Nov 03, 2010 The third method is direct printing. Pre-distortion software for thermoforming. The pre-distortion by conventional methods takes several hours and. Rockford Silk Screen offers distortion printing & thermoforming services in Loves Park, Chicago and surrounding areas.

Thermoforming, sometimes called vacuum forming, has been around the sign industry for many years, and some consider it something of an art form. It’s a manufacturing process in which a plastic sheet is heated to an optimal forming temperature and—using vacuum and pressure—is formed into a 3-D part. In its simplest form, an oven is used to heat small cut sections of plastic sheet and stretch it over a mold using a vacuum. From the suction of the vacuum, the plastic is drawn up to the contours of the mold, giving a sign a 3-D look and feel. This could either be a logo, lettering or just a plastic pan face. In the sign world, thermoforming is mostly employed in the creation of lighted 3-D pole, hanging and storefront signs, but can be used for packaging, P.O.P. And prototyping applications as well. Serial Number Incredimail 2 50 here.

From a marketing point of view, thermoforming can provide a significant impact on the final look of a finished product. Plastivac produces fully decorated thermoformed sign faces from Plaskolite SG-10 modified acrylic and Lacryl paint. (Image courtesy of Plastivac Inc.) Imaging for Thermoform Applications Producing an image on a thermoformed sheet can be accomplished a number of ways, including hand painting, applying graphic vinyl, screen printing and even direct digital printing. Sometimes the image can be applied after the sheet is heated and formed, and sometimes it needs to be applied before. However, you need to alter the image to compensate for the amount the plastic will be drawn (stretched) over the form in order for the image to appear normal after thermoforming. This type of “distortion printing” onto raw sheet stock for thermoforming has been a niche market and it has traditionally taken extensive knowledge and skill to become efficient and profitable with the process.

This knowledge was mostly developed by screen printers, derived by trial and error working with the process over a number of years. Because of the intricacies involved, there are only a small number of sign shops that specialize in this business. However, thanks to recent advances in proprietary distortion printing software, improved media and processing techniques, these sign makers are now able to easily create these products by utilizing virtually the same standard job procedures they traditionally use. Painting Faces The traditional way to add graphic elements to a thermoformed sign was to paint them. One of the pioneers in this market is Plastivac, Inc., a Buda, Texas-based sign wholesaler that has been supplying custom vacuum formed sign faces to clients since 1980.

“We produce fully decorated faces with embossed copy, painted pan faces using Plaskolite SG-10 modified acrylic and Lacryl paint that can be matched with any PMS or vinyl color chart,” says company president Richard McCormick. He adds they also make white pans that are manufactured with Crylex DR white modified acrylic, from those a sign company can apply the vinyl or the digital graphic to the face when they install the sign. Painting by the Numbers “I have been making sign faces for over 30 years and painting them is still the best way to go,” McCormick says. “The painted faces will last anywhere from 20-30 years, where the digital prints and vinyl will last 4-5 years before they start to fade.

Bc C39 2 To 1 Narrow Style. We paint all the graphics on the second surface so the paint is protected from the elements. I still see sign faces that I made 25 years ago that look great. The colors don’t fade or turn yellow.”.

Spartech offers a rigid UV-stable thermoplastic sheet called WeatherPro SG that is intended for applications in which irregular custom shapes are required, such as this channel letter facing application. (Images courtesy of Spartech Corporation.) McCormick says they work with a large number of sign companies from all over the country. “We only make the sign faces; that’s all we do.

These types of lighted signs are made for the outdoor locales such as service stations, restaurants and grocery stores.” He says that the sign companies will send them the digital artwork and using their software, they will design and build the mold which will make the pan face. “We then cut out the letters for the sign with our CNC router and then we nail those on the front of the mold to emboss the letters, thus, giving it the raised letter effect.