Printable Aluminum Material?

1241 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by TreasureE, Jan 23, 2018

guinter810

Discussion Starter · Jan 16, 2018

I need help ! I think I attached a picture of a sample I received

i've contacted about 5 suppliers and no one knows what material this is.
A competitor outsourced the job and they are now out of business.

Has cardboard/paper backing with no markings.

Material itself is a thin aluminum material with a white printable face. Able to with stand temps to around 400-450 degrees. If I peel some back the material will bend in the shape I put it and stay there, it is not stretchy - Almost like an engine label used in Automotive

Appears to be printed with a digital printer not screen print. Can see some head chatter in the wording

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Dekzion

· #2 · Jan 16, 2018 (Edited)

Dye sub. we use it all the time and it holds a lovely print. You can even cut it with scissors.
I guess the guys printer was out of wack.

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guinter810

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 16, 2018

I do in house dye sub. Where do you recommend getting this material ?

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dcbevins

· #4 · Jan 18, 2018 (Edited)

Sublimation is what most use to put images on aluminum. What is in that picture though doesn't seem to be a blank piece of aluminum for sublimation. With sublimation you need a printer with sublimation ink. You print to a transfer paper and use heat to get it onto the aluminum. I've not seen such a thin sheet of aluminum used for sublimation, but maybe its done.

But from what your saying I am not sure what you want to do with it. Do you want to print on it or cut it out or both?

What your picture seems to show is some type of foil. There are metallic sign vinyls, that are more just metallic in appearance than a piece of foil. Stuff like this: https://www.hhsignsupply.com/productcart/pc/FDC-2100-Metallic-Vinyl-15-x-10-Yard-400p41659.htm

The label in your picture mentions Apollo and thermoplastics. It seems to me this is some kind of construction material, probably a high grade insulator. It might be applied with a thermoplastic melting machine, thus the instructions mentioning glass beads, high temperatures and a fuel system.

I don't think it is for making signs, sublimation or going into a cutter. I don't think I would put it in my cutter. I doesn't seem to have an adhesive backing. Maybe it is from these guys. Apollo Insulation | Reflective Insulation

Just google aluminum sublimation blanks to see whats out there. Any ol' piece of aluminum won't work. It generally needs to be treated with a polymer.

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Dekzion

· #5 · Jan 18, 2018

You can purchase ally sheets of most sizes from BMS Printerowners. just try it. it takes a lovely image.
much the same as jewellery box inserts.

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adriatic

· #6 · Jan 23, 2018

guinter810 said:
I need help ! I think I attached a picture of a sample I received

i've contacted about 5 suppliers and no one knows what material this is.
A competitor outsourced the job and they are now out of business.

Has cardboard/paper backing with no markings.

Material itself is a thin aluminum material with a white printable face. Able to with stand temps to around 400-450 degrees. If I peel some back the material will bend in the shape I put it and stay there, it is not stretchy - Almost like an engine label used in Automotive

Appears to be printed with a digital printer not screen print. Can see some head chatter in the wording

What do you think about this?

It is direct print on plain offset aluminum sheath + prep+ Canon iP 1800 + Acrylic refill ink in CISS and in two pass. First pass with plain paper setting and the second with setting for Glossy paper