Two Sided Vinyl Printing

[Cooper E]

I've been tasked with finding a machine to print two sided 13 oz vinyl scrim. We've bought the tag sets we use overseas but they would like to see about bringing it in house.

We currently have a Roland XR640, Summa D4 and Mutoh 1324 none which have two sided print/registration capability.

The tags sets are sewn into industrial products and have narrow margins. So I'm looking for a large format inkjet that can print two sided banner with 1/32" - 1/16" accuracy, is there such a machine? What would be the most accurate MOE to expect for double sided vinyl printing if that level of accuracy it not possible or would it require a flat bed printer? This is an area I've never dealt with before.

 

[MikePro]

HP's have always had a user-friendly double-sided printing option, however I'm uncertain of the tolerances. I'm sure there's a wide format printer dealer in your area that has one running in their showroom, for you to observe/test.

edited to add: I run a 26500 latex, love it. Saw their new HP Stitch dye sub printer at the recent sign show that prints textiles extremely well, could be the right product for fabric tags.

 

[Dan360]

We run lots of double sided banner on our 360, tolerances aren't great unless you're doing small runs, but they're within reason for things like street banners and pole banners. It doesn't always line up side to side and on a 6 foot pole banner it's usually out about a quarter inch vertically. I found wider media causes more shifting. I think a fabric base would work better, like a canvas material. My theory is that banner doesn't like going through that type of heat twice. For best registration you would need a flatbed.

 

[2B]

Why is a scrim material being used for a tag?
how are you finishing the edge so the denier fiber doesn't come out

those are tight tolerences,
we use Rolands, but unable to get that tolerence

 

[iPrintStuff]

The Colorado 1640/50 should be able to do double sided banners. Don’t think the firmware is set up for the 1640 yet but the 1650 should come with that from the off. I’m at a print show next week and was gonna check it out.

the banners on those things are pretty much scratch proof and very, very quick. I can do an 8x4 in about 3 mins on high quality.

 

[Cooper E]

Why is a scrim material being used for a tag?
how are you finishing the edge so the denier fiber doesn't come out

those are tight tolerences,
we use Rolands, but unable to get that tolerence

We are a safety equipment manufacture and so far what we've found is 13oz scim is the substrate that last the longest in the field for ANSI's requirements of life of the product.

Our tags are 1" x 4" so edge finishing isn't and issue and I've never seen them come back in bad shape based on how they are attached to harnesses.

Yeah, the tolerances are the main issue with two side the size of tags we need. Currently we only print 1 sided with 1mm tolerances which works fine printing to our Mutoh with cutting auto cutting each sheet as it finish's, we do the finish trim them on a programmable guillotine cutter. We can do about 30,000 5 piece tags sets a month this way.

 

[bannertime]

HP Latex double sided can be up to a 1/4 inch off on a good day. Not sure you could get that accuracy with a flatbed either. Probably never get it out of a roll to roll. You probably need something like an offset press.

 

[Terrance the Deuce]

I have 2 HP scitex flatbeds and 3 different latexs. They are not capable of consistently achieving that kind of tolerance. Sometimes I will get perfect registration front to back, but again, not reliable to more than maybe .25"

 

[chromira]

I've been tasked with finding a machine to print two sided 13 oz vinyl scrim. We've bought the tag sets we use overseas but they would like to see about bringing it in house.

We currently have a Roland XR640, Summa D4 and Mutoh 1324 none which have two sided print/registration capability.

The tags sets are sewn into industrial products and have narrow margins. So I'm looking for a large format inkjet that can print two sided banner with 1/32" - 1/16" accuracy, is there such a machine? What would be the most accurate MOE to expect for double sided vinyl printing if that level of accuracy it not possible or would it require a flat bed printer? This is an area I've never dealt with before.

As long as the size is below 48x96 I use my Mimaki JFX2500. We've used it to make box mockups and 2-sided banners and easily get within 1/16 all around.

 

[flyplainsdrifta]

yeah. latex tolerances can go all over the place especially due to the double heating. ive seen stretches of about an inch or more on very long runs on my 560. my 1500 is much closer. have done 30 foot runs that are dead on but once again its hit or miss everytime.