Expand Vol. 2 No. 10

World of Displays, Part 4

Building better trade-show displays with the right combination of media, laminate, and ink. This month, UV-curable solutions, tips, and tricks for all types of trade-show displays.

In previous editions of World of Displays – which you can read by clicking here, here, and here – we covered aqueous-based and solvent solutions for tradeshow graphics, as well as production guidelines for printing, trimming, laminating, and shipping so that the graphics meet and beat your customers’ requirements.

This month, we look at UV-curable tradeshow solutions. All of the solutions listed below are roll stock, and do not include direct-print rigid substrates like Sintra or foam board.

Besides, roll stock has the advantage for its shipping ease and long-term durability.

As with solvent printing, lamination should be considered, even when direct printing to rigid substrates since lamination’s primary functions have less to do with durability and more to do with the texture, finish, and scratch-resistance you would prefer to provide to the customer.

And, LexJet’s laminates are compatible with UV-curable inks, which is not always the case with other laminates on the market.

To ensure long-lasting, failsafe trade-show graphics, regardless of the printing technology used, proper production, finishing, and shipping techniques are crucial. The basic rules are to trim the graphic with a sharp knife on a hard surface (not a self-healing mat) at a 90-degree angle, roll the graphics no smaller than a 12-in. diameter, roll the graphics with the softest or thinnest material facing out, roll in the same direction each time, and don’t unroll in the opposite direction to make the graphics lay flat; simply lay the material out flat. For more information on these techniques, click here.

For trimming graphics, the best possible solution is an industrial cutter, such as the Javelin High Precision Cutter Bar, which is now available at LexJet. It ensures precise and perfect cuts, which will make a dramatic difference in the durability of the finished graphics, particularly with thicker materials. Plus, it speeds up the production process immensely.

Pop-up Magnetic and Velcro Displays

Following are recommended print material and laminate combinations, where applicable, for front-lit/reflective pop-up magnetic trade-show booths. Your material choice will be based on the budget, and the durability and texture preferred for the application.

Magnetic pop-up booth graphics should be around 20 mils thick (media and laminate/backer together), give or take a mil or two, in order for the graphic to hold its shape on the booth. Velcro-backed pop-up booths can hold material combinations as low as 10 mils.

LexJet PROflex Smooth UVR (22 Mil) is a 100 percent opaque print, trim, and hang solution. Though it can be used for other display applications, the rollable PVC film was engineered for this application in order to cut down significantly on trade-show production steps.

LexJet 16 Mil Display Film SUV w/ PreLume is a thinner, standalone print, trim, and hang solution than LexJet PROflex Smooth UVR, and can also be used quite effectively for Velcro pop-up booths where no lamination is required.

LexJet 11 Mil Display Film SUV w/ PreLume and 10 Mil PreLume DisplayFlex is an ideal base film/laminate combination for magnetic pop-up displays. The display film can be used without lamination for Velcro pop-up booths.

If you choose to laminate because a certain texture, more rigidity, or more scratch-resistance is needed, 10 Mil PreLume DisplayFlex is the best call since both materials are similar in thickness and composition (they’re coextruded plastics). Whenever possible, you should match like materials together to mitigate delamination and splitting.

LexJet UVM Backlit Polyester (8 Mil) is an excellent choice for backlit panels and headers. The material is dimensionally stable and it hangs flat, lays flat, and won’t curl. It can be partnered with 10 Mil PreLume DisplayFlex, 10 Mil PreLume ExhibitGuard, 5 Mil PreLume DisplayFlex, and 8 Mil PreLume T-Flex.

Retractable Banner Stands, Fabric, Film, and Banners

Spring-back, telescopic, and retractable banner stands are space-saving, lightweight, collapsible solutions for single-panel displays that can also be displayed together for a multi-panel display. Retractable banner stands have the added benefit of protecting the graphic in transit and during setup since the graphic is rolled up into the hardware itself.

Most retractable banner stands, however, can only receive a graphic that’s 15 mils or thinner, but the safest bet is to keep the total thickness (printable material and laminate) to 12 mils or less since there are many banner stands on the market that can’t hold anything over 12-13 mils thick. Make sure you know the limitations of your display hardware ahead of time.

When producing a fabric display, use a hot knife to keep the fabric’s edges from fraying. For retractable banner stand graphics using a PSA laminate avoid using paper, which has less durability and tends to split after repeated use.

Fabrics can be sewn or taped for hems and pole pockets (see That’s a Good Question in the August issue of Expand for more information about using LexJet’s Heavy Duty Banner Tape as a quick and economical solution).

Fabrics that work well for retractable banner stands include: 3P TruColor Heavy Banner, UV-Optimized Heavy Banner, and Universal Heavy FR.

Décor finishes help draw attention with their unique textures, and should be considered for retractable banner stands. Some great choices from the dreamScape Wallcovering line include 15 oz. or 20 oz. Suede, Canvas, 20 oz. Plaster, and 20 oz. Mystical.

For retractable banner stands using film with no lamination required, use either LexJet 8 Mil Ultra Photo Gloss SUV, LexJet 8 Mil Ultra Photo Satin SUV, or 6 Mil Display Film SUV w/ PreLume.

For vinyl banners, the best choices for trade shows are LexJet Premium Gloss Banner (15 oz.), LexJet Premium Matte Banner (15 oz.), and LexJet Super Smooth Blockout Banner (13 oz.).

If you have any questions about these combinations and applications, please contact your LexJet account specialist, who has been specially trained to find the perfect custom solution for the application, at 800-453-9538.