How to Solve Common Print Problems with Novatex Graphics

When creating print projects and marketing materials, you may come across a few problems that stump you. You may be unsure what type of product you need, or what materials are best for your project.

At Novatex Graphics, we have been in the print business for over 25 years. We have handled almost every type of print project and can always offer our clients a useful solution to their print concerns. To help you problem-solve a few common issues we see, we’ve created this troubleshooting guide to help you get the most out of your print project.

Keep reading to learn some common print problems and how to solve them.

What kind of label do I need for this project?

If you’re unsure of what label best suits your project, reach out to Novatex Graphics and we can provide you with the right solution. Usually, a quick phone call is all that’s needed to determine the right label.

The labels I bought don't stick to this plastic part/piece. What do I do?

There are a lot of plastics out there, and there is no way for the average person to know what's in them. This poses problems when trying to mark them. There are a few things you can do with your existing decals which may improve adhesion. Firstly, you can try wiping the area where the decal is being applied with rubbing alcohol- and the higher the percentage of alcohol, the better. If that doesn't work, then you can try gently scuffing that area with some sandpaper to get a better surface for the decal to adhere to.

More than likely, though, a decal material with a high tack adhesive is required. Most manufacturers offer a material which adheres to plastics with low surface energy. 3M is the leader in this regard as many of their label materials use such an adhesive, even such diverse ones such as embossing foil and metalized polyesters.

I don't think a vinyl label is durable enough for my product. What other materials are there?

Vinyl or polyester labels are great for many products and uses. However, some products are going into harsh environments, such as mines, or the labels are going over buttons which are pressed all the time so they need to be thicker so that they don't wear out. In these cases, and in any place where a more industrial strength label is required, lexan or polyester is the best solution. These materials are much thicker than vinyl - vinyl are anywhere from 2-4ml thick where lexans and polyesters range from .005" to .020" thick.

These materials start out as clear (with varying levels of finishes) and are printed on the second side or sub-surface, as opposed to vinyl decals which are, usually, printed on the surface. What this means is that the print on the lexan and polyester is protected from the environment and use much more than vinyl is so it's ideal for the harshest conditions.

Lexan and polyester labels require adhesive applied after printing and, thanks to 3M, there are a wide range of adhesive types to choose from, such as Low Surface Energy adhesive, to thicker versions of each variety (good for labels going on to textured powder coats).

At one time, we could only offer screen printed versions of these labels, but our Roland LEF-20 allows us to digitally print small quantities of these labels now.

I need custom safety tags. Where can I get those?

Luckily, custom made safety tags are available locally. Novatex Graphics offers custom tags in a variety of materials such as Tyvek, synthetic paper, HDPE and rigid vinyl. All of these can be cut to shape and all of them can have eyelets if required. Rigid vinyl tags can be provided with a self-laminating feature as well to protect the information on the tag.

For any of your other printing related questions, reach out the experts at Novatex Graphics. As the industrial screen print leader in Saskatchewan and Alberta, there isn’t a print problem that we haven’t faced. Our experienced designers and print technicians are ready to create your custom print project today.

View our complete list of services here or get a custom quote here.