Acryliprint with a Heat Press?

[AL Ursich]

I have been looking into Acryliprint and seeing the machine in the ARA handout I got the other day, I thought it was a Flat Bed Printer.....

Knew I should not have let my ARA Membership laps 2 years ago....:confused:

So I search here and on EE and find some interesting stuff.... I participated on some of the Threads but in my mind dismissed the process as all I was was Plaques and Awards.... Not my line of Products.... Then the latest ARA Flier and it had some pretty impressive "TAGS"... and Tags is what I do... For the most part....

Talked to a Acryliprint Rep and found that the unit is a air bladder heat activated press. In a email was a small price list and a 12 x 24 sheet stock in 1/8 and 1/4 is close to $20.00... A Fair Price in my opinion....

So "Mr. FRUGAL" takes over and I ask about doing the process in a Heat Press.... :eek::eek::eek: (I was thinking as he answered.... Do Alaskans buy "ICE"?.....) The result of the Question lead me to believe that Quality Issues could come up with uneven pressure and time problems resulting in poor quality and as a result the "Product Brand Name" could be harmed.... Good Point....

Then I asked if I could cut the sheets of 1/4 inch stock on my Sears CNC or a Router Based System? The Reply was that is was a CAST Acrylic so it could be Router Cut... That had me thinking could I but the Sheeting without buying the "System".... The resulting answer was not sure....

I have a 48 inch Cold Press Rollers with a 4 plus inch thick head that could be used to press the print onto the blank.

Any Thoughs.... Anyone try the Heat Press idea? With rubber matt...

http://www.youtube.com/acryliprint

AL

[Mike Null]

Al

Unless I misunderstand you're describing what can be done with MagicTouch ORD 8.1, a laser printer and a heat press.

Your idea is the same as mine. I'm going to make name tags with it.

[AL Ursich]

I need to educate myself on the Ord 8.1 I have some CLTT hard goods paper and a color laser.

As for the Acrylic? It is un coated?

AL

[Mike Null]

Al

I've only done small stuff on thin standard acrylic; cast and extruded.

[Viktor Voroncov]

I love everything in Acryliprint, I don't like their prices for consumables :( Looks too high for any country.
But as I understood I can't use other acrylic sheets, as original have some kind of covering?

[Mike Null]

Viktor

The MagicTouch paper is made in Germany. The ORD 8.1 is printed, right reading, on a color laser printer and applied in the same fashion as shown in the video except with an ordinary heat press.

You can use ordinary acrylic. The foam pad is required.

[Viktor Voroncov]

I know Magictouch well, but not familiar with Acryliprint. So question is is it possible use Acryliprint on standart acrylic sheets or on acrylic items from JDS?

[AL Ursich]

From what I understand from this... AcriliPrint has a adheasive on the surface of the blank and you can print on antyhing from Photo Paper to Ink Jet Aluminum.

So do I understand that ORD 8.1 has a adheasive on the printing side of the paper that is heat activated in the press? Intersting concept....

AL

[Mike Null]

AL

That is correct. Here's the only picture I have. A name tag on .080" acrylic. I beveled the edges with a beveler.

[Martin Boekers]

I
I have a 48 inch Cold Press Rollers with a 4 plus inch thick head that could be used to press the print onto the blank.


http://www.youtube.com/acryliprint

AL


Al,

I worked in the trade show graphics for 20+ years we mounted prints and
transparencies to plex all the time. Coda and MacTac make an optical
adhesive just for this application. You already have a roller machine so all
you need is the material. It's not cheap, but it works well. I first ran the
acrylic through the roller to attach the adhesive, then pulled back the release
paper and ran it through with the print to make it permanent. This is a standard
mounting process in the graphics industry.

If I were you I would find a local graphics shop that mount to plex and pay

them a visit. They could mount the adhesive film to the plex for you,
then you could mount the prints back at your shop. Or they could show you
how the process works. You may even get some laser work out of them or trade off.

I don't see why the (I believe it's Crystal Magic) approach wouldn't work also.
Then all you need is a UV light source and the liquid adhesive that is a UV cure.
I hope to get a UV system early next year as it does have many other
applications for me, such as mounting bases to acrylic, (I have never been
able to master the Weld On process.)

Something as simple as waterslide decals work also, maybe not as durable
but you could always attach a backing to it. I have done it with the standard
Magic Touch material then sprayed a white coat over it after it was transfer.
I tried it with the metallic silver Fusion spay which was pretty neat also.
JDS sell a white backer that is used for the marblied acrylic which works good
also. When you deal with double sided adhesive you have to be careful of
dust as it gets sandwiched and "tents".

I haven't tested to see how the acrylic cuts with the adhesive, so you may
have to cut the acrylic ti size before putting the adhesive on.

Hope this gives you some new ideas.

One more thing, the work with Magic Touch gives how should I say a more "printed feel"
where a photograph or inkjet gives a more dynamic result.

Marty

[Viktor Voroncov]

Martin, I already thought that Acryliprint is something like adhesive with UV hardening. But I saw few similar adhesives and all of them became slightly matt/fog after UV exposure. So they loose optical transparency. Do you know name/brand of optical clear UV adhesive?

[Larry Bratton]

AL

That is correct. Here's the only picture I have. A name tag on .080" acrylic. I beveled the edges with a beveler.
Mike,
Is this adhered to the back of clear acrylic? I'm a bit confused, as this looks like white acrylic with the graphic adhered to the face.
I am looking around for a way to decorate acrylic mirror, which would have to be applied to the face instead of the back.

[Martin Boekers]

Viktor,

Here is the MacTac site with info. They call it Permatrans. It is applies
on a cold roller press. once down it's down, no other steps involved
no UV just trimming the edges.


http://mactac.com/index.php?id=110&catList[class_code]=166&catList[catlisttype]=2&catList[pointer]=0&catList[mode]=1


Marty

[Martin Boekers]

Larry,

I have not had good results with mirrors as the space between the top
and back create a double image from the reflection. If you want to
play with it a bit get some waterslide decal or Magic Touch transfer
apply it to the back side of the acrylic (it will be transparent, waterslide
decals come in white or transparent) then spry over the decal with a metallic paint
I tried the silver fusion and it gave an interesting effect.

Marty

[Viktor Voroncov]

Understood - we named this product pressure sensitive adhesive. Will ask samples from local MacTac dealer on Monday, but also will ask samples of BOHLE UV OPTICAL CLEAR ADHESIVE - looks like this is what Acryliprint use

[Martin Boekers]

Understood - we named this product pressure sensitive adhesive. Will ask samples from local MacTac dealer on Monday, but also will ask samples of BOHLE UV OPTICAL CLEAR ADHESIVE - looks like this is what Acryliprint use

Viktor,

Is the adhesive you mentioned liquid?

It looks like on the You Tube that it is a sheet attached to the acrylic.
It doesn't look like this is a UV process as it has an opaque mat on top and bottom.

What it looks like is that the fusion device is similar to an archival heat
press that many frame shops use.
This heat press has a bladder that fills and puts even pressure on the
piece while the heat activates the mounting adhesive.

Years ago I operated a 4x8 foot heat press that used the bladder system.
As roller mounting systems became better they replaced the larger bladder
systems in the commercial field. Quicker, easier and took up less floor space.


Marty

[Martin Boekers]

Hmmmm, if this is a standard type vacuum heat press we do have one of those in the framing area of our Arts & Crafts center.

Does anyone know what the temp and dwell is?

I may have to get some blanks and try it out.

Used vacuum bladder heat presses can be found for $1K - $2K,
and those will have a larger area to work with.


Marty

[AL Ursich]

Roy Brewer sent a email reply to me answering many of my questions.

Looks like the Heat Press was a good idea in theory but the Air system is more bullet proof...

I will look more at the ORD 8.1 CLTT process but really set my goal for a Direct Color Printer down the line.

One Invoice at a time.....

Thanks Everyone,

AL

[Viktor Voroncov]

Yes, adhesive is liquid. One of my customers use it a lot when make different items (awards, souvenirs) from glass. He applied adhesive with brush, roller brush or syringe. The possible problem I see is that adhesive work well on glass, but how it will work on acrylic? Anyway I will have adhesive samples on Monday.

[Mike Null]

Larry

The print was pressed on clear acrylic that I bought from HD.

Others are also applying a vinyl protective covering to the back and trimming it with an Xacto knife.