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Posted on by Sean McGettigan Posted in Tips & Tricks
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Wet Application: How to Apply Infinium to Glass

Window graphics application and installationLexJet’s new Infinium, an inkjet-printable material that conforms to virtually any substrate to which you apply it, can be attached to a substrate using various attachment methods.

In previous posts, I showed you how Infinium can be applied to substrates like canvas and wood and even plexiglass using a thermal laminator.

One of the other ways to attach Infinium to a surface is simply by using water. This method works great for graphics on glass or windows that aren’t going to be permanently installed.

In the video embedded below, learn how to apply Infinium to glass using a wet application method…

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Technology & Products
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Killer Application Test for LexJet Infinium at SAS Systems

Inkjet printing on three dimensional irregular surfacesDon’t try this at home. Nevermind. Go ahead and try it, but don’t think you need to try it on a skull. Cale Frederick, graphic designer at SAS Systems in Muscle Shoals, Ala., was dying to test the new Infinium graphic material from LexJet and found something that would put the product through its paces.

Touted as the industry’s first transportable, conformable graphic, Frederick wanted to make sure it performed as advertised before trying it on a project. Looking around the shop, he spied a skull sitting on a shelf someone in the shop had been given as a gag gift.

The skull had all the elements he was looking for – lots of nooks and crannies and irregular surfaces – and Frederick went to work on it with an appropriate graphic.

How to apply a conformable graphic“They say it’s conformable, and the test was successful. We’re pleased with the way it turned out. I’ve got some more ideas but haven’t had a chance to test anything else. We have a customer we print templates for that uses them as guides to carve cedar logs. He’s bringing some rough cedar and we’ll experiment with that as well,” says Frederick. “I used a generic vinyl profile and it seemed to work fine; it prints especially well in the dark colors. We’re really excited about it for future projects.”

The Infinium was printed with the company’s Roland solvent printer and applied using a heat gun and foam-textured surface applicators from 3M; a hot laminator for flat substrates like leather or canvas will work as well. Frederick says it took about 30-45 minutes to wrap and some of the steps in the process are shown in the photos.

Before applying a conformable graphic“The material worked really well and sank right down into some of the really deep spots. I also found that using a printhead cleaning swab for the smaller areas worked really well,” explains Frederick. “I kept my heat gun set on about 970 degrees. That is the temp we usually use for installing textured wall wraps. The force of the air worked nicely for helping the material sink into some of the concave areas.”

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Tips & Tricks
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How to Apply LexJet Infinium to Plexiglass

Printing graphics for application to plexiglassAs mentioned in an earlier post, LexJet Infinium is a new inkjet-printable material that conforms to virtually any substrate to which you apply it. Infinium is not a paper, film or transfer medium but a material with adhesive, laminate and print receptive qualities built into it.

When properly applied, Infinium not only conforms to the material but takes on the texture and look of the material. It can be applied with heat, water or a primer (LexJet Infinium Bond), depending on how temporary or permanent the graphic needs to be.

The current generation of LexJet Infinium is compatible with solvent, low solvent, latex and UV curable printers and comes in gloss and matte finishes in roll widths ranging from 25″-54″. For more information about LexJet Infinium, contact a LexJet account specialist at 800-453-9538.

In the video below, see how Infinium is applied to plexiglass with a thermal laminator… 

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Technology & Products
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LexJet Launches the Industry’s First Fully Transportable Graphic

Conformable graphic material for promotional and decorative applicationsLexJet has introduced the industry’s first fully transportable graphic, Infinium, a print medium with laminate and adhesive built into one conformable material. LexJet Infinium – which is compatible with low-solvent, solvent, latex and UV-curable printers – can be applied to virtually any surface, including irregular surfaces and curves, using heat, water or a primer (LexJet Infinium Bond).

“Fully transportable means that, with Infinium, you can print the same material with the same image on the same printer for use in multiple applications,” says Jeff Leto, LexJet product manager. “This conformable material gives you the ability to take the graphic anywhere you want onto virtually any substrate and image it.”

Printing LexJet Infinium with a latex printer
LexJet Infinium, which is printed in reverse and applied to the substrate with water, heat or a primer, is compatible with low-solvent, solvent, latex and UV-curable printers.

Infinium is not a paper, it’s not a film and it’s not a transfer material. It’s a clear material you reverse print and apply face down on the substrate with either water, heat or a primer, depending on the application and whether it’s a temporary or permanent graphic. Click here to see how it works at LexJet’s YouTube channel.

“There is a lot of potential with this product, because in the past you had to print to a substrate, laminate it and apply it, and you sometimes had to use a number of different substrates for one project. With Infinium, it’s one step, one material and one process,” says David Kurniawan, owner of Maryland Signs and Graphics in Towson, Md., who runs Infinium on his HP L25500 latex printer. “We can use it on all types of substrates and surfaces, including rough surfaces, which helps us use fewer materials for a lot of different applications.”

Applying graphics to rocks, tiles and ceramics
Yes, you can even customize rocks with Infinium, which essentially becomes part of and takes on the characteristics of the material to which you apply it. Check out how it works at the link provided in this article.

Manufactured with water-based chemistries, LexJet Infinium is a sustainable material that has no VOCs and is PVC-free. And, since it includes print, adhesive and laminate qualities in one material it reduces waste and production steps. LexJet Infinium is compatible with most commonly used post-print processes, including laser cutting, routing and thermoforming without distorting the graphic.

LexJet Infinium is available in Gloss and Matte versions in 25”, 36”, 42”, 50” and 54” widths and 75-foot  roll lengths. Like all LexJet products it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and super-fast, $9.99 flat rate shipping from LexJet’s nationwide network of distribution centers. For more information, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.