Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The Daily Wrap: When to look elswhere for graphics
The Daily Wrap: When to look elswhere for graphics: When is a good time to look into a new graphics provider? So many companies purchase some type of lettering or graphics on a somewhat regu...
When to look elswhere for graphics
When is a good time to look into a new graphics provider?
So many companies purchase some type of lettering or graphics on a somewhat regular basis for their company vehicles. They often seem to work with the same graphics provider for years. Maybe they use a friend or relative that has a vinyl cutter, and think they are getting a good deal, or don't want to hurt their friend's feelings by using another company. Maybe they have never simply gone to a graphics company & asked for some design ideas. The truth is you could be missing out on a lot of great advertising because of poor design, or lack of care and quality that could be put into the graphics. A nice vehicle graphic or wrap has been proven to more than pay for itself!
So how else do you know when to at least check into other companies, or why would you want to?
1) Take a look at your design, or lack of.
So many companies purchase some type of lettering or graphics on a somewhat regular basis for their company vehicles. They often seem to work with the same graphics provider for years. Maybe they use a friend or relative that has a vinyl cutter, and think they are getting a good deal, or don't want to hurt their friend's feelings by using another company. Maybe they have never simply gone to a graphics company & asked for some design ideas. The truth is you could be missing out on a lot of great advertising because of poor design, or lack of care and quality that could be put into the graphics. A nice vehicle graphic or wrap has been proven to more than pay for itself!
So how else do you know when to at least check into other companies, or why would you want to?
1) Take a look at your design, or lack of.
Is it basic block lettering using 1 or 2
colors? That could be because that is all your provider is capable of.
Is it easy to read? Using the wrong fonts,
colors, and layout combinations can lead to something that is hard to read and
not that pleasing to look at.
Is
a design done for each vehicle that it will be applied to, or just a generic design
that hopefully fits? Often there are
different types of vehicles, or trailers in a company’s fleet. You’ll want a company that can adjust the
layout accordingly.
2) Can the
graphics company do everything in house?
If everything from
design, production, and installations can be done by the same company, then it may
save time and money.
3) Does the vinyl you’ve been getting from
your provider crack, peel, or fade after just a few years?
They are not using a
good quality vinyl, or are not laminating when it comes to prints. In this case it doesn’t look very
professional if this starts to happen, and it may cost you more in the long
run.
4) Do you
have a warranty?
Does your graphics
company provide any kind of warranty on the install, or the film itself? You should have some kind of coverage either
from the provider, the film manufacturer, or both.
5) My
final thought on why you NEED to look for a new vehicle graphics company is
that the one you have used is now out of business due to some of the issues mentioned above!
www.transport-graphics.com
www.transport-graphics.com
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
New Latex Printer
http://youtu.be/qofxEUOiwNc
Again we are taking a step to stay in front of the wave of technology that the printing industry has seen over the last decade or so, and have invested in a HP Latex Printer.
Why? Well, here are a few reasons.
The new HP Latex Designjet printer is more environmental friendly! The components, such as the ink & used cartridges can be shipped back to HP to be recycled. The ink is water based and made from completely recyclable materials. The ink's main ingredients are latex polymer and pigment particles. Its composition is 70% water and 30% additives. It is also odorless. No chemicals & dangerous fumes for employees, or the environment.
Wider range of media & faster! It will also give us the ability to provide outstanding print quality on a wider variety of substrates for both indoor and outdoor applications. The combined faster print speeds, and not needing to let the print sit & out-gas before laminating like you do with solvent based inks, means faster turn-around for our customers.
How about the quality? It is a 6 color printer, like our Roland we also have, so the prints from the latex printer will be sharp and vivid. The latex prints are smudge, scratch, and water resistant. The colors of the latex print are less likely to fade when being stretched to wrap a vehicle. It is said that a latex print will last up to 3 years outdoors with no over laminate. This will be an improvement for items like banners. For other prints we will always use an over laminate, which should double the life expectancy of the latex print.
Again we are taking a step to stay in front of the wave of technology that the printing industry has seen over the last decade or so, and have invested in a HP Latex Printer.
Why? Well, here are a few reasons.
The new HP Latex Designjet printer is more environmental friendly! The components, such as the ink & used cartridges can be shipped back to HP to be recycled. The ink is water based and made from completely recyclable materials. The ink's main ingredients are latex polymer and pigment particles. Its composition is 70% water and 30% additives. It is also odorless. No chemicals & dangerous fumes for employees, or the environment.
Wider range of media & faster! It will also give us the ability to provide outstanding print quality on a wider variety of substrates for both indoor and outdoor applications. The combined faster print speeds, and not needing to let the print sit & out-gas before laminating like you do with solvent based inks, means faster turn-around for our customers.
How about the quality? It is a 6 color printer, like our Roland we also have, so the prints from the latex printer will be sharp and vivid. The latex prints are smudge, scratch, and water resistant. The colors of the latex print are less likely to fade when being stretched to wrap a vehicle. It is said that a latex print will last up to 3 years outdoors with no over laminate. This will be an improvement for items like banners. For other prints we will always use an over laminate, which should double the life expectancy of the latex print.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Prep for a Wrap
Before You Apply tips from signindustry.com
The first step to applying any graphic is to clean your substrate. To ensure that the graphics adhere properly, without the risk of failure, we must thoroughly clean the vehicle. Proper cleaning of the surfaces of a vehicle for graphics application is a critical step in the application process. Please note that most material manufacturers have technical bulletins available on their web site or through their technical support department that provide detailed information on how to prepare a variety of substrates for graphics application. While these instructions will serve as a good guide on how to clean your vehicle before applying graphics, it is always a good idea to check with the material manufacturer to make sure you are following their recommendations.
The first step to cleaning is to remove all of the dirt and grime with a commercial detergent and water. To ensure that I got the vehicle clean, I took it to the car wash to get as much of the dirt, salt and road grime off of the car. Note: If you take the vehicle to the car wash, it is important to make sure the vehicle is completely dry before applying the graphics. This may mean allowing the vehicle to dry indoors overnight before applying.
If grease, oil, wax or other contaminants are present, wipe the substrate with a solvent such as Prep-Sol or Xylol. I then like to do a final cleaning with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to make sure that no oily residue from the other solvents is left behind. CAUTION: Before using any solvent on a vehicle, be sure to test in an inconspicuous area to ensure the solvent won't damage the vehicle's paint.
When cleaning the vehicle with IPA, I recommend using two lint free towels. One towel should be soaked with IPA which is used to loosen and clean off the contaminants (dust, dirt, wax, etc.). The second towel should be dry and used to wipe away the excess IPA before it has a chance to evaporate. It is also important to pay special attention to cleaning the cracks and crevices of the vehicle where contaminants generally build up.
The first step to applying any graphic is to clean your substrate. To ensure that the graphics adhere properly, without the risk of failure, we must thoroughly clean the vehicle. Proper cleaning of the surfaces of a vehicle for graphics application is a critical step in the application process. Please note that most material manufacturers have technical bulletins available on their web site or through their technical support department that provide detailed information on how to prepare a variety of substrates for graphics application. While these instructions will serve as a good guide on how to clean your vehicle before applying graphics, it is always a good idea to check with the material manufacturer to make sure you are following their recommendations.
The first step to cleaning is to remove all of the dirt and grime with a commercial detergent and water. To ensure that I got the vehicle clean, I took it to the car wash to get as much of the dirt, salt and road grime off of the car. Note: If you take the vehicle to the car wash, it is important to make sure the vehicle is completely dry before applying the graphics. This may mean allowing the vehicle to dry indoors overnight before applying.
If grease, oil, wax or other contaminants are present, wipe the substrate with a solvent such as Prep-Sol or Xylol. I then like to do a final cleaning with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to make sure that no oily residue from the other solvents is left behind. CAUTION: Before using any solvent on a vehicle, be sure to test in an inconspicuous area to ensure the solvent won't damage the vehicle's paint.
When cleaning the vehicle with IPA, I recommend using two lint free towels. One towel should be soaked with IPA which is used to loosen and clean off the contaminants (dust, dirt, wax, etc.). The second towel should be dry and used to wipe away the excess IPA before it has a chance to evaporate. It is also important to pay special attention to cleaning the cracks and crevices of the vehicle where contaminants generally build up.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Doing a wrap? Laminate!
So you've decided that a wrap is a good idea for your business! Now you have to get down to the details about what is included with your wrap. One question to ask is, "does it include an over laminate?" A vinyl over laminate is a clear film which will help protect your wrap from UV rays, help prevent scratches, and keep the print looking good for a longer period of time.
We laminate all of our prints! The only reason that I can see for not using an over laminate is if something is being done for short term use, such as a temporary promotion (maybe a year). To get the longest life possible out of your vehicle, trailer, wall, or floor wrap don't skip the over laminate! Spend a little extra to make sure you have a premium quality over laminate combined with a premium quality vinyl. If you try to "cut corners" on one or both, then you may end up with problems.
Call us if you have questions, or need recommendations!
We laminate all of our prints! The only reason that I can see for not using an over laminate is if something is being done for short term use, such as a temporary promotion (maybe a year). To get the longest life possible out of your vehicle, trailer, wall, or floor wrap don't skip the over laminate! Spend a little extra to make sure you have a premium quality over laminate combined with a premium quality vinyl. If you try to "cut corners" on one or both, then you may end up with problems.
Call us if you have questions, or need recommendations!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Free BBQ sandwich for a follow!
FREE SANDWICH @ Dickey's Barbeque Pit St. Cloud! Just follow me on Twitter @TransportGraphix , or my blog http://transport-graphics.blogspot.com/
Then email me chad@transport-graphics.com to let me know where you want your "free sandwich card" sent to.
Then email me chad@transport-graphics.com to let me know where you want your "free sandwich card" sent to.
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