Ah yes, the sticker question. When we describe what we do as durable graphics (or decals, overlay, appliques, etc.) many retort, “So, it’s a sticker?” 

The term ‘sticker’ represents artwork of one kind or another that can be ‘stuck’ to a variety of surfaces.  

With all due respect to the term, it’s like saying a SmartCar and a Cadillac Escalade are both cars. Yes, they’re both cars in terms of engineering, performance, and durability, but…you get the picture.

 

 

This occurs when the adhesive on the label mismatches the surface to which it’s applied. In some cases, the label was simply engineered without fully taking the surface into account. All labels aren’t created equal. The adhesive on the back of the label comes in a variety of stickiness. They are created to adhere to different materials: metal, plastic, glass, etc. The details matter! Different colors within the same powder-coat paint line can even accept adhesion differently.

Another cause might be that the surface has changed. Paint and powder-coat manufacturers can change ingredients. Plastic pellet manufacturers may change formulation for cost or performance for their largest applications. Any such change could impact the way the finished surface behaves with adhesive.

 

 

 

• Away from natural and artificial light

• Flat surface or shelf

• In a plastic bag or bin (or both!)

• Not stacked too high

• Consistently between 60 – 75 degrees Fahrenheit

• An average humidity of 50%

• Extreme changes will affect adhesive

 

We refer to a graphic as durable when it goes on a product intended for more than one use, usually far more. A durable graphic often must withstand harsh outdoor conditions, including water, sunlight, abrasion and exposure to chemicals. Not all durable graphics go outside, however.  The faceplate on your oven, for example, likely won’t see much outdoor activity.  It will still be exposed to cleaning chemicals, finger pushes and swipes, cleaning chemicals, high temperatures and even some UV light.

So if you’re manufacturing a product that will be subject to challenging conditions over a life of several years, you need a durable graphic. It should be engineered and tested in conditions that replicate or mimic field conditions.

 

The short answer is, we don’t require minimums.

We try to separate the volume and price as much as possible for our OEM clients. During the planning process, we work out a single price that we use over the course of the whole year. This allows us to run Kanban quantities so the client never has to change the price. This delivers cost certainty, which they love, in addition to eliminating the need to buy a high quantity to get a low price. In many cases, we also eliminate purchase orders, freeing up buyer time to work on more constructive activities than cutting PO’s. Clean up, smaller quantity orders are covered at that single price as well.

 

 Vendor (Romo)

 Managed (is responsible for)

 Inventory (counting and restocking all items in the program)

Check out our case study on the VMI program here at Romo. 

 

Simply, sunlight breaks down color. We’ve all seen that Coke can on the side of the road where the red is almost faded away. You may think it’s been there for some time, but maybe not as long as you think. Red color breaks down very quickly when exposed to the sun’s natural rays.

Color, in general, comes from two sources – dyes and pigments.

Dyes add color to all types of materials, including printed products like Coke cans.  Dyes do not perform well in the world of durable graphics. They degrade far too quickly in sunlight, no matter how you try to protect it.

Durable graphics use pigments for color. Pigments resist color degradation far better than dyes. The size and depth of the pigmentation matter a great deal. The outside of your car, for example, has a very dense layer of pigmentation, with specially engineered clear coats on top of it. The clear contains UV absorbers (similar to a permanent sunscreen) which block harmful UV rays before they get to the pigment. That’s why paint jobs on cars last so long.

 

The best way to address a suspect pack of labels is testing. Randomly choose 3 decals from a package. Clean the surface with isopropyl alcohol first and then apply. After 24 hours, bad labels will exhibit these traits:

• Edge curling

• Adhesive oozing

• Fading or discoloration of surface image

• Utilize a FIFO (first in, first out) inventory system. Use oldest products first.

• Don’t place large orders just to get the best pricing.

• Consider a vendor-managed inventory system. It starts with placing a blanket purchase order, create minimum and maximum bin levels and the vendor is responsible for filling inventory.

 

 

Let’s hit the topic no supplier wants to talk about!  Cost, cost, cost.

Of course, the short answer is, “it depends”.  But we want to give you some guidelines and understanding as to the factors that drive it:

Intended use

It makes sense that something that lasts longer, looks prettier and offers more functionality costs more.  That’s general true.  The more demanding the environment, the higher quality of raw materials required.  The raw materials often encompass three areas:

- Base material

- Adhesive

- Ink

Each category merits its own post, and we’ll cover each of them. And more durability doesn’t always mean more cost. The intended use makes all the difference.  or example, a boat engine may have different requirements on the same unit. Several pieces of art may go above water, one may be subject to submersion. What visually looks very similar may require different performance attributes. That’s why it’s so important to pick the right partner.

Base Material

In general, however, if your application is for a fairly non-performance sensitive graphic intended to be legible for a few years, we might find a mid-tier, versatile vinyl that fits that application quite well for reasonable cost. The same goes for other types of plastic (and btw, the majority of durable graphics use plastic as a base material) such as polyolefin, polyester and polycarbonate. Each offer a variety of classes (and thus costs) for intended use.

Adhesives

Adhesives depend on the surface in which the graphic is applied. And no, they aren’t remotely created equal. Decals go on glass, painted metal and all forms of plastic. The surface energy determines how well something will adhere to it (there are several other factors, we’ll stick to that for now). Traditional painted metal usually has a friendly adhesion surface (high surface energy), while powder coats impart a more difficult surface in which to apply a decal (lower surface energy). Even different paint lines from the same manufacturer make a difference. Not always, but it’s definitely worth testing before the products roll off the line with a different color.

Ink

Much of what we do can be summed up in one word- pigmentation. The proper pigmentation, and therefore ink, makes all the difference. But it doesn’t usually make a huge difference from a cost standpoint. If you need a durable graphic, you’re going to need a durable pigment. While there is a big difference between well pigmented inks and dyes, if you’re in the durable pigment area, unless it needs to be conductive, the specific variety of ink won’t impact the cost that much.

Average Price

To give you an idea of the average price, here’s pricing for vinyl decals, 3 colors and a protective coating:

4” x 5” 500 pieces $1.35 each

6” x 8” 500 pieces $1.95 each

Obviously, all of our decals are custom-made for each customer so price will vary. We pride ourselves on being an extension of our customer and believe the art on the outside says everything about the art on the inside.

 

 

Because we run low quantities relative to industry standards, we waste very little production time on graphics the customer doesn’t immediately need or want. This turns conventional wisdom on its head, because we set up presses much more often. We prefer to spend resources on set up reduction rather than producing large amounts of inventory. Lower quantities means our presses aren’t tied up running jobs where most of the quantity is going to sit on a shelf. That’s a waste of time and money for everyone.

Jobs naturally flow through our process quickly. We’ve produced parts in hours in emergency situations for our customers. You’ll never find a vendor who understands the urgency of a line down situation like Romo. Normally, a job flows through our plant in a couple weeks, often less. Big jobs might take more time, and new jobs require planning and engineering. 

 

Consumers use products in creative ways!  That means the decals and labels are going to experience abrasion. It could be running a mower under overhanging bushes, or bumping a boat up against a pier. Scratches happen. 

Surface-printed decals are more susceptible to abrasion. Coatings and laminates help protect them, but the ink is still on top of the substrate. There’s only so much you can do.

Another option is to print on the backside of a clear, durable plastic such as polycarbonate. The outside may get scuffed, but the decoration underneath stays until the part itself gets destroyed. This option is usually far more expensive and limited in terms of practical use. 

We conduct extensive abrasion testing in applications where the graphic will likely be exposed to scratching and scuffing. There are tradeoffs. If you’re having this problem, contact Romo or your current supplier to investigate engineering options.

 

There are so many answers to that question. For a simple explanation, see our step-by-step process to applying pressure-sensitive decals.

Application should be a factor your supplier takes into account when designing the decal with you.  Changing a shape slightly can make a big difference for your production people. Certain materials are easier to apply than others.  Masks and laminates can help as well.

It is not an easy process.  We try to make it as simple as we can.  If you’re having a tough time with decal application, connect with us and we’ll try our best help!