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Question What Equipment Do I Need for This

U

USAFS

New Member
I have been trying to figure out what equipment is needed to create Hazardous Material Placards. I have inquired with numerous sign shops as well as hazardous material placard producers, over the past several years. However I am still no closer to knowing what I need now, as the day I started searching.

I have been distributing these hazmat placards for about 15 years now. Business has picked up substantially and I am able to afford some printing equipment. However I have no idea exactly what equipment is needed. The current hazardous material placard producers are keeping this a very tight trade secret, and no one else seems to know.

The Hazardous Material Placards are printed on square cut adhesive vinyl, printed on one side, These measure 10.75" x 10.75" and are laminated. There are several designs, but most are one color, some are two.

I have a small office and am looking for something that can handle about 2,500 placards at a time (per design). I am not sure how these placards are cut, and moreover how they are laminated. I assume I will need 3 machines - printer, cutter/trimmer, and a laminator? Is there a machine that can cut the process down a step or two?

Any suggestions on what basic equipment I will need? Or any equipment in particular, like an exact make/model? Any help will be greatly appreciated. :)
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
How do you know they are laminated ?? Can you actually peel a top layer off ?? At that quantity, I'd sooner think it was screen printed. Better job, less cost and faster. The ones that are 2 color...... is there a trap where the 2 colors meet ??
 
U

USAFS

New Member
Thank you Gino for the quick reply. When I say the placards are "laminated", that is to say these placards have a UV laminate protection on them, as they are used outdoors attached to trucks, etc. It seems to be a very thin layer, not thick enough to be peeled.

An example of one of these placards (if I may) can be viewed at https://www.jjkeller.com/shop/Product/Dangerous-Placard-Worded

These may very well be screen-printed, I haven't the slightest idea (hence my posting here).

I am not sure if there is a trap where the 2 colors meet, as I don't know what a trap is. :(
 
d fleming

d fleming

Premium Subscriber
At 2500 a run I have to agree with Gino. I have been screen printing that type of work for many years from the size you are talking about to 4' x 4' road signs, PS vinyl, hard panel and mesh. Admittedly when large format printers became solvent printers the market changed somewhat but I imagine most large runs are still printed by someone like me smashing ink through a rag with a very big squeegee.
 
rjssigns

rjssigns

Active Member
USAFS said:
Thank you Gino for the quick reply. When I say the placards are "laminated", that is to say these placards have a UV laminate protection on them, as they are used outdoors attached to trucks, etc. It seems to be a very thin layer, not thick enough to be peeled.

An example of one of these placards (if I may) can be viewed at https://www.jjkeller.com/shop/Product/Dangerous-Placard-Worded

These may very well be screen-printed, I haven't the slightest idea (hence my posting here).

I am not sure if there is a trap where the 2 colors meet, as I don't know what a trap is. :(
Click to expand...

All the information you need regarding materials is in the website you linked. As far as production there are several ways to go. Screen printing would be the go to for high quantity with designs that never change.
You could also use a UV flatbed to print second surface on clear styrene. You would need a flatbed cutter or buy precut blanks and place in a jig.
UV flatbeds are also capable of roll to roll printing for applications requiring vinyl. Depending on durability required you may or may not need a laminator.
Final option would be to buy a wide format printer, laminator, and plotter then sell the decals or apply to blanks.

Gotta ask yourself if you're up to the challenge of not only learning the software/hardware but the production end of it. Ain't as easy as it looks or some would have you believe. You WILL F up a ton of materials getting through the learning curve. Even after you learn the ins and outs the equipment will randomly decide to "eat" a job.
Take lamination for example. Saying goes: Five hours to print five seconds to ruin the job. Fact.

Quite honestly hook up with FireSprint(a merchant member here) and let them worry about production while you run the business and collect the checks.;)
 
I

iPrintStuff

Prints stuff
Screen printing is definitely the cheaper option but it’s still possible with a print and cut solution. Yes, you will also need a laminator.

That is about 2.5 54” rolls worth which isn’t a huge run by any means but isn’t the smallest. I’d assume an entry level printer on a relatively low quality (these probably don’t need to look *perfect* would probably take anywhere between 3-5 hours a roll.

if this is the only job you do, it’s probably going to be cheaper Just outsourcing these. Once you factor in the material, inks, printer, laminator, cutter, and any savings for broken printers etc you’ll be quite deep in. Would take a good few of these runs to get your ROI back I’d guess.

Even then, it might still be cheaper to get these from a trade printer that can have them printed, packaged and delivered to your door without you having to spend thousands on equipment. I second the firesprint comment!
 
Fred Weiss

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
netsol said:
am i the only one who would do it with gerber edge?

where is fred?
Click to expand...

I'm right here and you're correct that a Gerber Edge would be a great choice in terms of being able to produce more durable work than inkjet printers and handle smaller quantities of different designs. The Edge can also sit for months without being used with no cleaning or maintenance needed. On the other hand, the material costs are much higher, possibly putting the seller in the position of not being competitive.

So if the jobs are many different designs or sizes, Edge printing works out as a good choice. But if it's 1,000's of the same thing, then screen printing becomes the better choice.

What concerns me in this thread is the often heard motivation of the OP to take on production to increase profits and his or her apparent lack of knowledge and experience at production. Finding a good outsource(s) to handle that aspect of it may be the best thing for him or her to do.
 
N

netsol

Active Member
all true fred.
the edge is great for short run & i never have to worry about printing something every day to preserve the heads
 
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