Wide Format Imaging

Polyester Films: Used for trade show displays and retail signage. These include backlit films, white films and opaque white films. Due to the higher cost of film media, these graphics are almost always laminated to extend their display life.

Polypropylene / Polyethylene Films: Polypropylene films cannot be direct-printed using solvent ink because the solvents attack the polypropylene and damage it, causing warping or complete perforation. A coating must be applied to protect the substrate. Polypropylene prints are used as synthetic paper and inexpensive banners. Specialty coated, spun bonded polyethylene such as Tyvek can be used as a short-term outdoor banner.

Canvas: Canvas is finding a niche application in solvent printing to create cost-effective artwork for commercial establishments. Applications include reproductions of masterpieces for hotel rooms, copies of original artwork for restaurants, and unique prints for corporate lobbies. What differentiates canvases are mainly the texture of the canvas from rough to smooth, the surface finish from gloss to matte and the color from natural linen yellow to bright white. The combination of these parameters creates unique surfaces that generate depth and add character to the image.

Textiles: Textiles are increasingly used as soft signage not only to express a commercial message but also to help define space and mood. For example, a clothing store may decide to use a ceiling-to-floor printed cotton panel to not only showcase a new line of clothing, but also to create a "soft" physical barrier within the store. Creating this kind of space-defining communication on other media might be too harsh (think of a scrim banner or paper) for the mood that the store wants to impart on its customers.

The specialty media available for solvent inkjet printing is very similar to the media available for aqueous inkjet printing. The main advantage solvent has over aqueous is the typical lower cost of ink and media, the faster print rates and its immediate availability for finishing ? the media is dry and can be handled as soon as it comes off the printer. The trade off is a more complex print system that requires detailed operational knowledge, more frequent preventive maintenance and the ability to troubleshoot and create profiles. Solvent inkjet printers have a narrower selection of specialty media than their aqueous counterparts, and image quality tends to be lower overall, but it costs less to create the same print!

Dan Halkyard is director of Wide Format Supplies Marketing for Océ Imaging Supplies. He is responsible for all wide-format media including display graphics, reprographics, and CAD product lines as well as the brand management and positioning of Océ Imaging Supplies. Andreas DeGroot, display graphics product manager for Océ Imaging Supplies, also contributed to this article. For additional product information, visit www.oceusa.com/imagingsupplies.