The Challange

Since the development of inkjet for use in graphics applications, the performance of the final graphic has been dependent upon the ink and the substrate working well together. Coated or treated media are generally required for many applications, and frequently a coating or film laminate must be applied to achieve the desired end use performance. Even with UV-cure inkjet technology, adhesion, durability and gloss can be problematic. 

 

After reverse-printing onto the transfer material using a mild-solvent printer, the material was laminated onto a sheet of Plexiglas which was then laser cut and heat-molded into an A-frame shape. The completed graphic (above) shows a crisp image and no greying along the upper edge where the Plexiglas was bent to form the A-frame. (Images courtesy of Harlan Graphics, Cincinnati)

However, early this year a new approach is being introduced that promises to enable the print provider to achieve a high level of performance in applications where traditional processes are deficient. Here we will discuss this new technology and provide an example of how it has been recently used to solve a difficult printing problem.

 

The Technology

Utopia Digital Technology—a New Berlin, Wis.-based digital printing technology company with expertise in polymer sciences, adhesives and top coatings—has developed a transferable material technology that incorporates both inkjet receptor and adhesive properties. 

 

Utopia’s Avatrex technology is provided as a transparent transferable graphic material on a removable carrier. This is not another transfer film or T-shirt transfer product, but rather a very thin multilayer material with three important features: a release-on-demand surface to release it from the carrier, a dimensional polymer surface for adhesion and durability, and an image interface surface to receive the inkjet ink. 

 

It can be applied to practically any surface, including irregular surfaces, using pressure, heat, water or an adhesive/primer. The choice of process is determined by the substrate accepting the graphic, the inkjet technology being used and the permanence requirements of the job. When pressure is applied with heat, the material bonds permanently. While applied with water, it can be easily removed. 

 

A new transportable graphic technology has been developed that enables graphic imagers to print onto an astounding array of substrates without special equipment or exotic ink sets. This example, showing printed graphics on a hunk of quartz rock, was produced using a common inkjet printer.

Manufacturers are already starting to find applications for this technology. There will be a whole line of e-commerce print-to-order shoes made available that employs this technology.

With latex-based or solvent-based inkjet inks it can be heat laminated to many substrates with a hot roll laminator; or it can be peeled from the carrier, applied by hand and heated with a hot air gun. The hand application method allows the material to penetrate and bond to rough surfaces and to materials like concrete block, rough tile or even stone. Because the material conforms to the receptive surface it retains its high image quality on rough surfaces. 

 

UV inks, when printed directly onto an irregular or rough surface, will often show image degradation due to the fact that the not all the droplets strike the substrate at the same 90 degree angle. This can cause distortion of the dot shape and dot size. 

 

With this new technology, since the transparent transferable material is reverse-printed on a rollable material that is then transferred image-side-down to the final product, the image is protected and appears as a smooth uniform finish that does not show the image relief exhibited by UV-curable ink drops. 

 

Initial versions of this product will be offered in both a gloss and a matte finish. The transfer material technology can be used with traditional analog printing technologies and toner technologies as well as water-based inkjet and UV-cure inkjet. 

 

An Example

Harlan Graphics, a Cincinnati-based print service provider, had a difficult printing challenge that turned out to be an interesting real-world test for this new technology. They had been tasked to produce some graphics on a rigid milky Plexiglas that would then be heat-molded and bent to form a stand-up A-frame type display. 

 

This image was produced using regular canvas with a primer applied. The reverse-printed image with transfer media was applied to the canvas using a hot roll laminator.

This example shows how the graphic can be applied to cinder block.

Attempts to print directly using a UV-curing inkjet printer failed when the graphic was heat-molded to bend it to form the A-frame. The ink chipped and was stretched and the black image at the bend showed graying due to the stretching of the image. 

 

With this new approach, the graphic was reverse-printed on the transferable graphic material using a mild-solvent printer. The imaged material was then laminated onto the milky Plexiglas, laser cut to seal the edges, and then heat-molded into the A-frame shape. The result was a glossy smooth mounted graphic with a rich color, and rich black even at the top of the A-frame bend. Later attempts using a “Latex” printer worked even better.

 

Since the ink is under the transfer material in intimate contact with the substrate, the image was not unduly stretched or degraded during the heat-molding process, as was the case with the thicker UV-curable ink graphic layer.

 

Conclusion

This is but one example of an application where this new technology offers the print service provider an alternative process enabling him to better fulfill the needs of his customers for a high-quality graphic solution. This flexible technology has many, many application possibilities, and I believe print service providers will find many uses for it to enhance their product offerings. This technology is being initially introduced by LexJet and will be available from other companies in the near future.