Mini Van Wrap

Car wrap advertising is touted as arguably the best alternative to traditional forms of advertising like newspaper, television, and radio ads. The success of your “mobile billboard” campaign is dependent on several factors, including the chosen area, road behavior of the driver, route travelled, targeted demographics, and the type of material used for the wrap. The material you choose for your vehicle graphics will determine the lifespan of your ad. Here is some basic information about two common materials used in vehicle graphics and other large format printing applications:

Vinyl, Vedi, Vici: Conquer the Outdoor Advertising Scene with the Right Film

The versatility of vinyl has made it the preferred material for most types of outdoor signage applications. Vinyl films are composed of the same basic raw materials including polyvinylchloride (PVC) polymer, a rigid plastic. Plasticizers, pigments, and additives are added to the PVC to achieve specific traits. Plasticizers make the PVC flexible, pigments determine the colors, and additives enhance properties like ultraviolet resistance and heat stability. The more expensive the raw materials used to produce the film, the greater its durability. Vinyl films are produced either by casting or calendering.

Cast Films

Cast films are premium vinyl films that are very durable and highly conformable. Production of cast films begins by determining the formulation or list of ingredients, which are then mixed in a predetermined order at a specific speed and for a set amount of time to produce a consistent mixture. The liquid is then poured onto a casting sheet and “baked” in a series of ovens to evaporate the solvents. Once the solvents have evaporated, the vinyl film is left behind, which is then applied with adhesive coating. The casting process allows the film to become very thin and stable, as well as provide it with its paint-like finish. Cast films are recommended for car wrap advertising and can last between five to eight years depending on how the film was produced. They have the lowest shrinkage rate as well as the highest level of color retention and durability among all vinyl films.

Calendered Films

Once regarded as an economical and inferior choice, the latest calendered films can now compete with cast films. Calendered vinyl film is produced by mixing and heating the raw materials. The liquid is then forced through a series of calendaring rolls that press the mixture into a flat sheet. No solvents are used during production and textures are added using special cylinders so the film comes off the rollers as “finished.” Traditional calendered vinyl film is relatively inexpensive and thicker, making it ideal for flat surface applications but the latest and more expensive calendered films are now thinner and offer higher shrinkage resistance, gloss, conformability, and performance.

If you are considering installing a full car wrap that you will be keeping for a long time, cast films are the ideal choice because it looks like paint and conforms easily to your vehicle. You can use calendered films if you are thinking of installing partial wraps like truck side graphics and intend to keep the graphics on for only several months. To find out more about your vehicle wrapping options, contact the experts at Arete Digital Imaging.