so-fine self-adhesive products are delivered in rolls which should at all time be stored in a cool,dry place protected from sunlight and either suspended or standing on-end on the roll blocks provided. storage temperature should not exceed 30℃.prior to processing ,the self-adhesive films should be accommodated to the humidity and temperature prevailing in the processing area. Relative humidity of between 50% and 60% and temperatures in the range of +18℃ to +22℃ are considered ideal. Extreme variations between storage and processing conditions could lead to expansion or shrinkage of the protective paper. The result is insufficient flatness of the self-adhesive material and dimensional changes in the cuts.
2.preparing the surface
the high-quality special adhesive used on So-Fine self adhesive material create an excellent bond with just about any clean,smooth,weather-resistant surface which is free of grease, wax and silicon. for along-lasting bond, the target surfaces must be properly prepared . Prior to mounting the material, clean the surface with spirit and wipe it dry with a cloth. Gas bubbles may form between the film and the surface if any solvent remains as a result of improper cleaning or if the lacquer on the surface is too fresh. Allow at least three weeks to elapse before adhering the film to lacquer which has been oven-dried and baked.
spirit is recommended as the cleaning agent as other agents my under certain conditions ,attack the lacquer or reduce the adhesive strength of the film .
when using materials which tend to outgas ,such as polycarbonate or polystyrene products, we recommend the following steps .clean the surface , mount a piece of film to it and store at +60℃ for 24 hours . if after this time bubbles have formed in the bond, outgassing is still taking place .so either heat-treat the plastic or store it for an extended period at room conditions.
3. Applicantion temperatures So-Fine adhesive materials should never be adhered at temperatures below +10℃. A significant drop in temperature should be avoided during the first 24 hours after adhesion. Should this nonetheless occur, we recommend treating the film with hot air from a hair dryer.
4. Adhesion There are two major methods of adhesion: dry and wet adhesion. Wet adhesion is only recommended fot PVC films .
For dry adhesion, first arrange the film cut on the surface to which it is to be adhered and press it firmly to the surface at one corner. Then adhere the remainder by bringing a plastic squeegee (for coated PVC films only use felt squeegees) across the film in overlapping sweeps.
Wet adhesion should only be done when tempreatures are at least +18℃ .spray the exposed adhesive Side with low-surface-tension water (water mixed with a flushing agent, don’t use concentrated agents) and lay it upon the receiving surface. then position the film cut as desired. it is the ease of precise positioning which is the great advantage of the wet adhesion method. Press the film to the surface using sweeping , overlapping motions. Ensure that the water is completly squeezed out from between the surface and the adhesive.
The bond is improved if the film is pressed again aftera few hours. If the wet method is used on materials with dipersion adhesive the adhesive turns white a process that is reversed after some time .the time it rakes till the adhesive is clear again depends on the surrounding conditions like temperature, humidity, and others.
If you work on an extensive project needing more than one roll of a film series we recommend to use only materials with one batch to avoid even the slightest deviations in the apprearance of the printed image.
