“Just one word, Benjamin.” 

“Yes sir.”

“Are you listening?” 

“Yes, I am, Mr. McGuire.

“Plastics.”

“Just how do you mean that sir?”

 

Yes, just how do you mean that sir? Because after all... plastic’s fantastic... but a magnet? That’s what really makes the world stick together.

 

Magnetism is invisible, and it’s everywhere you look. And it may not be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but that’s only because it came along way before sliced bread.

 

More powerful magnetic layers allow vehicle graphics to be produced using lighter and thinner media. (Courtesy Magnum Magnetics)

GENERAL INFO

There’s quite a bit of information available regarding the history, the myths and the legends that surround magnets. There is also a wealth of knowledge regarding the physics and chemistry of magnets and magnetism in general. Google comes up with “about” 10.3 million results in a scant 0.08-second search for “magnetism.” You can find things out like where it was first discovered, the physics of all electromagnetic energy, and places and methods for mining the raw materials used to manufacture magnets. You can discover relationships between elements like neodymium, cobalt, iron, manganese and uranium.

 

It’s all there—including many sources and information about magnetic sign making materials.

 

SPECIFIC INFO

Printable magnetic media comes in sheets and rolls, as does magnetic-receptive media, which is an equally exciting kind of material for attaching media to surfaces in new and resourceful ways.

 

Magnetic media is nothing new to sign and graphics people. But steady progress in magnetic material development and print technology has evolved into a number of solutions for increasingly more graphic applications. They start with small refrigerator souvenirs and ad specialty items, they cruise around on vehicles, P.O.P. up in department stores, grocery bags, board rooms and who knows where else.

 

Flexible magnetic media is a simple and practical solution for removable vehicle advertising graphics. (Logo design by Peni Aronson)

A graphic printed on Master Magnetics PrintMagnetVinyl using a Gerber Solara printer and cut with a Gerber M Series cutter. (Courtesy Master Magnetics)

With magnetic media, “virtually” instant change out of graphics is possible thanks to a lot of partnerships between ink manufacturers, printer manufacturers and media manufacturers.

 

Although it is common for sign shops to laminate prints to raw magnetic material, the trend is moving toward the use of direct printable magnetic media. ICC profiles are available for more and more products, resulting in more confidence and less anxiety about being able to produce an acceptable color match on magnetic media.

 

Melissa Thompson, sales manager with Castle Rock, Colo.-based Master Magnetics, says such partnerships with other manufacturers to test materials have proven to be extremely valuable. 

 

“Individual sign and print shop owners don’t have to determine magnetic material compatibility on their own,” says Thompson. “The knowledge that high-quality results can be achieved with their printer eliminates the trial and error guess work, provides assurance and confidence in the process, and opens up the opportunity for an entire new profit center for their business.” 

 

She says some of the common ways flexible magnetic sheeting is currently being used include indoor and outdoor P.O.P. displays, message boards, promotional items, business cards, menu boards, calendars, sports schedules and vehicle graphics.

 

THE FORCE

In general, magnetic media for graphics applications is made of a layer of rubber ferrite material, which may or may not have a layer of printable material laminated to it. Print layers are commonly paper, vinyl, polyester and polypropylene. Coated versions offer better ink adhesion and higher print quality.

 

In general, thicker magnet layers have a stronger magnetic pull, so for example a 12- or 15-mil material has sufficient strength for indoor ad specialties; a 30-mil material is more appropriate for vehicle graphics at highway speeds.

 

Thinner, lighter weight magnetic receptive media make possible large displays and murals that can be removed and changed at a moment’s notice. (Courtesy Visual Magnetics)

Magnetic media is available in sheets and rolls in various thicknesses and in widths up to 42 inches. (Courtesy Master Magnetics)

Printable magnetic media is available in pre-cut sheets and rolls. 24" is the most common width, but more manufacturers now offer wider materials. Most distributors stock rolls, typically ±24" wide by 10', 25' or 50' long. Thicknesses range from 12-mil to 60-mil, with 30-mil being the most common.

 

“As long as the media is at or below 30 mils, there won’t be any problems feeding through a roll-to-roll inkjet,” says Joe Stout of Marietta, Ohio-based Magnum Magnetics. Stout says issues arise when the media comes in contact with metal, which can be avoided by either magnetizing the material after printing, or by shielding it temporarily.

 

Stout points to several different options available for sign and print applications. 

 

“As long as the sign shop or printer is familiar with the various types of print surfaces and they are comfortable with their processes, magnetic media products are available that will work for almost any application and any printing process,” Stout says.

 

This includes not only digital inkjet, but also screen, offset and flexographic processes—as well as hand painting done with acrylic and latex paints.

 

Magnetic media is easily cut using common cutting equipment: digital roll-to-roll cutters, flatbed cutters, knives, razor blades and scissors.

 

GRAVITY MATTERS

With all the fascinating invisible forces and ways to work and play with magnetic materials, you might wonder why it isn’t seen in more places; why it isn’t just about everywhere.

 

That is, until you try picking up a box of it and realize there’s one more invisible force at play: gravity. And magnets, possessing quite a bit of mass for their relative size, have a seriously heavy relationship with gravity.

 

An art gallery display using the Visual Magnetics system. (Courtesy Visual Magnetics)

But a couple of approaches have been developed to provide a little relief from the force of gravity.

 

One is to use magnetic receptive material optimized to work with magnetic media. Master Magnetics offers such a solution with its FlexIron product. Magnum Magnetics offers similar products called PaperSteel and RubberSteel.

 

Another approach is in making the magnetic material stronger. Magnum Magnetics, for example, offers a high-energy magnet material, which can deliver double the pull strength of a normal layer. According to Magnum’s Joe Stout, an equally aggressive magnetic pull can be achieved with about half the weight by using a more advanced formula and different magnetizing technology.

 

Another approach is to take the “magnet” completely out of the print media, according to Dan Halkyard, director of marketing and product management for Mendon, Mass.-based Visual Magnetics. Halkyard says this is the idea behind the Visual Magnetics system, which incorporates a patented “micro-iron” coating into MagnaMedia, its line of printable media. The iron in the coating is attracted to a high-performance magnetic sheet called InvisiLock. A third, optional component incorporates the micro-iron particles into a paintable primer, called ActiveWall, which is used with a double-sided version of the InvisiLock magnet, allowing entire walls to become a changeable graphics background.

 

The system eliminates problems related to bringing magnetic material in contact with metal printer components. But Halkyard points out that without the magnetic layer, the media is also much thinner and lighter, making it easier to handle and less expensive to ship.

 

BE GREEN

While a lot of magnetics are intended for relatively long term use, when it is time to “retire” them, most magnetic media can be recycled, sometimes through local recycling centers, but mostly through distributor channels or by returning used materials to the manufacturer.  

 

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Magnetic Media Tips

 

• Wait at least 90 days to use a magnetic sign on newly painted vehicles; wait 60 days for clear coat.

• After waxing and polishing a vehicle, allow two days for wax to cure before re-applying magnets.

• Magnets are heavy. Make sure the printer’s feed and media take-up system can adequately handle the weight of the roll.

• Store rolled stock on end with the vinyl side out to prevent flat spots and minimize the attraction of metallic debris.

• Use a slip-sheet to reduce drag on printer platens.

• Compare magnetism levels between manufacturers of substrates with similar thicknesses.

• Most manufacturers recommend using at least a 30-mil thickness for magnetic vehicle graphics.

• Never place a magnetic sign on the ground with the magnet-side down. Tiny bits of iron debris can become attached that can damage a vehicle’s finish and are hard to remove.

• To guard against migration, moisture and dirt buildup between the magnet and the metal surface, remove the magnet at regular intervals. Clean both the magnet and metal surface with mild detergent, wipe with a soft cloth and allow to air-dry. (For vehicle-mounted signs, remove and clean daily.)

 

Click here to view the Magnetic Media Resources PDF.