Question Printing to powder coating.

[DL Signs]

For Mimaki flatbed users, what sort of success do you have with direct printing on powdercoated metal? Good? Bad? Any particular inkset better for it than others? We currently supply decals for a customer to apply to their products, but they're working on something that would increase quantities into the tens of thousands at a clip of small pieces, which would make way more financial sense to direct print. Any input before we commit?

 

[Gettin'By]

If they're small pieces, you have an existing relationship with them, and it could be a big problem if it doesn't work, I'd suggest trying to get a few samples to test on. Maybe use that as a hardcopy proof or go-by. Would be better for both of you to be sure.

 

[Stuatbell]

hi DL Signs
We used to screen most of our powder coated panels, as the qtys where so high a good bond and scratch resistance,
But now we a few flatbeds all using Nasdar inks, the mimaki ujf mk2 6042 which has its on primer, but we find using bohle metal primer is the best, we have also made our own uv printer using a mimaki 130, which has a depth for metal chassis up to 800mm which we also you bohle prime, it’s as hard to remove as 2k serical ink after baking. Then we have the Agfa Annapurna on powerder coated panels we don’t need to prime, just wipe with ipa and perfect, hope this helps
Stu

 

[DL Signs]

hi DL Signs
We used to screen most of our powder coated panels, as the qtys where so high a good bond and scratch resistance,
But now we a few flatbeds all using Nasdar inks, the mimaki ujf mk2 6042 which has its on primer, but we find using bohle metal primer is the best, we have also made our own uv printer using a mimaki 130, which has a depth for metal chassis up to 800mm which we also you bohle prime, it’s as hard to remove as 2k serical ink after baking. Then we have the Agfa Annapurna on powerder coated panels we don’t need to prime, just wipe with ipa and perfect, hope this helps
Stu

Thanks, I've done my share of production flatbed printing in the past on a lot of substrates, but not so much on powder coated. Just gettin' my ducks inn a row.

Planning on using the Mimaki primer, but this is kind of what I was looking for, does it work over powder, or suggestions on good primers or adhesion promoters as an alternative if it wasn't up to par. I'll be getting some flat pieces within the next week or so with their coating to run some tests on. Once they pull the trigger, quantities will be over 60,000 per order, and not much time to play around.

Quantities are a thousand or so at a time currently, we print/ cut/ weed/ mask vinyl, then send to them, and they have people who apply graphics. Because the product isn't flat they can't be direct printed, so it was never on the table. Currently working with them on creating two piece assemblies with the printed part separate so it can be direct printed, then just attached.

 

[Mrkopr]

Have you looked into UV direct to film transfer sheets> AKA UV Gang sheets... I use mimaki 6042 hd (old) with LH 100 inks with clear I also have mimaki 6042 mk2 running 150 ink (flexable ) 120 would be best for you.. full color you can run hundreds in min depending on size its a sticker per say but uv ink no weeding no masking. that might save you a ton of time and money and look amazing. i did logos for calipers and for funky powder coated cups. you tube UV DTF COSI or ITNH or my preffered PDS Solutions have a lot of info on this.
good luck,
cheers.

 

[Adam Vreeke]

I do lots of printing direct to Powder Coating with good success. I run the jfx200-2513 with the LH-100 inkset and https://www.kolorcure.com/products/additives-primers/ KolorCure Metal and Glass primer.

You can also test P2 primer (I get it from ITNH), that stuff seems like it would adhere water to a battleship, personally haven't tested it out on powder coat yet, but P2 is some powerful stuff.

 

[Mrkopr]

I do lots of printing direct to Powder Coating with good success. I run the jfx200-2513 with the LH-100 inkset and https://www.kolorcure.com/products/additives-primers/ KolorCure Metal and Glass primer.

You can also test P2 primer (I get it from ITNH), that stuff seems like it would adhere water to a battleship, personally haven't tested it out on powder coat yet, but P2 is some powerful stuff.

P2 is great (water to a battleship lol) GM-1 MIMAKI primer is a great wipe on print over. I put that shh on everything !

 

[AKA TRE]

I have a Mutoh XpertJet 661UF UV printer and it works well on powder coated panels. I also use bohle metal primer on them with great success. I have also used some DTF transfers to powder coating with great results.