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Maureen Shields

New Member
Good morning all. I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me identify the material in the attached photos. I have a customer who would like us to UV print on both sides of this material. He then heats up the material with a torch to achieve the "wavey" effect. He has tried it with PVC however it does not work well.
Thank you in advance for your help!
 

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GraphixGirl79

New Member
Maureen Shields said:
Good morning all. I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me identify the material in the attached photos. I have a customer who would like us to UV print on both sides of this material. He then heats up the material with a torch to achieve the "wavey" effect. He has tried it with PVC however it does not work well.
Thank you in advance for your help!
Click to expand...
looks like neoprene.. you know what they make mouse pads out of. but without actually seeing and feeling it. that's only my guess.
 
Boudica

Boudica

I'm here for Educational Purposes
Looks like a 5-layer UV print on one side C+W+B+W+C and the substrate is some kind of clear plastic that will warp with heat. Acrylic? You can heat and bend acrylic.
 
Billct2

Billct2

Active Member
I have done some of that with acrylic but decorated it afterwards. Don't know how it could be done if it's already printed without wrecking the image.
Hydo dipping would work
 
Boudica

Boudica

I'm here for Educational Purposes
closer look at the picture on a computer... it does look like white Sintra. and the sheen looks like UV ink. I would think warping it after printing would wreck the print too, ... but maybe that technique is the secret sauce in this. Or, this is still in the experimental stages for the OP's customer, and they are still looking for the right substrate to use? Is the original in that picture printed, or hand painted?

Edited to change polystyrene to Sintra, that's what I meant to say.
 
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unclebun

Active Member
Kinda looks like what happens when people use expanded PVC board (Sintra, Trovicel, etc.) for outdoor signage after the sun works on it.

I would think that heating with a heat gun might be safer for the ink and plastic than using a torch. Slower. But safer.
 
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BigNate

New Member
you could make that item from flat acrylic and bend it - this is done for small desktop signs that are engraved - I have seen pretty thick clear media at JDS industries. for small rigid table tents we have engraved and/or laminated printing to and then folded pieces of acrylic.
 
DL Signs

DL Signs

Never go against the family
Was gonna say it could be polycarb, that can be thermoformed at low enough temps to not destroy a print (as low as 125f), but this looks a lot thicker.
Sintra is an expanded PVC, that can be thermoformed too, but not sure of what temps it needs.
 
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