Contour Cut Graphics

Contour cut graphics add style and dimension to any display or sign! Accessibility to the smaller business or limited budget is more accessible than ever before. Digital technology’s impact has been felt loudly in the graphics production industry. The old days of hand cutting or trimming of thick substrates or even thin decals has been automated with a computer-driven equipment called a CNC router. Accuracy and ease are off the scale, making ease of production significantly improve which drives cost to produce down! Accurately cut, contour cut graphics can be accessed through a large format printer who provides UV direct printing services. These PSP or print service providers typically compliment their UV flatbed printer with a CNC router or Computer Numerically Controlled router! When seeking contour cut graphics, be sure to ask about the tools in their toolkit!

 

STEP ONE: the PRINT

The first step of this solution set requires a UV flatbed print. If you want your graphic to be printed wood, glass, plexiglass, and any rigid, flat substrate, then you will need to find a PSP who has a flatbed printer. This is also called a direct printer, a UV printer, or a direct-to-substrate printer. This process uses specialty UV inks which cure instantly under a UV lightsource, making a very durable graphic or sign. With UV direct printing your flat substrate panels need to be just shy of two inches thick. Your sign or graphic can be printed directly on glass, metal, wood, plastic,  and retains a photo-realistic, sharp appearance. The hardened inks are a durable surface which do not require surface protection. No lamination and no glass overlay required. The most outstanding feature of UV direct printing is this ability to print on any substrate due the ‘white ink option.’ White ink is the undercoat of titanium white ink to the substrate. This primer coat allows you to print on transparent or dark surface, and have a consistent look from substrate to substrate. On glass or plex graphics, you get to choose whether you want a transparent stained-glass look or opt for opacity and simply look photographic. Dark-toned wood is not an obstacle because you essentially have a white canvas to begin with. Colors are pure and saturate. Also with UV direct printing, apparent sharpness is improved. Ink spreading is the issue any longer because the instant cure chemical reaction halts the bleed. Ultimately your creative palette has broadly expanded.  You get to choose whatever flat background without consequences to the look of the final print.

STEP TWO:  the CUT

The second the solution set is the final cut. Accurate custom contour cuts formerly time consuming and inaccurate now replaced by a consistent computer! CNC, the acronym for Computer Numerically Controlled router system. It is a computer driven router comprised of software, controlled electronics, and a mechanical router. Good information in, good information out. There are digital cutting machines set up for high quantity production for labelling and big box production. Those production machines have many arms and are fun to watch and sound like R2D2 from  the movie, Star Wars, when in operation!

 

So, if your digital capture file is ‘printer ready,’ then you are ready to ‘print, cut, and go’ when choosing to use UV direct printing with CNC routing for contour cut graphics.When looking for high quality contour cut graphics which can be printed on a variety of different substrates, then call your PSP (print service provider) and ask for “contour cut graphics.” Or simply call 1.800.829.4562