EFI™ VUTEk GSLXr 3M™ Superflex UV Inks
Contents
1. for most current approved films Make adjustments as necessary for your specific speed and quality requirements Refer to the printer manufacturer s user manual or on line support for the most current details A Curing Table Resolution N Carriage P a Smoothing Color Mode 1000x720 binary Bl Standard 375 Double Max Heavy 6 600x360 binary Bl Maximum 1600 Double Max Light 6 600x360 gray scale BI Maximum 1600 Double Max Light 6 B Processing Details 1 Requirements for e An optimized curing dose prevents both over curing and under curing the ink Warranted Graphics e Over curing occurs when the cure dose is too high It reduces clear coat adhesion to the ink and the ink flexibility is reduced leading to cracking e Under curing occurs when the cure dose is too low It results in poor ink adhesion so the ink can be scratched off easily as well as poor ink abrasion resistance if no graphic protection is applied e Even if an ink appears to be cured it may be tacky after printing To test for adequate ink cure rub a clean white cloth tissue or cotton swab lightly over the ink and check if any ink transfers to the cloth e The optimal cure dose depends on the final graphic construction and application e Always test the finished construction applied before starting a production run 2 Using a Liquid UV Clear Coat When a liquid clear coat or overlaminate will be applied use the lowest cure setting on your or2. B Using Heat During Installation Important Note Using too much heat during application can result in the ink cracking When using a heat gun or other heat source during application make sure the temperature does not exceed 212 F 100 C The use of a blow torch is not recommended Refer to 3M Instruction Bulletin 5 4 and 3M Instruction Bulletin 5 36 for details 18 Waste Disposal Refer to the product SDS and the EFI printer User s Manual for details Since regulations vary consult applicable regulations or authorities before disposal 19 Shelf Life Storage and Refer to the EFI ink container label or contact EFI for details Shipping 20 Bulletin Change Summary Black bars in the margin indicate a change or addition Added EFI VUTEK GS5500LXr Pro Printer as another compatible printer for EFI VUTEK GSLXr 3MTM Superflex Inks At this time white ink is not warranted Added a link directly to the GSLXr Superflex Ink Warranty Period matrix Added information on the Certificate of 3M MCS Warranty requirement Please completely read Section 14 on Managing Total Ink on Film The 3M Related Literature section has been replaced by direct links to the most current versions of Bulletins or warranty information you may need to successfully use this product All links are blue underlined text 3M 3M Scotch and MCS are trademarks of 3M Company ColorPainter is a trademark of Seiko In i p ts A fotech Inc EFI and VUTEk are
3. Refer to 3M Instruction Bulletin 4 22 for additional details on laminating UV inkjet printed graphics Product amp Instruction Bulletin GSLXr 4 4 Graphics Without For printed graphics without a liquid UV clear coat or overlaminate use a higher cure dose Graphic Protection which creates a harder ink surface for more abrasion resistance Always refer to the 3M Warranted Durability table for the film and ink you are using to determine if graphics without graphic protection are warranted 5 Lamp Output Changes Lamp output is highest with new lamps and will decrease over time Regularly verify that Over Time curing is still adequate at the settings you are using 14 Managing the Amount of Ink Properly managing the total amount of ink laid down in any area on the graphic results in on Film better image quality less ink usage better cure and greater throughput It also helps ensure good film performance A Total Ink Coverage Total Ink Coverage 280 Total ink coverage is the total percentage of the CMYK values in any area of the image file For example CMYK values of 60 60 60 and 100 produces a total ink coverage of 280 For UV inks a maximum of 280 is recommended unless otherwise noted in the base film s Product Bulletin Note The ink printed on the graphic may also be affected by the use of light inks or other individual color restrictions See remainder of Section 14 Note Depending on the software or the color p
4. e Graphic designer The graphic designer needs to know the parameters and printing recommendations for both the film and printer being used for each specific graphic and specific end use e Use the right film for the job Each film has specific intended uses processing condi tions and durability Always refer to the 3M Product Bulletins for each product used and to the recommended 3M Instruction Bulletins referenced in those 3M Product Bulletins for complete details e Do not use damaged rolls of film which can result in head strikes and printer damage e Condition the film ink and graphic protection for 24 hours in the same environment as the printer before using Good color management practices are essential For good color output the graphic designer must consider the printer and materials being used use the the accustomed method to provide the desired printing results which should include ICC color profiles for proper color management use a unique color profile for each printer ink and film combination to help ensure successful printing Contact the printer manufacturer for assistance Refer to the printer s User Guide for ink preparation details Product amp Instruction Bulletin GSLXr 3 13 Film Processing Printer set up is critical to achieve the image quality needs and to ensure proper film Recommendations processing including UV cure dose The following printer settings are a good starting point
5. When using any equipment always follow the manufacturers instructions for safe operation Provide local and or general exhaust ventilation in the print production areas to prevent a build up of ozone and ink vapors and to maintain levels below the limit for worker exposure An experienced industrial ventilation engineer and or a certified industrial hygienist can help evaluate your ventilation requirements and design based on your on site process conditions Please refer to the printer manufacturer s literature for additional details and requirements State Volatile Organic Compound VOC regulations may prohibit the use of certain cleaning chemicals with VOC s in graphic arts coatings and printing operations For example the California South Coast Air Quality Management District prohibits use of certain solvent based solutions without a permit and other California AQMD s prohibit use of certain solutions without a permit or a regulatory exemption Check with your State environmental authorities to determine whether use of this solution may be restricted or prohibited Additional environmental health and safety information is available on our website at 3Mgraphics com sustainability e Printer operator The printer operator needs to understand the relationship between film characteristics printer setup and total ink coverage and curing to produce graphics that achieve the performance expectations of the film and the customer
6. trademarks Commercial Solutions 3M Canada 3M M xico S A de C V 3M Puerto Rico Inc or registered trademarks of Electronics for 3M Center Building 220 12E 04 PO Box 5757 Av Santa Fe No 55 350 Chardon Avenue Imaging Inc St Paul MN 55144 USA London Ontario Col Santa Fe Del Alvaro Obreg n Suite 1100 Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop are re General amp Technical 1 800 328 3908 Canada N6A 4T1 Mexico D F 01210 San Juan PR 00918 gistered trademarks of Adobe Inc Fax 1 651 736 4233 General 1 800 265 1840 General 5255 5270 0400 General 787 620 3000 ae an are the property of Fax 519 452 6245 Fax 5255 5270 2277 Fax 787 620 3018 y www 3Mgraphics com 3M 2015 All rights reserved Product amp Instruction Bulletin GSLXr 7
7. Overlaminate UV printer that fully cures the ink Use these steps to find this setting 1 Set the printer to its lowest cure setting 2 Print a test sample and wipe the ink with a clean white cloth or tissue or cotton swab 3 If any ink transfers to the cloth increase the cure setting by one level and repeat Steps 2 and 3 4 Use the lowest setting that does not transfer any ink to the cloth Keep in mind that the ink will receive an additional cure dose as the UV liquid clear is processed on top of the image The printed ink will continue to cure at a slow rate after it has been removed from the printer To achieve the highest UV liquid clear coat adhesion apply a liquid clear coat within 3 days after printing Check adhesion using the Tape Snap Test page 6 3 Silvering Caused by UV Inkjet Use this procedure to reduce or eliminate silvering under overlaminates which is caused by Printers the texture of high UV ink laydowns from inkjet printers e Optimize the color profile to reduce over saturation or need for heavy ink laydowns See Section 14 e Adjust the laminator as follows 1 Set the laminator roll pressure to its highest setting not exceeding a maximum of 100 psi 103 kg cm 2 Set the pressure roller temperature for the printed base film to 115 F 46 C 3 Set the laminator speed to 2 4 feet per minute 61 122 cm min 4 Reduce the tension on the roll to the lowest level possible without causing wrinkles
8. Product amp Instruction Bulletin GSLXr Release B Effective March 2015 replaces A Feb 14 See Bulletin Change Summary at end of document EFITM VUTEK GSLXr 3MTM Superflex UV Inks For EFI VUTEk GS3250LXr GS5250LXr GS5500LXr Pro Printers For the most current 3M information available to successfully use this product please view this Bulletin electronically 1 Table of Contents 2 Product Description 3 Disclaimer 4 Product Line A Ink B Cleaning Solvent and click on the blue underlined links to the 3M Matrices and Bulletins Product Description cava a deinen en Disclaimer 4 2 4 sala simarra auch ala arena aha bahia wie dea Product LiNE sesura 242040 OER Be RE eh DU a ee Compatible Products 2 0 0 00 ccc eee en ee ee eens Warranty JMfOrmation essc acetate cath ee Support Information 0 eee eee een Health and Safety 0 eee eet ene eens Setting and Understanding Printing Requirements en a hea cea at Selecting Preparing and Using 3M u Materials Optimizing Image Quality abe aa Preparing the Ink Sad DERM ee ded hee a Film Processing Recommendations A E sane teens ok aera nea Managing the Amount of Ink on Film 00 0000 cece eee Completely and Properly Cure Printed Film Operation and Maintenance Procedures 0 c cece eee ene Graphic Installation Waste Disposal Sid Gata gh do sida Shelf Life Storage and Shipping nr
9. Sec Be hte ane O Bulletin Change Summary sd n 0 00 NDOIPODND de lo a ar EEN SO NDOIPO OD AO NNNSDODODOI PWDWDWODWDODMDTMI DD EFI VUTEK GSLXr 3M Superflex Inks for the EFI VUTEK GS3250LXr GS5250LXr GS5500LXr Pro Printers are designed for printing on inkjet compatible 3M films and media for making warranted multicolor graphics These UV LED cured inks are durable weather resistant and have excellent color retention The flexibility and conformability of the inks makes them suitable for graphics used on complex curved corrugated and riveted surfaces as well as flat surfaces depending on the base film used With the exception of 3M branded products 3M does not represent that any printer or printer accessory recommended in 3M literature will meet customer requirements any federal state or local regulations or any applicable safety standards Such determination is the responsibility of the printer owner Note These inks and cleaning solvent are sold exclusively by EFI Call 1 877 EFI INKS 1 877 334 4657 Color No Color Container size 2x 5 Liter 10 Liter case 45122721 Superflex Cyan 45122722 Superflex Magenta 45127451 Superflex Yellow 45122724 Superflex Black 45122725 Superflex Light Cyan 45122726 Superflex Light Magenta 45127452 Superflex Light Yellow 45127453 Superflex Light Black 45127454 Superflex White For 5 Meter Printers Only Cleaning solvent as recommended in curr
10. Y OR GOODWILL RESULTING FROM OR IN ANY WAY RELATED TO SELLER S PRODUCTS SERVICES OR THIS BULLETIN This limitation of liability applies regardless of the legal or equitable theory under which such losses or damages are sought including breach of contract breach of warranty negligence strict liability or any other legal or equitable theory E Additional Limitations See the 3M Graphics Warranties Brochure at 3Mgraphics com which gives the terms additional limitations of the warranty if any and limitations of liability 7 Support Information e 3M products Contact 3M Graphics Technical Support at 1 800 328 3908 e Printer software ink and profiling support Contact EFI at 1 603 677 3111 Product amp Instruction Bulletin GSLXr 2 8 Health and Safety ZN CAUTION A Ventilation B Air Quality Regulations C More on Environmental Health and Safety 9 Setting and Understanding Printing Requirements 10 Selecting Preparing and Using 3M Graphic Materials 11 Optimizing Image Quality 12 Preparing the Ink When handling any chemical products read the manufacturers container labels and the Safety Data Sheets SDS for important health safety and environmental information To obtain SDS sheets for 3M products go to 3M com SDS or by mail or in case of an emer gency call 1 800 364 3577 or 1 651 737 6501 To obtain SDS sheets for this ink series go to the EFI website https inkjet support efi com
11. dhesion Using the Tape Snap Test 16 Operation and Maintenance Procedures ZN CAUTION 17 Graphic Installation A Graphic Installer 4 Additional ink limit settings including total maximum ink can be adjusted during the profile creation process Note For complete details on ink control refer to the User s Guide for the RIP you are using Ink usage may be affected by several factors including but not limited to the following e Color levels in images e Ink limiting and color profiles e Printer linearization e Resolution DPI e Cleaning or purging cycles e Printer parameters A tacky ink surface may indicate that the ink is not properly cured To resolve this problem consider increasing the printer s lamp intensity Perform the Tape Snap Test below to confirm ink adhesion Also see section 13 B on page 4 1 Use the point of a sharp razor blade a knife or other suitable instrument to scratch a crosshatch pattern through the ink Do not cut into the film 2 Use 3M Applicator PA 1 Gold squeegee to firmly apply a 1 inch wide strip of Scotch Premium Cellophane Tape 610 over the crosshatched areas Note Applicator PA 1 is available from your 3M materials supplier Tape 610 is available through most film or tape distributors 3 Remove the tape by pulling it back upon itself using a rapid firm pull Less than 20 of the ink should be transferred to the tape when performing the tape snap test 4 If more t
12. efer to the software documentation or supplier for full instructions In general there are three steps for controlling ink amounts when creating color profiles 1 Achieving Proper Ink Achieving proper ink coverage during printing is a three step process clip the upper ink Coverage During Printing limits calibrate or linearize the output and use a good color profile during the RIP process 1 Determine the maximum ink necessary to produce the greatest color saturation For example if you print and review a series of color patches in 1 increments from 90 to 100 there may be no visible difference between the 96 and the 97 patch So any ink used above the 96 patch will not create a more saturated color but will unnecessarily add additional ink that does not contribute to or improve the image quality 2 Properly calibrate or linearize your film ink and printer This will adjust the amount of ink printed to balance the levels of highlight mid tones and shadows 3 Use the proper combination of source and destination color profiles to print your graphic Preferably the graphic designer should supply the source color profile used to create the digital artwork Applying the proper destination or printer color profile for your particular film ink and printer will ensure the total ink limit is not exceeded Product amp Instruction Bulletin GSLXr 5 C Ink Usage Factors 15 Completely and Properly Cure Printed Film A Check Ink A
13. ent EFI printer literature Product amp Instruction Bulletin GSLXr 1 5 Compatible Products A Certificate of 3M MCS The graphics manufacturer must have a current Certificate of 3M MCSTM Warranty in or Warranty Required der to extend this Warranty to their customers B 3M Compatible Products for e Many 3M graphic films reflective films flexible substrates and graphic protection op 3M MCS Warranty tions are compatible with this ink e For the most current listing of 3M compatible products for use with this ink including base films flexible substrates and graphic protection please see the related 3M MCS Warranty Period and Product Matrix on line The Matrix includes links to the 3M Product Bulletins for each 3M Product listed Click here to view the related matrix GSLXr Superflex Ink C 3M Intermediate Graphic This ink may be used with 3M s intermediate product line for low cost graphics that do not Materials need a graphics warranty Visit our Intermediate Films web page or refer to the Inkjet Materials and Solid Color Films Brochure 3 85 MB D Other Graphic Materials This ink series also may perform satisfactorily on many other 3M and non 3M graphics materials but such applications are not warranted by 3M Always run a test print to be certain that the finished graphic quality meets your needs Also check adhesion and scratch resistance of any graphic protection used Contact the printer manufactu
14. han 20 of the ink transfers to the tape increase the lamp cure setting for example from medium to high or reduce the print speed reprint and retest the ink adhesion Follow all operation and maintenance procedures recommended in the printer s user manual Printer cleanliness is very important in the production of high quality full color graphics Refer to the printer manufacturer s recommendations for compatible cleaning solutions for this ink and your printer Before handling any chemical products always read the container label and the SDS For the best results please read and be familiar with the most current 3M Product and Instruction Bulletins related to the film and graphic protection you are using You can access the Bulletins on line through the Matrix for this ink which is linked in section 5 B The relevant 3M Instruction Bulletins are mentioned in the applicable 3M Product Bulletin The graphic installer needs to be aware of any special handling or application techniques for the construction Any combination of high total ink coverages hot or cold ambient application temperatures and irregular application surfaces may make the application more difficult Some application requirements may be different due to the type of film processing See the applicable 3M Product Bulletin for application details on each product used as well as the recommended 3M Instruction Bulletins Product amp Instruction Bulletin GSLXr 6
15. rer and material manufacturer for guidance 6 Warranty Information A Warranty Coverage Graphics made with this ink may be eligible for the 3M MCS Warranty For complete Overview details on recommended applications graphic constructions durability and warranty periods please refer to the current 3M Product Bulletins for each of the materials used You can access the Bulletins on line through the Matrix linked in section 5 B The following is made in lieu of all other express or implied warranties including any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or implied warranty arising out of a course of dealing custom or usage of trade B 3M Basic Product Warranty This product is warranted to be free of defects in materials and manufacture at the time of shipment and to meet the specifications stated in this Product Bulletin and as further set forth in the 3M Graphics Warranties Brochure C Limited Remedy 3M will replace or refund the price of any 3M materials that do not meet this warranty with in the specified time periods These remedies are exclusive D Limitation of Liability Except where prohibited by law 3M SHALL NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE LIABLE TO PURCHASER OR USER FOR ANY DIRECT EXCEPT FOR THE LIMITED REMEDY PROVIDED ABOVE INDIRECT SPECIAL INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LABOR NON 3M MATERIAL CHARGES LOSS OF PROFITS REVENUE BUSINESS OPPORTUNIT
16. rinting reference books you use total ink coverage may be called total area coverage total dot area maximum CMYK maximum ink amount total ink limit total printing dot You can achieve very good density using lower total ink coverage with little or no loss of quality The rest of this section discusses options for managing the total ink coverage B Methods for Limiting Ink A color profile typically contains the ink limits for a specific ink set printer and media The Amounts color profile conversion can be done in the front end software such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator or during the RIP process The profile will automatically adjust the color values in the image file to stay below the ink limit settings Existing color or printer profiles may be available from the printer manufacturer RIP software or material supplier To get the best image quality it may be worthwhile to test multiple profiles to determine which one gives the best color output If the total ink coverage is too high with a specific profile or type of image most RIP software has other settings to adjust the amount of ink If adjusted too much the overall colors may be negatively affected Adjusting the RIP ink limits may be a good option for short term or occasional use however the color profile is the preferred method to ensure the most optimum color output Custom profiles may also be created The software for the RIP often has this capability R
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