Full Version: Millenium Thermal badge machine
From: Peter [#29]
15 Apr 2005
To: Peter [#28] 15 Apr 2005
I keep chipping in here , however.
Back to where I began. There areseveral fast food chains around that have badges with full colour logos background colours and names here, that look very very sharp, only with what appears to be a glossy surface.
Not a thick laminate coat, but as if the image etc is infused into the plastic.
Given I have seen a number of sublimation jobs, it " cant possibly be sublimation" ( or could it ), but they arent silk screened, full solid orange with a solid blue and a graded grey etc, no fuzziness.
The names arent engraved, but are part of the whole badge, like the image or a sublimated image.
The thing is, if it is one of those thermal print machines...How do they make the volume for these Fast food joints and how do they meet the prices, whilst maintaining a decent profit margin ? The consumables in a Millenium are prohibitive, with the blank costs, clips etc, not to mention its ability to only print 55 mm ( 2" or so) height in one pass 85 mm width
(3 &1/2 " approx) at one time. and the time to print them .
regards
Peter
From: Peter [#30]
15 Apr 2005
To: Peter [#29] 15 Apr 2005
Guys ,
Forgive my "Dumbness" here, most of my previous posts here were done around the wee early hours of the morning..and the brain was kind of fogged out and not receiving messages the way they should have been...
Ken, when you said, "extend the dome liquid past the edge of the label" were you saying make the label slightly smaller than the plastic it sits on and let the dome liquid flow to the edges ?
regards
Peter
From: Myyk [#31]
15 Apr 2005
To: Peter [#30] 15 Apr 2005
I would prefer to use a thicker backing material, but have not been able to obtain supplies locally. Customers don't seem to mind that the badges have a bright gold or silver border. I have tried using brass for greater strength, but feel that the resulting badges are too heavy
From: Ken D. (KDEVORY) [#32]
16 Apr 2005
To: Peter [#30] 16 Apr 2005
Are you using clear Avery labels? - Note to laser people here. If they don't say acid free, they have Vinyl.
An alternative badge idea - I wouldn't mind hearing why it wouldn't work. Print on paper using inkjet printer, cut then laminate. (No doming, no substrate.)
Extending epoxy beyond the edge, here are two suggestions:
#1) Yes, if putting label on a substrate, make the label smaller and dome to the substrate's edge.
#2) Encase the label in the epoxy. I've done the following:
1) print the labels.
2) Kiss cut the label to the "inner" dimension. Cut through backing to the final 'outer' dimension.
3) Remove the boarder, between inner and outer, from the backing.
4) Spray temporary adhesive on a glass plate, and apply labels with backing.
5) Dome to edge of backing.
6) Remove dome/label from backing.
7) flip (apply content to be viewed from back)
8) Dome to edge of dome, on 2nd side.
(I've done a test with the flexible epoxy, I'm currently testing with the rigid.)
In other words:
When doming the first side the label backing paper acts as the substrate. When doing the second side the first side's dome is the substrate.
From: Peter [#33]
14 May 2005
To: Ken D. (KDEVORY) [#32] 14 May 2005
any more feedback ?
regards
Peter
From: Ken D. (KDEVORY) [#34]
14 May 2005
To: Peter [#33] 15 May 2005
I preferred encasing it in the hard epoxy over the flexible.
1) when the flexible product is flexed the layers will bend to a different radius. This can degrade quality when flexed to extremes.
2) The flexible epoxy will develop a curve when heated (cured) if not kept flat. Do not remove from the temporary adhesive on the glass until its cooled. If it gets a curve when doing the backside, put between pieces of glass while it cools. (Under a small weight if necessary.)
What are your findings?
From: Peter [#35]
15 May 2005
To: Ken D. (KDEVORY) [#34] 15 May 2005
Have only ever used flexible epoxy
regards
Peter
From: Bob (ZIME) [#36]
16 May 2005
To: Peter [#1] 16 May 2005
I am a dealer for the product so I guess a little bit more positive. I also use my demo machine quite a lot.
The main advantage of this printer is the production of several different sizes and thickness.
The out put gets a wow!, from some buyers. A four color badge prints in approx. 38 seconds. Though the material and ribon cost is higher than some other processes the time is the big savings. The extra steps in sublimation add to the cost though some prefer the appearance of the product.
I can run the machine with 100 or so blanks in the hopper and I can not keep up with the machine while putting on the pins or the magnets as they pop out.
Spot single colors are around 8 seconds with resin ribbons.
Bob