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5 Layers - Window Cling - 2 sided see through text

quytchua

Premium Subscriber
Hi There,

Need some help here we have this 5 layers window cling with : Color, White, Black, White, Color.

Black layer: set up as C: 30% M 30% Y 30% black 100% but we are still see through the back side very badly

Is there any way we can fix this.

Do you guy have any other pdf with 5 Layers that I can test please send me that file.

My machine is Colorado M5 , printed 5 layers using PrismaGuide XL

Recipe: Black Out Sticker: Two-sided window sticker with text readable on both sides.


I followed that instruction but the result is still see through the text

Thank You
 

quytchua

Premium Subscriber
Try 100% on all colors for the black layer. Are both white layers set to 100%?
Yes Both White layers set to 100% . I will try tomorrow
100% on all colors for the black layer.
Do you have any other PDF 5 Layers file that you know it's worked , Can you send it to me.

I want to replicate it . At the moment I don't know where it wrong either from Printer or from Designer.

Thank You
 

Boudica

Back to "educational purposes"
Other than the black layer, I don't need a special file to do this. I'm using Asanti and our printer is an agfa Annapurna. It may be a different set-up?
 

MarkSnelling

Mark Snelling - Hasco Graphics
If his recommendation didn't help, let me know and i'll find some suggestions for you from Canon.
 

ikarasu

Active Member
It doesn't look like it's printing 5 layers to me.

I don't have a Colorado... But 5 layers should have color, white, black, white, color.... The white black white should be way, way more opaque than that. Just sandwich mode on our latex is a bit transparent, but 5 layer makes it 100% opaque.... Talking flashlight light can't get through opaque.


So my guess is your file isn't correct, I'd start there.


[Edit] Fixed it... I had black / white / black, but it should be white / black / white... typing at 6 AM!
 
Last edited:

Boudica

Back to "educational purposes"
When I send my file to the printer, I have a reverse layer (2nd surface), a black layer, and a 1st surface layer, and I set the white to "Fill Image". At the printer, I choose 5 layers, but it's C + W + B + W + C....
if you don't put the white on top of and below the color layers, then any white in the image would be black. The black is supposed to be in the middle - so its truly opaque.
 

quytchua

Premium Subscriber
I did test it 100% CMY 100% black block out layer
And 100 % white
Order of layer
Color
White
Black
White
Color back

Still having see throught problem

Any idea

Thanks
 

ikarasu

Active Member
I did test it 100% CMY 100% black block out layer
And 100 % white
Order of layer
Color
White
Black
White
Color back

Still having see throught problem

Any idea

Thanks
Do you see it actually printing all 5 layers? Or are you just assuming it does? Again...cant help with colorado, but on HP you can see on the preview screen all 5 layers and cycle through them. And you can see it actually laying down each color of image.


I heard colorado ink is pretty good, and the white is pretty white...so I find it hard to believe a 5 layer print would be see through at all on the colorado
 

DarkerKat

design & such
Try just printing black/white/color to see how opaque your black is. The photo you posted doesn't look like it has a black layer in it.
If all else fails you could print one file reversed and one file right-ways then laminate together with white vinyl in between them.
 

Boudica

Back to "educational purposes"
Is a "window cling" the same as a self-adhesive decal?
It seems like everyone (not in the industry) calls anything in a window a "cling". I always have to verify what they actually want, "static cling" or an adhesive vinyl or Glass Apeel or......
.....yes, sometimes they actually want coro or a scrim banner, but since they are putting it in the window, they call it a "cling". sigh.
 

petepaz

New Member
if it's that critical and you can't get the black opaque enough you can print one mirrored on clear material and print one on white pressure sensitive material, maybe something with a gray adhesive for extra block out and mount them together.
more material and labor but it will get you where you want to be
 

Boudica

Back to "educational purposes"
if it's that critical and you can't get the black opaque enough you can print one mirrored on clear material and print one on white pressure sensitive material, maybe something with a gray adhesive for extra block out and mount them together.
more material and labor but it will get you where you want to be
but then anything white in the graphic will be gray on the mirrored side because of the gray adhesive. The best thing I've found for nice opaque double-sided "stickums" is reverse on clear, then print the 1st surface side on white Glass Apeel and stick them together. That's how we did this before we got the Annapurna.
 

petepaz

New Member
but then anything white in the graphic will be gray on the mirrored side because of the gray adhesive. The best thing I've found for nice opaque double-sided "stickums" is reverse on clear, then print the 1st surface side on white Glass Apeel and stick them together. That's how we did this before we got the Annapurna.
you still print your white for the mirrored side so should be ok but if that is an issue use something with a clear adhesive. back when i had to do that we were printing with the roland LEJ uv printer and didn't have an issue
 

Boudica

Back to "educational purposes"
you still print your white for the mirrored side so should be ok but if that is an issue use something with a clear adhesive. back when i had to do that we were printing with the roland LEJ uv printer and didn't have an issue
Oh gotcha.... I was envisioning how we did it before we had white ink capabilities. Way easier to just print 5 layers though - when it works like it should.
 

petepaz

New Member
Oh gotcha.... I was envisioning how we did it before we had white ink capabilities. Way easier to just print 5 layers though - when it works like it should.
no doubt if your printer is giving you the output you need for the job definitely better way to go. just giving an option to get them out of a bind. another option would be to silk screen the job. silk screen inks are more opaque than digital inks. fortunately for use we do both digital and silk screen in house. you can also silk screen a block out barrier ink layer. we do that for window decals for the security companies
 

quytchua

Premium Subscriber
Try just printing black/white/color to see how opaque your black is. The photo you posted doesn't look like it has a black layer in it.
If all else fails you could print one file reversed and one file right-ways then laminate together with white vinyl in between them.
I think you right there is no Black Out Black at all
 
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