• I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...

Question Adhesion Issues: Digital Media and PVC Substrates

bgunn

New Member
Greetings:
So, we've been dealing with digital media since about 2007 and over that time frame we have had the odd issue with the print(s) not fully adhering to the substrate for various reasons.
However, it really hit it's zenith over the past year or so.
We had been using Avery #2903 (calendared) with a matching overlam DOL#3080 Matte (calendared). Once printed and overlamed, these were then applied to both a white and black 3/4" PVC, then routed. at this point the prints started curling from the edges. We have experienced the same de-lamination when prints are applied to 1.0" PVC substrates. Prints of same material had no issues when they were applied to various PVC substrates of 1/2" or less. Prints were allowed to "rest" after printing. Allowed to "rest" after laminating. PVC was cleaned well with denatured alcohol and prints applied with a laminator.
Having constant issues with the Avery, I switched back to OraJet #3651 Matte but have had a slight de-lamination with print being applied to 1.0" white PVC.

Anyone else having similar issues? If so, what was your resolution?
Thanks
BGunn
 

White Haus

Not a Newbie
We used to use a lot of 3651 and 2923, and found both to shrink back significantly with heavy solvent ink loads.

Do you have either a cast vinyl/lam or a high tack vinyl you can try as an alternative? We like General Formulations GF201 HTAP for high tack vinyl, sticks well to everything we've tried.
 

NazGraphics1

New Member
I had the same issue when i switched and tried a new Chinese no brand vinyl long time ago
Made like over 5000 stickers few days later they all came back curling up on the backing and on the surface
My guess is ur Avery is a knockoff lol
Did u try a different supplier
 
Switch to CAST and your problem will probably be solved. Calendared vinyl does not have the same quality/structure and will shrink heavily sometimes. Could also be a chemical reaction from the PVC to the adhesive as well, depending on what kind or brand of PVC your using. We do not print, mount much PVC anymore as we direct print 95% of what we do. When we do have to, we always use CAST. I hope you get it figured out. Best of luck.
 

johnnysigns

New Member
Have you tried printing and mounting high tack adhesive versions of vinyl? General Formulations and Arlon both make some nice high tack media. Might give you the additional grip you need so even a calendared media/lam combo doesn't shrink enough to lift off. PVC can be puzzling to mount onto as well, but we use the Vycom versions of PVC with the best success on our end - Komacel / Komatex.
 
Sorry, I did not add that info.
HP 360 Latex.
We run on an HP 360 but mainly on HP 570 3M IJ35C calendared with 8508 gloss lam or 8510 matte. Haven't had any issues with curling after laying down on PVC by hand or by machine. Do you use a hot or cold laminator? If hot maybe to high that it heats and stretches the two then shrinks when it has cooled down?
 

Grizzly

It’s all about your print!
Is it the router bit pulling up on the sticker while you're routing? If so, you could use a downcut bit or route with the adhesive face down if you're using an upcut bit so as it routes it pulls up against the material.
 
Top