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vinyl question for the experts

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laserman70

New Member
We have been approached by a manufacturer of trailers. They are looking for someone local to print graphics for all of them. It will be a stripe with small scene on it, approximately 4 ft. long 12" high.
They are looking to have us supply them with all the packages, they apply them at the factory. Currently they come with application tape. They are not laminate.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what would be a good vinyl for this application. Obviously the cost has to be good, due to the amount of units they produce.
thanks for the help.
 
Jim Doggett

Jim Doggett

New Member
laserman70 said:
We have been approached by a manufacturer of trailers. They are looking for someone local to print graphics for all of them. It will be a stripe with small scene on it, approximately 4 ft. long 12" high.
They are looking to have us supply them with all the packages, they apply them at the factory. Currently they come with application tape. They are not laminate.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what would be a good vinyl for this application. Obviously the cost has to be good, due to the amount of units they produce.
thanks for the help.
Click to expand...

More than likely, 2 mil cast, for conformability and durability. 3M, Oracal, or whatever. Most will probably work. And if lamination is not desired, at 4' x 12", this sounds like a perfect application for Gerber EDGE printing. Resins will outlast inkjet, unlaminated.

My $0.02,

Jim
 
Circleville Signs

Circleville Signs

New Member
It's perfect from a materials standpoint, but may not be from a cost standpoint.

I think you need to do some more fact finding. What type of life expectancy do they desire? Do they need it to be removable without damage to the underlying paint? How would using unlaminated/digital affect any warranties that they offer?

Lot's of questions need answered before you can quote this out my friend.
 
Jim Doggett

Jim Doggett

New Member
laserman70 said:
It is a fiberglass surface. There are no rivets. It is a flat surface, no curves at all. The manufacturer said they last about 4 years on average.
Click to expand...

Unlaminated, it's gotta be EDGE-printed, IMO. Resin will last 3 - 5 years, unlaminated. Inkjet, maybe 3 years at most, and it's not as abrasion-resistant as thermal resin printing.

Any cast vinyl (less shrinkage, so way less dirty edges over time) should work.

IMO,

Jim
 
S

StopSignGraphics

New Member
If the customer is looking for the graphics to last 4 years, you'll either have to laminate a solvent print or follow Jim's advice and go with an edge print.

I prefer cast film for vehicle applications but I suspect your customer will not want to pay for the difference. Calandered film will shrink overtime so be forewarned. If the graphic is simply a rectangle application tape may not be necessary, that might shave off a few cents.

If the prints are identical you may want to talk to a screen printer. However you would probably have to buy a few months worth of graphics to get a competitive price.
 
C

CL Graphics

New Member
Why dont they want laminate. I would print on 3551 and laminate with 290. If they are dead set againts laminate then leave it off. I have prints form my JV3 that have been on car windows with out laminate for 3 years with very little fade but I would still talk them into laminate. FYI. What they have now is probably screen printed. Its hard to price digital print competitve against screen print.
 
G-Artist

G-Artist

New Member
Rumor has it that U-Haul along with many USPS trucks use Summa foil printed graphics and no lam.

4-years is a good average on those graphics.
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
That's 160' of thermal printed vinyl a week. I kinda agree with jhill.... it would be cheaper and much faster to print them and laminate them with a solvent type printer. Heck, they'd be done in less than two hours. How long would that take on an Edge ??

We've had prints on 3M 160 series last four to five years, but I wouldn't recommend it.
 
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