Stickers or Decals?
To put it simply, if you're looking for a simple monotone (one colour) design, then a decal is what you want. It will be die-cut out of solid colour vinyl with an overlay for installation. However, if you're wanting something that is detailed and with a selection of colours, then it's a vinyl sticker. Basic stickers are often made of plastic and have a background, either transparent or colour.
For printed graphics applied to flat surfaces, we use Avery MPI2503 and we only use Avery MPI1105 RS wrapping vinyl for printed car wraps as it outperforms other brands in our harsh climate. For computer-cut work we use Avery 800 Premium Cast and Avery 900 Super Cast. There are plenty of cheaper signage films out there, but they just aren’t worth it. If you are comparing quotes, it’s worth finding out what materials are being used or a few months down the line you may find yourself starting over.
Stickers
A sticker can be a kind of label, either printed or made from cut vinyl, which will last if it’s for an outside sign. Stickers usually have two layers – the paper you peel off and the decorative part with an adhesive on the back and information or decorative design on the front. The term ‘sticker’ can mean anything from a stamp to a beer bottle label to car stickers.
We supply full colour (CMYK) custom printed stickers, any size, any shape. They are printed on permanent adhesive vinyl using Roland Eco-Sol inks and are fully weather-resistant for at least two years, unlaminated. If your sticker has white borders, we can print and cut in one hit. If you need full bleed, they need to dry for a day before being fed back into the machine for cutting. Adding lamination can have to stickers last for 5-10years though the prints will need time for the material to outgas before it can be laminated and installed.
Out-gassing is a process where the solvents used in the ink evaporate out of the printed vinyl over time which can take up to 48 hours. The ink is dry to touch within minutes of it rolling off the printer but if insufficient time is allowed for the outgassing process, then problems will surface further down the road such as lifting or curling. Also once laminated the gasses are trapped in the vinyl and cannot escape through the front, so they are redirected towards the back of the vinyl and the adhesive layer. This leads to adhesion failures and the vinyl lifting off the surface, particularly in deep recesses with vehicle wraps.
Decals
Solid colour decals/lettering can be produced as soon as the artwork is approved. We use a plotter to cut lettering from coloured adhesive vinyl. The unwanted parts are ‘weeded out’ by hand leaving a positive image. Transfer paper is then applied allowing the graphics to be removed from their liner paper, and the finished decals applied to a substrate – this may be a shop window, a sign panel or direct to a vehicle.
Vehicles
Vehicle signage makes the ultimate ‘mobile billboard’ for your business. Car graphics are one of the most under-utilised yet valuable advertising mediums available. Transform the look of your vehicle and advertise your company 24/7.
Whether it’s just your logo and lettering or a full vehicle wrap, Rapid Print has got you covered.
Wraps
Rapid Print Media only uses Avery Dennison’s Supreme Wrapping film for all vehicle and boat wraps, the best on the market. It has Superb 3D conformability, Stunning and consistent printability, reliable performance with long-term removability. Maximum outdoor durability.
Wrapping is not intended to cover paintwork that is in bad condition and all imperfections in the paint such as stone chips, scratches, dents, etc. will show right through the wrap. If there is any loose or flaking paint, there can be adhesion failures as the vinyl sticks to the paint but the paint is no longer sticking to the vehicle.
To avoid damage to your vehicle it is recommended that you pay a professional to remove the wrap. Whilst every effort is taken to make sure your paint is not damaged, there is no guarantee that a vinyl wrap will not remove any paint from your vehicle.
For wraps to be completed Rapid Print would need your vehicle for around 2-5 days to complete the installation depending on how much of your car is wrapped. We like to have your vehicle delivered to us fresh being washed (not waxed) the day before we are going to work on it. It needs to be fully dry before we can begin to install as there is a lot of prep work that takes place prior to wrapping.
Boat Wraps
Rapid Print uses only the best quality products and procedures for boat wraps and work closely with Australia’s top Boat Wrapping companies for high end graphics to ensure your toy is the best looking on the water.
Please see here for information on Boat Rego Regulations - http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/marine/MAC-P-RBRegistrationNumbers0610.pdf
Mine Spec
Call sign decals are important identification markers and are mandatory on most mine sites. They are used to call a vehicle on site through the UHF radio system to identify vehicles for safety reasons.
Using Class 1 Diamond Grade & Class 2 Reflective vinyl and tape, Rapid Print can provide the standard side vehicle signs and / or helicopter signs for roof and bonnet for greater visibility including Decals and Magnets for Machinery / UHF Call Signs / Vehicle ID Plates that are long lasting and of high quality.
Mine site compliance also requires each company vehicle to be equipped with advisory decals. Every vehicle should include first aid kit, fire extinguisher, tow point, diesel only, no smoking, seat belts must be worn, diesel left, diesel right and height of vehicle. All of which can be printed to size in house.
Windows
Frosting provides perfect privacy for your chosen area giving an etched glass look. Let in the sunshine but block out the view. Whether straight frosting covering the whole window or have a design created to create a sophisticated feel in your office.
One-way vision material looks like regular opaque vinyl from the outside but still allows visibility from the inside looking out. We use a special perforated vinyl material that allows you to still clearly out of the window it is applied to. This product only works best if 70% of light comes from the printed side of the film and not on the inside of the window you are covering.
Walls & Floors
We use TexWalk for our wall and floor applications. Texwalk is a revolutionary new floor media suitable for many floor / wall surfaces indoors & outdoors including carpet. Ideal for exhibtion and retail. TexWalk comes with a built in textured non slip surface (CSIRO R12) so it does not require an overlaminate making it the No. 1 choice for floor and wall decals.
