Question Print / Cut directly on reflective

[jcskikus]

Have a question that I'm not sure on the answer...how would one print light colors directly on dark color reflective vinyl? Attached are two photos of examples of this. I came across this and became perplexed about what kind of printer would be able to do this. I print on engine turn and gold vinyls all the time, but this one had me when I went to look at it. Any ideas of how it was printed, what kind of printer, or perhaps how it can be mimicked anyone...?

 

[ikarasu]

What makes you think theyre printing on dark color reflective vinyl?

it looks to me like the Blue was printed on the white. You can see the edge of the blue is blurry... Or are you talking about the 301 ontop of the red / yellow? In which case it looks like someone just applied a vinyl decal over the red / yellow... Or a magnet, it looks pretty thick..

How to mimic it?

Print blue on white vinyl (Doesn't look like Reflective, but if it is... it's a glass bead, so something like 3290) Then apply it ontop of of the tape used to make these - https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/539534O/3m-emergency-vehicle-series.pdf

 

[jcskikus]

What makes you think theyre printing on dark color reflective vinyl?

it looks to me like the Blue was printed on the white. You can see the edge of the blue is blurry... Or are you talking about the 301 ontop of the red / yellow? In which case it looks like someone just applied a vinyl decal over the red / yellow... Or a magnet, it looks pretty thick..

How to mimic it?

Print blue on white vinyl (Doesn't look like Reflective, but if it is... it's a glass bead, so something like 3290) Then apply it ontop of of the tape used to make these - https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/539534O/3m-emergency-vehicle-series.pdf

The pics taken were by me doing a lookeeloo for a job. The vinyl is Blue 3M 680CR as I had a sample with me. Both examples are off of emergency vehicles. I am not speaking on the 3M 983 diamond grade conspicuity vinyl under the 301, but the 301 and the E itself. The light blue and gray drop shadows shown on each pic was printed on the blue reflective itself. No raising on the vinyl and the drop shadows are flat/matte in finish as if it was printed directly on the reflective and the reflective still had it's glossy look.

 

[ToneCustomSigns]

Are you absolutely sure it's printed on the blue? I just don't know who or why anyone would do that. When I zoom into the pic, it looks like the blue is either printed or screened onto the white. We print on reflective a lot here at our shop but we only print on white reflective. To answer your question though, if I needed to absolutely print white on blue reflective then I would use a printer that has white. Or screen it. Well, I'm lying. I would never silk screen but I would find someone who does.

 

[ikarasu]

Theoretically you could print white overtop of the blue... HP latex could do it.

Looking at it, it does look more like the white is what has a rough edge. It's as if someone paint masked it and then painted it white. It's hard to tell without them in hand.

Latex could easily do it, but I don't think it'd be they bright of a white. So my guess is it was done with paint mask.

Proper way would be to print the blue on the 680. Or diecut the blue and put it on the 680 - or if I'm not mistaken, a Gerber edge could do the white over top of the blue.

Lots of ways to do it, but impossible to know without having it in hand. if I go by what you're saying... They printed the white overtop of the blue. You can kind of see the blue under the white in the E. White ink doesn't last long outdoors, so id never use it on a emergency vehicle...

I say cut the blue and put it ontop of the white if you can't hit the specific blue.

 

[Adam.Foster]

I have seen that style before and believe it could be a Gerber Edge print.

 

[hobbymad]

Looks like metallic blue printed on white. You sure it's reflective?

 

[jfiscus]

We do it almost everyday with Gerber Edge printers. They are "made" to do jobs like this and striping with pinstriped edges. You will have perfect prints/cuts every time (no matter the length) with the alignment and sprocketed plotters.
You can print white (there is actually a variety of whites) or any other color combo onto 280/680 reflective or any other specialty material that comes in 15" punched.

Here is a youtube video of one in action.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

We do it almost everyday with Gerber Edge printers. They are "made" to do jobs like this and striping with pinstriped edges. You will have perfect prints/cuts every time (no matter the length) with the alignment and sprocketed plotters.
You can print white (there is actually a variety of whites) or any other color combo onto 280/680 reflective or any other specialty material that comes in 15" punched.

Here is a youtube video of one in action.

It even sounds cool.

 

[Applied Graphics WY]

It even sounds cool.

And when using edge to print a lighter color over a darker color, use the white primer option to make the lighter color true.

 

[Billct2]

Agree, it was probably done with an Edge with a primer coat first Though not sure why..

 

[jcskikus]

Ok, further clarification on what I am looking for:
The pics you see are lettering already installed on vehicles, so the white background is sheet metal. The blue lettering is 3M 680CR and the drop shadows, whether gray or light blue are part of the blue reflective, only that it appears they are printed on the blue reflective vinyl. The drop shadows are matte finish, which made me think perhaps it was a 7-10 color printer that uses white. I know the shadowing isn't a vinyl laid over or butted up to the blue because it neither has a lip nor separates from the blue reflective vinyl.
I'm kind of answering my own question as I explain what I saw, but wanted some kind of confirmation if available. I believe what I saw is the color printed over the blue reflective as an Epson S80600 could possibly do this. Epson allows this through a RIP like ONYX by printing white first, then the color desired on top of it. I've done this in the past on clear and overlaminate but never on reflective itself.

 

[mim]

Ok, further clarification on what I am looking for:
The pics you see are lettering already installed on vehicles, so the white background is sheet metal. The blue lettering is 3M 680CR and the drop shadows, whether gray or light blue are part of the blue reflective, only that it appears they are printed on the blue reflective vinyl. The drop shadows are matte finish, which made me think perhaps it was a 7-10 color printer that uses white. I know the shadowing isn't a vinyl laid over or butted up to the blue because it neither has a lip nor separates from the blue reflective vinyl.
I'm kind of answering my own question as I explain what I saw, but wanted some kind of confirmation if available. I believe what I saw is the color printed over the blue reflective as an Epson S80600 could possibly do this. Epson allows this through a RIP like ONYX by printing white first, then the color desired on top of it. I've done this in the past on clear and overlaminate but never on reflective itself.

I can confirm that the s80600 could do this if that helps lol

 

[jcskikus]

Looks like metallic blue printed on white. You sure it's reflective?

100% sure

 

[jcskikus]

I can confirm that the s80600 could do this if that helps lol

That was my fear as it reduces anyone's ability to do a repair. I do not think they laminated it as I could feel the ink and that it was matte and the blue was still gloss. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[jfiscus]

An Epson 80600 will not do that great of a job and look like an even finish the same way a thermal print will.
From your description, these appear to be Edge prints without lamination; the difference in the finish is the printed area is not glossy like the vinyl when not laminated.
I would find someone with experience doing these to make them for you.

 

[jcskikus]

An Epson 80600 will not do that great of a job and look like an even finish the same way a thermal print will.
From your description, these appear to be Edge prints without lamination; the difference in the finish is the printed area is not glossy like the vinyl when not laminated.
I would find someone with experience doing these to make them for you.

I'd agree as neither of my Mutoh's could do this. Found out from an insider that the originator made them off of an old Gerber.

 

[Billct2]

Gerber Edge is still a great machine for this stuff

 

[MikePro]

interesting.... matte kills reflectability. curious why someone would do such a thing.
regardless, you can't print white reflective ink. if i'm mistaken, then I've got another wishlist item because I'd save a TON on reflective media.

given the jumbled info & pics, my best guess is that someone UV printed a transluscent blue with offset cutcontour onto clear and then laminated that to white reflective before cutting both together. would explain why the ink is glossy but the dropshadow is matte.
edited to add:
how to replicate it? just layer white&blue reflective. ezpz.
how to save a buck? print blue onto white reflective, laminate, & cut.
how to perfectly match matte white background with glossy blue? awful waste of media/effort, BUT you can just laminate white reflective with matte overlam and overlay stock 680bluereflective or refer back to my original "best guess".

 

[jcskikus]

interesting.... matte kills reflectibility. curious why someone would do such a thing.
regardless, you can't print white reflective ink. if i'm mistaken, then I've got another wishlist item because I'd save a TON on reflective media.

given the jumbled info & pics, my best guess is that someone UV printed a transluscent blue with offset cutcontour onto clear and then laminated that to white reflective before cutting both together. would explain why the ink is glossy but the dropshadow is matte.
edited to add:
how to replicate it? just layer white&blue reflective. ezpz.
how to save a buck? print blue onto white reflective, laminate, & cut.
how to perfectly match matte white background with glossy blue? awful waste of media/effort, BUT you can just laminate white reflective with matte overlam and overlay stock 680bluereflective or refer back to my original "best guess".

Yeah, unfortunately, it was 3M 680CR Blue 15" punched with the Gerber printing on top of the material, matte lam, and contour cut.