Sihl 3145 Glamour Photo Board is a very unique, yet affordable product. This is a great go between product, as it has a certain degree of rigidity being a 12 mil board, but still lays remarkably flat for being a rolled product. This product has a very high end look and images quite nicely. It is great for applications ranging from high end photo finishing to hanging signs, easel signs and point of sale displays. Solvent, Eco-Solvent , UV and Latex compatible.
Check out these latest additions to our product line:
- HP Designjet L26100 Printer
The HP Designjet L26100 printer is latex technology at a great price! Win new business from environmentally-minded customers with order-less prints that produce low levels of VOCs. This latex printer provides durable output, sharp images, high-productivity and application versatility.
- SEAL 65 EL Laminator
The SEAL 65 EL Laminator is a high quality, affordably priced wide format cold laminator. This laminator is designed for optimum performance with a fast 14ft/min. production speed, ease of use with simple controls and minimal maintenance, and safety.
- Gfp 563TH MaxPro Top Heat Laminator
The Gfp 563TH MaxPro saves time, effort and money on your applications that require over lamination, mounting or the pre-coating of boards. The 563 features easy loading with front and rear swing-out film shafts, fewer supply changes with new 300’ roll capacity, 50% faster throughput using optional speed kit, and quicker application changes with bi-directional flexibility.
- Graphtec CE6000 Series
The Graphtec CE6000 cutting plotters are cleaner with an electronic design and manufacturing process that minimizes the environmental impact of the hardware equipment throughout its entire life cycle. Each CE6000 comes standard with: floor stands, rear media roll rack with new media brake, Graphtec Studio software, Cutting Master Plug-in, plus Graphtec’s ARMS (Automatic Registration Mark Sensor) system. The CE6000 series offers cost and performance advantages over other brands of cutting plotters with rear media roller brake, faster cutting speeds and higher cutting force.
- Ultraflex MultiTex C220
MultiTex C220 is a 6.5 oz multi-purpose canvas made from 100% polyester spun yarn. The unique construction and coating make it a great economical choice for fine art reproduction, indoor displays, wall murals and other art décor applications. MultiTex can be stretched and framed.
- R-tape VinylEfx Matte Silver
Vinyl Efx Matte Silver is printable using thermal transfer, eco-solvent, solvent and UV inkjet printers, as well as solvent and UV screen print inks. This media features easy application to flat, smooth surfaces such as sign blanks and painted drywall. This media is suitable for outdoor graphics and provides up to 3 years of outdoor life.
Contact your local Advantage Sign Supply branch location for more information on these great products, and to place your order.
Protect your work with new Optima Opti-Koat Anti-Graffit Laminate!
Opti-Koat Anti-Graffiti Laminate is a polyester over laminate designed to protect printed images from a variety of chemicals, paints, pens, and markers. Graffiti removes easily with common household cleaners.
• Pressure sensitive PET film
• 1.5 mil • Protects prints from stains, graffiti, and abrasion
• Clear acrylic adhesive
• Up to 2 year durability (vertical)
Great for POP displays, retail, and commercial window graphics, Opti-Solve Perforated Film features a 60/40 perf pattern, and is available with your choice of a solid paper liner (compatible with Latex, Solvent, and Eco-solvent inks), or a clear PET liner (compatible with UV, solvent, and Eco-solvent inks). Priced right–just $0.78/sf!
http://www.advantagesignsupply.com/Optima-Opti-Solve-Econ-Perf-Film-60-40-Clear-Liner-54x-100
Check out these latest additions to our product line:
- Optima Opti-Solve Double Sided Banner 15 oz.
The Opti-Solve 15 oz. Double Sided Banner is a PVC scrim banner designed for printing general purpose signage and displays. It is a super smooth, two sided printable non-top coated media with a blockout layer that provides opacity and obstructs light. This product features tear, curl and fire resistance. This double sided banner is unique in that each side is slightly different. Side one is a smooth semi-gloss, while side two is a smooth semi-matte. Printable using eco-solvent, solvent and latex, as well as UV screen print inks. Great for short term outdoor and long term indoor applications, digitally-printed posters and banners, outdoor signage (within spec/low stress)
- MiraWipes
The MiraWipe is a solvent based cleaning wipe that can tackle hard to remove UV and solvent ink deposits. MiraWipes unique absorption properties will not redeposit ink after cleaning, allowing
you to clean multiple areas with one wipe. Great for cleaning stubborn UV ink off of vacuum belts and maintenance areas. 30 sheets per canister.
- TransferRite AirMask
TransferRite Air Mask is a clear transfer tape that adheres very well to air release liners, but won’t lift vinyl off of the target surface. Regular transfer tapes do not stick well to air-release surfaces. AirMask solves this problem. Effectively adheres to exposed air-release liners, and works with a wide range of vinyl and liner brands. Releases cleanly and easily upon installation.
- Concept Series 117 Window Mounting Film
Concept 117 is a clear mounting adhesive for face-mounted or reverse printed graphics to be applied to interior or exterior glass windows. The 117 series is coated with a clear permanent adhesive on one side and a clear removable adhesive on the second side. It features a higher bond removable adhesive to prevent edge wing on large graphics with clean removability. Great for P.O.P displays and short term campaigns, and can be removed cleanly.
- Optima Opti-Solve Anti Graffiti Laminate
Optima Opti-Solve Anti Graffiti Laminate is a clear hard coated polyester material with a clear acrylic type adhesive and white siliconized paper release liner. It is designed to protect indoor and outdoor signage against permanent damage from chemicals, solvents or graffiti paints.
Contact your local Advantage Sign Supply branch location for more information on these great products, and to place your order.
Photo papers vary greatly in quality and price. Finding the right fit for your application is sometimes a challenge, but there are many solutions to choose from. A lot of these papers will have a waterfast and scratch resistant coating, and are intended for short term indoor/outdoor use. There are many options for paper these days, and it is important to know what application you are intending for which particular media.
Photorealistic papers offer an economical solution to true photo papers. They deliver vibrant photo-realistic prints that “simulate” true photo papers. Papers such as Sihl TriSolv Satin and Gloss offer bright, scratch and water resistant quality at an economical price. Papers like these will often have a wet strength quality that allows for posting outdoor advertising.
For “true” photo quality colors and quality, there are still many differences between “photorealistic” and high end photo papers. The benefits of these media are that they offer high resolution, high whiteness and color brilliance and most will also accept a high ink load because of their receptive coating.
Advantage offers Opti-Solve Economy Photo paper, which is a great mid-term solution for photographic reproduction. It is intended for posters, photos, POP displays and high resolution graphics, and has a very reasonable price point.
Photo papers can also have added value if you add in lamination or mounting. Encapsulation of a print can dramatically extend its life by sealing off the edges from the elements. Choosing a top and bottom laminate of similar thicknesses is preferred to keep the print from curling. Another option would be to use mounting adhesives to apply your photo paper to a rigid substrate, thus turning it into a display or point of purchase sign.
Thicker vinyl is easy to use and can be beneficial to non-professionals as well as frequent installers. There are currently many products on the market that fall into what are called “semi-rigid” media. Products in this category that are adhesive backed can be great for quick installs and applications where fewer installers are available. The semi-rigid films are easy to handle and apply.
Semi-rigid vinyl will come in either a removable microsphere adhesive, a short term removable adhesive, or a permanent adhesive, depending upon your application. Advantage now offers three semi-rigid vinyl films that range from promotional to intermediate:
- Opti-Solve Promotional Permanent 6 mil is a short-term adhesive vinyl with a textured light diffusing finish. Like all semi-rigid medias, it is great for decal cutting due to its ease of handling and weeding.
- Opti-Solve 6 mil Removable is a great three-year film that is simple to install and can be easily removed up to one year from installation. It is also great for printing and cutting small decals, as well as having the stability for installing larger jobs. For more permanent applications, Advantage also offers Opti-Solve 6 mil Permanent, with the same ease of handling as the removable.
Another market that has seen a drastic rise in popularity is the Wall Graphic vinyl. This is mainly because of the large range of applications and the appeal of having a semi-rigid material (usually around 6 mil to 8 mil) that can be easily applied to large wall areas. Print providers are using this vinyl to expand their advertising potential by using wall spaces in retail settings. This is also a product that can be removed and reapplied many times and handled with ease. Films such as the Opti-Solve Wall Graphic Vinyl are indoor-durable and removable for up to 2 years, which is an added bonus for those mid-term installations.
Overall, these types of products are great for temporary interior or exterior signage, decals, nameplates, die-cut letters and point-of-purchase displays.
Looking for the right perforated window material for your job? What is the difference between 70/30 versus 60/40? What pattern is best for vehicle graphics? These are all important questions to ask before creating a perforated window graphic. Customers may have different expectations for image clarity on the film and, conversely, how much obstruction there may be in viewing from the other side of the graphic. There may also be important safety considerations, especially when dealing with emergency vehicles, utility and delivery trucks, banks and other financial institutions, airports and any other area where visibility is critical.
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Print service providers are seeing a demand for wall graphics in many segments, including retail, hospitality, home, office and schools. Whether it’s commercial or consumer-based demand, these graphics are an attractive option to traditional wallpaper and basic signage.
In the world of digitally produced media, there are a variety of options for wallcoverings.The first thing to determine when qualifying media for a particular application is useful life and how it relates to the environment the graphic will be place in. Short term projects, (as in retail environments) may only require a calendared or non-PVC film, like Opti-Solve Wall Graphic, which are ideal for constantly changing promotions and products. The same can be said for consumer wall graphics, as they need to be easily applied and removed. Slightly thicker vinyls and repositionable adhesives can help with both aspects. Longer term projects, like ones that may be exposed to direct sunlight, may require using a permanent adhesive-backed vinyl, like 3M IJ180.
You might also consider traditional wallpaper materials that feature heavyweight latex bases and fabric backings, such as Korographics Wallcoverings. With this type of material, the latex in the wallpaper acts as a moisture barrier, which gives wall paper products a high degree of dimensional stability. This is an especially helpful feature when pieces are being paneled together. The more stable it is, the less likely a seam will be created. The overall benefit of these commercial grade fabric-backed wallcoverings is long term durability, value and flexibility.
Lastly, there are a variety of specialty items for other applications. These include media, like MACtac Rough Rap, for textured walls, such as concrete, brick and stone, which can have the affect of looking like a painted wall when applied correctly. Adhesive backed fabrics like Optima Opti-Solve Wall Tex have been growing in popularity over the years as well, as consumers are willing to pay a premium for murals that have a textile look and feel. As consumers continue find new avenues for advertising and marketing, the industry will have more and more products to fit these applications. For the end user it boils down to finding the right product, at the right price and their need for bright, easy to install, durable graphics.
High tack vinyls are a great solution for those hard-to-stick surfaces. There are many products available depending on your needs. These media are ideal for those unique surfaces that regular vinyl just won’t stick to because they may have a “low energy” surface.
What’s a low energy surface, you say? Basically, it’s the tendancy of a surface to repel, rather than attract an adhesive. Conversely, high energy surfaces are easier to adhere to. These include solid substrates such as metals and glasses. Low energy surfaces are harder to stick to and thus require a special adhesive to bond to them.
Polypropylene and polyethylene are low energy surfaces. These include products such as kayaks, ATVs, coolers, and port-a-johns. For maximum adhesion, an adhesive must thoroughly “wet out” the surface to be bonded. The adhesive you choose will be the most important part of the equation.
High tack films can also be good for rough or textured surfaces, but these particular films tend to be much thinner (2 mil) in order to conform to the uneventness of those surfaces. Advantage also has films for low energy surfaces that are for reasonably flat surfaces and come in thicknesses around 3.5 to 4 mil. Determining the right vinyl for your application will aslo depend on how long you need the media to last. Films in this category range in durability up to 5 to 7 years.
Contact your local Advantage branch office for more information on high tack films such as Orajet 3105HT or 3951HT.
