33,000 square foot building and we've gone through about $400,000 and climbing setting it up (with all used equipment, save the limac cnc). funny thing is, in a few days i now, according to my eight year old divorce decree, have to put the house up for sale in two weeks. perfect timing if you ask me.
