Signs & Large Format Print
Three ways to make ink stay on the material
Clients usually ask not about the technology but about the result: how long it will last, whether it will smell, when it will be ready. But it is the technology that decides the answers, so it helps to understand how they differ.
Solvent printing (eco-solvent, mild solvent). The ink contains an organic solvent that slightly etches the PVC surface and lets the pigment 'bite' into it. The solvent then has to evaporate – partly in the machine, the rest over the following hours. It is a technology with a long history, especially for banners and vehicle vinyl. Prints are tough and flexible, and the ink is relatively cheap.
Latex printing. The ink is water-based, with the pigment surrounded by a latex polymer. In the machine the print passes through a heating zone: the water evaporates and the polymer forms a flexible film on the surface. The print comes out dry, with no smell. Latex is often chosen for interiors, wallpaper and vehicle graphics.
UV printing. The ink has nothing to evaporate – it contains monomers that bond into a hard layer under a UV lamp in a fraction of a second. The print is ready straight away, and the ink sits on the surface, so non-absorbent materials can be printed too: boards, glass, metal. We describe it in detail in what is UV printing.
Comparison in one table
| Feature | Solvent / eco-solvent | Latex | UV |
|---|---|---|---|
| How the ink is fixed | solvent evaporation | water evaporation and heat | curing by UV light |
| Ready for finishing | after outgassing, usually 24–48 h before laminating | straight off the machine | immediately |
| Smell | noticeable for the first few days | practically none | practically none |
| Direct print on rigid boards | no – boards are laminated with printed vinyl | rarely in practice, mainly roll | yes, also glass, metal, wood |
| Flexibility of the layer | very good | very good | good, less under heavy stretching |
| White ink | rarely | on some machines | available as standard |
| Typical uses | banners, vinyl, vehicles | wallpaper, interiors, vehicles, posters | banners, vinyl, boards, POS, signs, glass |
The table shows the typical market picture. Specific parameters depend on the machine, ink and material, so this is not a 'better–worse' ranking. Each of these technologies, run well, produces a decent print.
Pros and cons of each technology
Solvent – pros: proven outdoor durability, a flexible print that copes well with stretching vinyl, low ink cost. Cons: outgassing time before laminating and installation, solvent smell (for interior graphics you have to wait), no direct printing on rigid boards.
Latex – pros: no smell, dry straight away, good flexibility, popular for wallpaper and interior graphics. Cons: the material must withstand heating in the machine, which narrows the choice of heat-sensitive substrates; in practice it is mainly a roll technology, so boards are still laminated.
UV – pros: one technology for roll and board, direct printing on dibond, PVC, acrylic and glass, white ink as an underlay, no drying, abrasion-resistant layer. Cons: the ink layer can be felt very slightly under the finger, with very heavy stretching of vinyl (deep vehicle contours) cast vinyl and laminate have to be chosen carefully, and some substrates need a primer.
Why we use UV and sublimation
We mainly produce large format signage: banners, mesh, vinyl, panels, shop signs, POS, wayfinding. A single order often includes a banner, a few dibond panels and window vinyl. For that kind of work UV has a practical advantage:
- We print boards directly. Without UV, a dibond panel is made like this: print on vinyl, wait, laminate onto the board. With us the board goes straight under the head, and the colour on the panel and on the banner next to it comes from the same process.
- Time. No outgassing means genuinely fewer days. Our standard is approx. 3 working days, and with correct files 24-hour express.
- Width. Two industrial 3.2 m wide UV printers print banners up to that width without welds, and boards in full sheets.
- Interiors. The print does not smell and can be installed immediately, including in operating hospitals, schools and restaurants.
We print textiles in two ways: LED UV with a flexible ink for fabrics, and by dye-sublimation where softness and colour show-through matter; see dye-sublimation – how it works.
How to choose without knowing the technologies
The simplest approach is to turn the question round. Instead of 'solvent or UV', answer a few questions about the signage:
- Where will it hang? Outdoors, indoors, on a vehicle, on glass.
- For how long? A few weeks, a season, several years.
- On what? Banner, vinyl, board, glass, fabric.
- Will it be folded or washed? That points to textiles and sublimation.
- By when? The deadline decides whether express comes into play.
That information is enough to choose the material and the print method. In the quote we state what we propose and why. If you have a requirement from a tender or a client, such as a specific lifespan or fire certificate, give it up front. Prices of sample UV-printed materials: 510 g coated banner approx. €7–13 net/m², polymeric vinyl approx. €9–16 net/m², 3 mm dibond approx. €35–55 net/m².