Ski Builders Forum

Once we used JJETRIX KX7 printer for topsheet printing with primer but a few days ago we tried to use another type of printer for our topsheet plastic and it was deformed under the action of printer. I don't know the reason, I thoght that the principle of action of UV printers is the same.
Has anybody tried to use ultraviolet printing for base surface and topsheet?

Tried it, delaminated pretty much right away...there are so many different ink/printer manufacturers though, so there might be one that works. Apparently, J-Skis successfully uses a Fuji Acuity UV printer.

The problem you had with the deforming topsheet is most probably the type of UV light source. Modern UV printers have LED lights that do not get hot, whereas older printer often use UV bulbs that get very hot and this heat is what deforms the material.

chrismp wrote:Tried it, delaminated pretty much right away...there are so many different ink/printer manufacturers though, so there might be one that works. Apparently, J-Skis successfully uses a Fuji Acuity UV printer.

The problem you had with the deforming topsheet is most probably the type of UV light source. Modern UV printers have LED lights that do not get hot, whereas older printer often use UV bulbs that get very hot and this heat is what deforms the material.

Concerning delamination, first time we did printing with so called "primer", (provides better adhesion) and there were no delamination.
I heard that UV printing is weak, but primer fix this problem.
As for deformation, you are definitely right, reason is type of printer.
Now I am a little disappointed, since price for printing on modern printers with primer is twice higher and the type of topsheet plastic I use allows only silkscreenig or DDP (as I was told by by the company representative) and I newer tried both of them.
I would like to try silkscreening but I don't know about adhesion properties of inks...

Did you print on the inside of transparent topsheet or on the outside?

Our tests were done on the inside of transparent topsheet and after pressing some of the ink colors didn't stick to the topsheet whioe other colors stuck to it well.

Yes, we print on the inside. And everything was good with inks adhesion.
I feel that we will not use UV printing for our topsheet...(
In case of silkscreening, is the adhesion of inks better?

Don't know about screen printing. It's not really common in this forum as it only makes sense in mass production.

The reason I am asking is that there are not so many ways to print on our topsheet material. I thought that UV printing will solve our problem.