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Printable Reflective – Does it exist, have you used it ?
I am looking at a job that would require us to print and laminate onto reflective and was wondering if this is posible or would we have to print on clear and stick onto reflective.
Any advice and help much appricated especially where to source printable reflective.
Many thanks
Russell.
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12 Replies
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Grafityp do a commercial grade reflective – the brochure says suitable for screen and inkjet printing but I’ve never tried it.
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get mine from metamark, prints well
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I assume that printing on a regular printer blocks the reflectivity as opposed to screen printing with translucent inks which retain the reflectivity all over, that being the case do as you said print to clear and overlay saves buying in a different material.
John
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3M do one I think its 680CR from memory.
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I think Hugh Potter has done some printing onto regular black reflective with some nice results.
John
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We find the one from Robert Horne very good (Oracal 5600 from memory).
We had issues this time last year with the reflectivity changing dramaticaly from batch to batch with the Metamark product.
Both printed equally well I would say though.
Cheers
Gary
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and printing on this material you don’t loose any reflective nature. I’ve used it myself and laminated it.
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quote Gary Birch:We find the one from Robert Horne very good (Oracal 5600 from memory).Been using this a good bit over the past couple of years.
comes branded with certification logos peppered all over the face. (very light markings only visible at an angle.) i actually prefer having the face branded vinyl. -
quote John Harding:I assume that printing on a regular printer blocks the reflectivity as opposed to screen printing with translucent inks which retain the reflectivity all over, that being the case do as you said print to clear and overlay saves buying in a different material.John
I expect that if you get a spectrumomomometer that you’ll see that refractive light will be lower but it doesn’t block it, see here….
https://www.uksignboards.com/download.php?id=34334
that was the colours printed onto black reflective, I think it works so well because the black was a very close match to my paintwork, from some unlit angles you cannot see the black, just transluscent colours.
https://www.uksignboards.com/download.php?id=34331
pretty sure the colours are transluscent on inkjets anyways – which is why colours printed onto clear, not white backed, look pants on anything other than a white surface.
quote John Dorling:I think Hugh Potter has done some printing onto regular black reflective with some nice results.John
I did, and thank you!
this has reminded me to get on with re-doing the names on the van now!
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Use both the oracal and metamark. The oracal is a bit more conformable and is easier to fit. Our printer (JV3) prints perfectly onto this. not totally opaque so the reflectiveness still works.
Peter
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I do a lot of reflective safety signage. Usually 1230 x 1230mm or 1230 x 2460mm signs, with a reflective background.
I get excellent results from D-Lite white reflective, as well as DM-Lite.
That said, I started printing on clear, laminate, then onto the reflective. The reason I do this is
a) If there are any finger marks etc. on the reflective, it spoils the print. (not so much the case with clear) Taht means I have to waste the first 60cm every time I print.
b) Print speed directly on the reflective is much slower. If you try to increase, the ink becomes "blotted" – especially on red and blue
c) Reflective takes much longer to dry, and the print still damages easily even when dry, and handling the print for lamination etc.
Just print on clear. It does not add much to your cost, all things considered.
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I print on 3M 650cr almost exclusively , but Avery also make a very good printable conformable reflective I’ve been told, but I’m happy to stay with the 3M version
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