why does my vinyl letters peel after printing?

[Robert Lambie]

I’m guessing you printed right to the edge of the vinyl, then contour cut?

it is advised that you leave a small border on text/graphics like this or leave the prints to dry/out gas for a while before contour cutting.

your machine will have a delay setting to allow for this sort of thing. i.e. prints the graphics and pauses for as long as possible setting, then proceeds to contour cut. to be honest though, thats more for small stickers etc…

basically the solvent attacks the vinyl until it out-gasses. due to the cutting, the vinyl as no option but to curl. if you are fitting these to a vehicle you should be leaving them a minimum of 24hrs before application.

[EddieMohan]

thanks, I’ll have to look into the delay thing

[John Childs]

This is exactly the reason why I see no advantage in a print-and-cut machine.

My method would be to print, take the vinyl out so that I can get on with other printing jobs, then at least twenty four hours later put the print back in and cut it.

My point is – why should I have to delay the urgent job I might be printing tomorrow when it is just as easy to do the cutting on a separate machine?

[Andy Gorman]

Depends what you’re printing I s’pose. If the print stops before the cut line then it’s ideal. I know what you mean John, production-wise it could be a pain in the arse but you’ve got to remove the print to laminate anyway.

Coincidently, I had a call yesterday from a customer experiencing the same issue – curling of the edges. Bah!

[John Childs]

quote Andy Gorman:

but you’ve got to remove the print to laminate anyway.

Exactly. 😀

I’ve never had curling before, but I think I might have one now. Had a call from a customer and from his description it sounds like it.

The thing is, I know that the item he was talking about was done in a hurry. Another lesson learned the expensive way. 🙁

[Chris Wool]

some vinyls are worse for it than others my experience is 3m 40 series is the least shrinkage if cut threw ink.
lamination then cutting generally cures it.
i do have one customer that suffers from curling prints but he understands its his staff pressure washing the truck to close. he cant get the lads to understand sponge the dirt of then rinse.

chris