Stickers: This is how they are manufactured at Implaser to ensure maximum reliability

• The Aragonese company, Implaser, is a leader in the design, development, and manufacturing of stickers.

• Implaser produces over 35,000 stickers per day in their 2,500 m2 screen printing plant.

• The company has its own design department, screen laboratory, and quality laboratories for product development.

• The materials used in manufacturing are authorized by the European Union and can be printed on any type of material, including aluminum, steel, glasspack, or high-grip PVC.

• Implaser's stickers are composed of a vinyl sheet with a thin layer of adhesive on the back, attached to a siliconized paper that preserves its adhesive properties.

• The adherence of the product is rigorously tested in Implaser´s laboratories through an adhesion column test.

• The company has conducted studies with the Technological Institute of Color, Optics, and Imaging AIDO, revealing that a sticker made with UV technology exhibits the same or even less aging compared to a sticker made with traditional solvent-based technology.

• All colors have a tolerance in their final appearance, and Pantone and RAL colors serve as reference values.

• The optimal storage temperature for the stickers is between 15°C and 25°C, with a relative humidity of 50 ±10%.

• Implaser provides usage recommendations for their stickers, including cleaning the area thoroughly before sticking, avoiding touching the adhesive area with hands, and waiting for 24 hours after sticking the sticker to ensure it is perfectly adhered.

• The sticker should not be applied immediately after painting the machinery, and the application and storage temperatures of the sticker should be respected.

The Aragonese company, a leader in the design, development, and manufacturing of stickers, reveals the keys to adhesion, durability, storage, colorimetric information, and usage recommendations.

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Design, development, and manufacturing of stickers for all kinds of uses are just one of the business lines of Implaser. The Aragonese company is a national benchmark thanks to its screen printing and digital printing techniques.

Their 2,500 m2 screen printing plant allows them to handle large orders. They produce over 35,000 stickers per day, and to ensure the reliability their clients need for any project, they have their own design department that creates photoliths for manufacturing. They also have a screen laboratory where they perform the emulsion and exposure process for the stickers, equipped with seven production lines, as well as their own quality laboratories for product development.

The materials used in manufacturing are authorized by the European Union. Moreover, their versatility in screen printing and digital printing allows them to achieve a wide variety of finishes, such as anti-graffiti, anti-slip, etc. They can print on any type of material, including aluminum, steel, glasspack, or high-grip PVC.

The stickers from Implaser are composed of a vinyl sheet that serves as the support for texts and images. On its back, there is a thin layer of adhesive. This sheet is attached to a siliconized paper that preserves its adhesive properties until the moment when it is decided to fix the sticker permanently to a surface (provided it has been stored according to the technical specifications). The material used is resistant to tearing, weather conditions, and shows good aging stability.

Adhesion and Durability of the Stickers

The adherence of the product is rigorously tested in Implaser´s laboratories through an adhesion column test. It is important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all adhesive that works perfectly on all surfaces. Therefore, whenever possible, the adhesive should be tested under real conditions of use.

Stickers should not be applied to surfaces with dust, dirt, silicone, rust, or grease. Mold release agents can weaken adhesion on blow-molded or molded plastic surfaces. Adhesion issues can occur on substrates with low surface tension, such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Specific adhesives exist for these types of surfaces. Adhesive material manufacturers recommend leaving a 5mm frame around the sticker without color to improve its adhesion.

Implaser has conducted studies in collaboration with the Technological Institute of Color, Optics, and Imaging AIDO (test C/040232), which reveal that a sticker made with UV technology exhibits the same or even less aging compared to a sticker made with traditional solvent-based technology. The surrounding environment of the sticker greatly influences its longevity, making it technically unfeasible to establish a specific shelf life for the sticker.

Colorimetric Information and Storage

All colors have a tolerance in their final appearance. Pantone and RAL colors serve as reference values and may vary depending on the color of the printing surface and the printing method used. Adjacent colors can also influence the visual perception of the color.

The optimal storage temperature for the stickers is between 15°C and 25°C, with a relative humidity of 50 ±10%. Severe conditions of humidity, ultraviolet light, or conditions found in tropical, subtropical, or desert regions can lead to faster deterioration of the stickers compared to optimal conditions. Implaser recommends that once the protective plastic pack of the sticker is opened, the rest of the sticker pack should be protected with some type of plastic covering. Paper covering does not favor the recommended humidity conditions for the material.

Usage Recommendations

• Prior to sticking the sticker, clean the area thoroughly, avoiding the use of solvents. If solvents are necessary, ensure they are completely evaporated before placing the sticker.

• Dust is the worst enemy of a sticker as it adheres to it instead of the surface. Therefore, it should be removed.

• Rough surfaces are not ideal for a perfect sticker adhesion since the contact area is reduced.

• Avoid touching the adhesive area with your hands once the backing paper is removed.

• During the sticking process, ensure proper adhesion of the corners and edges of the sticker to the surface by applying sufficient pressure.

• It is recommended to use felt squeegees for proper sticker placement, avoiding the formation of air bubbles inside and the possibility of scratching.

• For small stickers, the surface must be completely dry. For large stickers, a water and soap mixture can be used on the surface to adjust the positioning of the sticker during application. This water and soap mixture should be completely dried, and the sticker left undisturbed for a minimum of 3 days.

• Wait for 24 hours after sticking the sticker to ensure it is perfectly adhered.

• The sticker should not be applied immediately after painting the machinery, as paint usually releases organic vapors during the drying process that can attack and destroy the sticker adhesive. Ensure that the machine has been dried for at least 48 hours after applying the paint.

• Respect the application and storage temperatures of the sticker.

To learn more at IMPLASER.