FEATURE


Getting it right first time


Not all substrates are equal when it comes to ease of use, but materials suppliers should be happy to help those getting to grips with new technology and techniques, says Madico's Gary Dixon


focussing on the plug-and-play aspect of their hardware. Wise print business owners would do well to remember, however, that different large format print projects require different print media, which in itself invariably requires specific handling and management to ensure quality printed output.


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Of course, most large format print business owners are accustomed to processing media such as vinyl, but not all substrates are quite as forgiving as this particular material. In the case of UV printing polyester or any other substrate, it is essential to ensure the optimum wavelength and dosage of UV radiation to fully cure the printed image. Skipping this vital step will deliver a costly surprise to the printer hoping to post the polyester to glass, which has to be wet-applied in order to achieve the intended optical clarity.


Other potential problems can include high solvent retention after solvent/eco-solvent printing and curing of images with high colour density. This can typically arise if the printer’s heat settings have not been set to ensure optimum drying performance. Although high solvent retention on PVC films will initially make the printed film pliable, after ageing the film can become brittle and difficult to remove from the substrate.


Developments in inkjet technology continue to push the boundaries when it comes to the number of viable print surfaces, so vinyl is no longer de rigeur and new applications using a wide array of substrates can be realised. For the printer keen to differentiate his offering in order to win new business, this creates exciting opportunities to explore new techniques and


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perhaps pitch for more lucrative high-end graphics projects.


Moving into these profit-enhancing areas means pushing print hardware and software to the limit in order to produce graphic output of the utmost quality. It may also be necessary to meet demands for extra durability and water or scuff-resistance. Achieving this by obtaining that extra 10 per cent from wide-format inkjet presses invariably necessitates a number of fine-tuning checks to ensure the machine settings and processing requirements correspond to the media’s exact specifications. Of course printers cannot afford to lose business as a result of media failure, so any


echnological change in the wide-format digital inkjet arena continues apace with suppliers of UV digital machines


Media suppliers can help solve all kinds of substrate handling problems


Moving into profit-enhancing areas means pushing print hardware and software to the limit


printer harbouring doubts about handling a certain material would be well-advised to seek the


expertise of his supplier. As well as having a vested interest in the success of their customers’ businesses, suppliers normally possess an established level of experience when it comes to understanding how their media should be processed.


Indeed, more often than not, they will be familiar with every conceivable substrate handling problem encountered by print owners. Any media supplier worth their salt should be happy to advise print customers accordingly, thereby ensuring attention-grabbing creations that will keep customers coming back.


llll www.madico.com June 2010 l SCREEN PROCESS AND DIGITAL IMAGING 13


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