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MD3, or MD5 for vehicles?
We always used to use MD3 for flat panel work, it’s a great vinyl, and does the job with no problems. Although we’ve been using other 3 year vinyls recently for basic/budget jobs.
When we first started using MD3 I was under the impression it was 3year vinyl, but I believe now it’s a 5year?
We would use MD5 for van graphics, again I believed it was a 5yr vinyl, but now it seems it’s a 7/8 year?
I’m sure MD3 will be adaquet for 99% of the vans we do, such as panel infills, and really gentle curves, with the bonus of a reasonable saving on each roll.
What’s the general opinion , MD3 or MD5 for vehicle graphics?
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9 Replies
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Personally I always used MD5 for vehicle.
M7 always for cut work on vehicles. (M4 shrinks 1-2mm after a while)Having said that: The small sticker that I put on the back on every van I do – is printed with MD3.
Un-laminated, at 70x25mm size, they are doing fine after 5 years.
Haven’t done it in a larger size though. -
Yes for the price difference I use M7 too, but on the digital side I’m not sure if MD5 is overkill for some jobs.
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I look at it from this angle.
"MD3 Durability; External weathering 5 years.
MD5 Durability; External weathering 7 years.
(This refers to the unprinted vinyl. Refer to ink manufacturer for durability of the finished product)"M4 series Metamark Durability: 5yrs Black & White; 4yrs Colours, 3yrs Metallics
I never put M4 on a vehicle. Hence always use MD5 on a vehicle = M7 on a vehicle.
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stick with one good brand of "polymeric" Calendered digital vinyl.
Don’t take this wrong, but if the small shift in media costs over quality affect you, you maybe charging too little.
If I was you i would stick with MD5 of the two. its one less thing you have to worry about… when i say worry i mean possible media fail on vehicles.
We have been stung several times over the years by stocking two different series of media, one premium, one budget.
sure as sugar a member of staff lifts the wrong roll and prints graphics for a vehicle or the like. few months down the line it fails…
even if not the base film thats wrong, the wrong laminate is used and so on…
It is my biggest gripe right now with vinyl manufacturers, they do NOT clearly mark digital media. drives me nuts…
I also think vinyl manufacturers should mark the face of the cut vinyl films with ghosting emblems showing exactly what grade the media is.
Oracal do it with their reflective digital series. about time it was on cut vinyl media… too many cowboys out there punting crap to unknowing customers till its too late. anyway, thats another story altogether. 😉 :lol1: -
Cheers guys.
I think we will stick with MD5, as we’ve no complaints in the years we have been using it. Plus we do provide a guarantee on everything we fit.
To be fair we probably are a bit on the cheap side for the quality we provide, I should stop guessing prices on vans, and work it out properly, but as you know the material cost on some vans is tiny, just the labour to produce and fit it.
We keep a cheap vinyl in, as we produce a lot of short term vinyl, labels, signs etc, usually price is more important than it shrinking.
I tend to label the core inner with the the part number we use in clarity, and being a small company there’s only me & my dad to get it wrong and usually it’s me who does the printing.
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IMHO the cost of media is so small compared with all your other costs that it is not worth using low quality vinyl.
It may be overkill, but I would call Oracal 751 a budget vinyl for a vehicle.
We mostly use 3M 180c or Avery 900. Even for flat panel work.
The 3M and Avery brands sell themselves. Everybody has heard of those.
I find most customers more than willing to fork out the extra few bucks for the better vinyl, and the ones that arent are only buying on price, they can go elsewhere.
And when it is still looking good five or even ten years down the road, it reflects well on you.Simon.
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quote David Hammond:I think we will stick with MD5, as we’ve no complaints in the years we have been using it. Plus we do provide a guarantee on everything we fit.
It is a good decision mate. you need to focus less on tools used and focus more on company progress.
If you already use a tool that works well over a large period of time, then that should give you peace of mind in that area at least. There WILL be a time to evaluate that choice of course, but till then…quote Simon Worrall:IMHO the cost of media is so small compared with all your other costs that it is not worth using low quality vinyl.Couldn’t agree more! :appl:
quote Simon Worrall:It may be overkill, but I would call Oracal 751 a budget vinyl for a vehicle.How dare you sir, go wash your mouth out for using such foul language! 😉 :lol1: :lol1: :lol1:
For sure i agree with you on trying to use premium products where possible mate. 😉
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Unless I can’t get the colour I need, I will use oracle 551 for everything, if a customer specifies 7 year vinyl I’ll ask them if they are going to keep the vehicle that long.. 9/10 they’re happy with the 4-5yr 551. 751 is a good vinyl but I find it very thin and it can be a pain when working in the heat as it stretches far too easily!
I’ve yet to have any kind of fail with 551 too. For the difference in price between 551 and the budget oracle range, it’s easier to simply stock one vinyl, I have about 25 rolls of various 551 colours on the racks at most times, all laid out neatly so the customer can choose their colours, then racks with specials like reflective, chromes and other odd colours from other ranges.
I’ve tried other vinyls over the years but have always gone back to oracle, cuts, weeds and applies well, will even go into recesses and stay there, easy to remove, etc.
If something works for you then stick with it – no pun intended!
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Hugh,
Oracal 551 is not 5 year vinyl. No surprise you have no fail with this vinyl.
Black-and-white: 8 years
Transparent / colored: 7 years
Metallic: 4 years
Brilliant Blue L: 3 yearshttp://www.orafol.com/tl_files/content/ … -eu-de.pdf
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