Printing on Avery 3901 with HP 560

[JPR-5690]

I just purchased a roll of Avery 3901 as a cheap pvc-alternative for short-term signage (aka mounted displays that didn't need to last more than a few weeks at most).

I print a lot of mounted graphics although not necessarily all at once. Right now Im not printing more than 10 24x36s at a time.

The film is great before its printed, but it curls so badly when it comes off the printer that its next to impossible to mount single prints without backrolling the prints for a day or two before hand.

Not only that, it curls so badly that I have to be sure to have the film completely installed on the take-up reel before I start printing or else it hits the ceiling of the curing unit and destroys the print.

Is this typical? I know its a cheap media but if this is what I have to work with then its not worth it. Avery told me that its probably because the release liner is just an economy kraft paper thats super responsive to heat and humidity changes and thats whats likely causing the curl...

Is it something that I can change in the media profile? Im a n00b to latex printing so feel free to school me on this.

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

Probably going to have to play with it. Avery recommends UV or Solvent printing. They don't recommend latex. Probably because latex is so heavily an HP market and HP is very much in bed with 3M. Maybe increase the passes which will give the material more time in the curing zone which will allow for lower curing temps which should reduce the curling. Solvent and UV printers don't use much heat normally so they aren't probably that worried about the curling.

 

[ikarasu]

I could never get it to work properly. We had a roll leftover... Even turning the heat way down the media tended to buckle/wrinkle and it's hit the heater, or cause head rubs.

After trying 5 times I just threw the roll in the garbage.

We use IJ35 for our cheap Media now. It works great. A bit more expensive... But it works.

I've also used briteline, and allgrwphics general formulations line which is $80 a roll.. both printed good. Not the best material.. but it surprised me that Avery had issues while these two didn't.

Biggish has some good vinyl for cheap that's latex compatible - if your ok not going Avery, I'd send him a message.

 

[GoBigG!]

Hey there, you said you use IJ35 and it works on your Latex 560. I have a Latex365, I tried to print on IJ35 and notice the liner seems to start "melting" and buckling under the heat. It leaves a waxy residue on the "exit ramp", eventually causing a head crash after about 30' of printing. I have the hp recommended profile for the media downloaded to the printer from hp. Tried turning the heat down and I get curing issues.
I noticed the liner does not have the typical 3M print on it, is this right.

Any suggestions.