Hi David,

Thank you for inviting us, the process was very interesting... specially seen make a complete full wrap mug, handle and all.

I think the machine has potential

Ruben

David,

thank you very much for coming to the first demo of the Pictaflex Technology yesterday at Lipchip Solutions. I appreciate your interest and the community interest in our new 3D decorative technology. I am happy to answer questions posed directly on this forum regarding the technology. Members can also contact us directly regarding commercial questions. ICI-Imagedata greatly appreciate the opportunity to share knowledge of the Pictaflex Process via this forum. I promise to keep the commericals out of the discussion.

Thank you,

Kevin Howes
North American Sales Manager
ICI-Imagedata

Wow, I looked at the flash video they had and it does look awesome.

Something else to put on the wish list :) 

Thank you Kevin.

We appreciate your participation.

One question that came to mind, is the UV resistance of the images.

From the sample products I saw at the demo, some, i.e. automobile door handle inserts (if that's what you call them) and the motorcyle dash board surround, while showing great potential for higher-end applications, will most likely see steady exposure to UV light, which would bring the longevity of the image into question.

I'm pretty sure, most people buying those custom components, will do so, with an assumption of permanence.

Dear All,

Please let me take this opportunity to introduce myself. I am Charles Sargeant Pictalfex project manager for ICI Imagedata, and work along side Kevin Howes (our North American Sales Manager).

May I take this initial opportunity to thank David for inviting me to discuss any queries that you may have regarding Pictaflex in this forum.

I appreceiate that this is not a forum that appreciates commercial pitches, however I am willing to answer any questions that you may regarding the technology.

I look forward to hearing from you all.

"One question that came to mind, is the UV resistance of the images.

From the sample products I saw at the demo, some, i.e. automobile door handle inserts (if that's what you call them) and the motorcyle dash board surround, while showing great potential for higher-end applications, will most likely see steady exposure to UV light, which would bring the longevity of the image into question."

David,

with regard to UV resistance here is what we know thus far.

Our accelerated testing (xenon arc test) indicated 6 year office light environment aging when the inks were used in conjunction with our lacquer (diffusion coating.) The lacquer is sometimes required for parts where the material can't accept direct diffusion. In this accelerated testing we witnessed a fade of 5%.

Keep in mind that UV fading will be dependent upon many factors including but not limited to:

The substrate material
The inks
Whether or not the material has a base lacquer or diffusion coating
Whether or not the material has a topcoat (post diffusion)
Environment and use or abuse
Abrasion and pollution are other variables that can affect image quality life.

Thanks,

Kevin Howes

Dave,

the automotive parts we displayed did have the Pictaflex lacquer on them to accept the dyes. The use of lacquer is very much dependent upon the type of plastic. In the automotive industry those parts would receive several layers of UV protectant coatings to protect the parts regardless of the the decorative process. (Typically the process would be hydrographics.) Keep in mind that this is a new technology and process and have not had the time to complete a robust testing that the auto industry requires. However we are working on several industrial applications with expectations of good results.

In addition, I believe that for the kind of applications that are typical of
2D sublimation ,the Pictaflex process is at least equal in terms of durability. It is different though in it's ability to decorate 3D as you witnessed with the full wrap coffee mug.

Thanks for the questions.

Kevin

Thank you Kevin,

I'm looking forward to the advancement (and announcements) of the industrial applications.

As we witnessed at the demo, once people saw the technology, the synergy between attendees took over and the potential uses for the machine will no doubt multiply, as people find and exploit its niche markets.

Neat stuff! :-)