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screen printing => Ink and Chemicals => Topic started by: printguy on July 27, 2015, 12:30:24 PM

Title: Printing On Reflective stripe
Post by: printguy on July 27, 2015, 12:30:24 PM
Have a custy that wants a one color print on a reflective stripe - we've printed plenty of these types of shirts, but never on the stripe. Can anybody chime in on this? Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Printing On Reflective stripe
Post by: Frog on July 27, 2015, 12:37:35 PM
Like you, no experience on a stripe itself, but may want to consider an additional adhesive like Nylobond in the ink.

If it matters, I'd also look into whether this screws up its safety rating.
Title: Re: Printing On Reflective stripe
Post by: mk162 on July 27, 2015, 12:55:15 PM
or a multi-purpose ink from Nazdar.  We use a vinyl ink on some jackets and man does that ink stick...
Title: Re: Printing On Reflective stripe
Post by: ScreenFoo on July 27, 2015, 12:57:59 PM
If it matters, I'd also look into whether this screws up its safety rating.

Uh huh.  You also have to consider this when printing the yellow part...

Title: Re: Printing On Reflective stripe
Post by: cbjamel on July 27, 2015, 01:20:48 PM
yes if you print on the reflective is screws with the ansi rating. Its how much reflective shows. If that is a concern. I would be concerned with curing the ink but a MP ink might work.
Shane
Title: Re: Printing On Reflective stripe
Post by: Printficient on July 27, 2015, 03:48:40 PM
What color ink?  The Mustang series might be an option from Xenon
Title: Re: Printing On Reflective stripe
Post by: Inkworks on July 28, 2015, 12:50:15 AM
Some of the 3M reflective striping is all but unprintable. I tried a dozen or so ink types on it, from plastisols with and without additives, vinyl inks, and several catalyzed specialty inks. I seem to remember 3M offered an ink that was said to work, but it would have been several hundred dollars and many weeks for me to get a quart in to try and the job wasn't worth the hassle. We don't run into many substrates that baffle us as but this was one of them. Tomorrow I get to try some inks on some specialty stretch material for Olympic speed skating suits.
Title: Re: Printing On Reflective stripe
Post by: Sbrem on July 28, 2015, 08:02:03 AM
a primer may be needed. We printed on poly something or other (propylene?) about 20 years ago for a shoe company display. You could almost blow the ink off after it dried. Then someone mentioned this primer from a pad printing company; we hand sprayed it on, sent the pieces through the dryer as fast as it would go, then printed with a multi purpose; stuck real good...

Steve