Question Heat or No Heat for print cut stickers

[highrolling24]

I have some print cut with no lamination but it is contour cut in the print, I always printed with heat and waited as long as I could before I contour cut it (I leave it in the machine) but within a couple hours the edges would curl some, I was then told to try with out heat so I slowed it down, no heat and cut 5 min after print and seams to work great, no curling on edges and print looks great, but is this going to hold up? Do I need heat to soften the vinyl for the ink to absorb? is the ink just sitting on top?
So far they look great and I scratch tested it and seams good 3 hours later
Roland vg2
oracle 651
No lam.

 

[Johnny Best]

You are not highrolling without lam, highrolling24.

 

[Sando]

On the VG2 with no lamination I set Versaworks to Cut First and then Print in manageable chunks. Rollers don't go over wet ink when it backs up and then the solvent of the ink isn't fouling up the cut. It prints over the cut line fine but doesn't do anything good when print is first and cut is second.

 

[highrolling24]

You are not highrolling without lam, highrolling24

I know, they are just tech stickers for race trucks so only need to last one race but drivers like to keep them on to show where they been so want them to last the year atleast but dont think needs laminate. You know race car people dont want to spend money!

 

[highrolling24]

On the VG2 with no lamination I set Versaworks to Cut First and then Print in manageable chunks. Rollers don't go over wet ink when it backs up and then the solvent of the ink isn't fouling up the cut. It prints over the cut line fine but doesn't do anything good when print is first and cut is second.

I will have to try this but I have to perf cut them also so not sure how that will work. Of course now that its been a little nice for a couple days here they are all wanting to get stuff done right away on stuff that they put off so I don't have alot of time to experiment.

 

[Solventinkjet]

In general you want to print with heat but turn it off when cutting. I know Mimaki printers have a setting that automatically turns off the heat after printing.

 

[victor bogdanov]

Print, let it offgas for a few days then cut, will fix the edge curl

 

[highrolling24]

Print, let it offgas for a few days then cut, will fix the edge curl

I wish I had a few days to off gas but race is tomorrow, they dropped the ball on this one now I have to hurry.

 

[White Haus]

In general you want to print with heat but turn it off when cutting. I know Mimaki printers have a setting that automatically turns off the heat after printing.

Ooooh that's a nice feature. I've always set our Rolands to print, pause for 5+ minutes (and have to go manually turn off heat) then go back and cut. Fine for smaller jobs but not ideal for larger runs obviously.