One of the most exciting aspects of the wide-format graphics business is how every day is different. Every customer has different needs. Every project has different specifications. And, to some extent, every surface has different properties that will affect how a graphic film can adhere to it.
宽幅喷印图形业务最令人兴奋的一个地方就是每天的工作都是不一样的，每位客户的需求不尽相同，每项业务也有不同的要求。并且，从某种程度上来说，每一个图形表面的属性不一样也会影响图形保护膜的黏合。
The issue of surface compatibility is all too often forgotten, but if the right questions are asked from the outset, it will be much, much easier to bring a project successfully to life, achieve the client’s objectives, avoid damaging property and prevent costly failures, by choosing the right product for the application.
图形表面兼容性的问题经常容易被忽视，但如果从一开始就正视这个问题，选择正确的产品投入使用，那么保证项目的成功完成、实现客户目标、避免财产损失、预防代价高昂的故障处理问题就变得非常简单了。
Getting the details
把握细节
Many sign shops get vague inquiries from customers, like “What have you got for stairs?” The answer, of course, depends on additional factors with respect to the scope of the client’s project. Stair graphics may be part of a long-term branding effort or simply a short-term promotional application for a single event. They may involve applying films to the horizontal tread surface and/or the vertical riser of each stair. They could be indoors or outdoors, applied to surfaces of stainless steel, glass, concrete, powdercoated metal or brick, among other material options. They might need to be applied over existing graphics—and the customer may need them to be easily removable later on.
许多标识商店都会向客户询问一个简单的问题，就像“你想让你的楼梯变成什么样？”当然，答案还是要尊重客户所要求的业务范围的其他因素。投入使用的楼梯图形项目可能是品牌长期推广的一部分，也可能只是单个活动的短期促销行为。他们也许会将保护膜覆盖在用于踩踏的水平表面上，或者是向上延伸的楼梯上。保护膜在室内或是室外都是可以使用的，它们适用于不锈钢、玻璃、混凝土、粉末涂层金属以及砖等材料的表面。它们经常需要被运用在现有的图形上，并且在今后不需要的时候，客户要求能轻松将其清除。
In this way, one initial question from the customer leads to many others from the signmaker. The same is true for other applications. When a customer asks for a door graphic, for instance, the signmaker will need to know whether the project is meant to blend into a wall mural or stand out for wayfinding purposes.
这样的话，客户的首要问题就会引导标识制造商去思考更多的问题，对于其他方面的应用也是如此。例如，当客户要求制作一个与门相关的图形时，标识制造商将需要了解这个图形是否能够与周边墙面相协调或者使方位导向标识更加的显而易见。
Indeed, appearance is a particularly important aspect of a project, even at the earliest stages. By understanding what the client feels would be an ideal outcome, signmakers can offer suggestions of product combinations he/she may not even know exist, such as metallic colours, ‘day/night’ reflective films for around-the-clock visibility or specialty cast films that can conform to extremely complex curves and textured brick surfaces. Films with ‘micro’ technology, for example, use the latest scientific advances in ‘comply’ adhesives to make wide-format graphic installation faster and easier, resulting in a smoother, bubble-free appearance.
事实上，即使是最早的阶段，外观对于项目来说也是一个十分重要的方面。标识制造商要主动了解客户的感受，向客户提供一些他们所不知道的产品组合建议，比如说金属的颜色、具有全天候可视性的“昼/夜”反光片和可以贴合极其复杂的曲线和纹理的砖面的特殊保护膜。“微”技术黏合保护膜，就是通过使用最新的科学技术成果，将保护膜黏合在宽幅喷印图形上，使宽幅喷印图形的安装更快更简单，安装后表面无气泡、平滑。
Adhesive duration
持续黏合
As mentioned, one critically important part of understanding what the customer wants to achieve is knowing how long the graphics will need to be in place. Indeed, the duration of a project is just as important to product selection as appearance is.
综上所述，要了解顾客想要实现什么，一个重要的问题就是弄清图形的使用期限是多久。事实上，产品的使用期限与产品的外观选择一样重要。
The length of time for which a graphic film will stay up effectively will depend exclusively on the type of film and its adhesive. The spectrum of options available range from permanent at one extreme to ultra-removable, changeable at the other, each with its own benefits and risks.
图形保护膜的有效黏合期限完全取决于保护膜的类型和粘合剂的类型，保质期范围可以从短期到永久之间变动。另外一方面，每种保护膜的使用有其利就有其弊。
Films with permanent adhesives are, of course, meant to remain in place for the life of the items to which they are attached. Typical applications include warning and safety labels on equipment.
具有永久黏合期限的保护膜当然是为了保证它们所覆盖的产品的使用寿命。这种保护膜多用于设备上的警告和安全标识。
Removable adhesives have traditionally been the most popular options because they can hold graphics in place until they are removed with heat and/or chemicals, without damaging a sound surface. Vehicle wraps, for example, are typically printed on graphic films with removable adhesives.
传统的可撕除黏合剂是受欢迎的选择，因为它们可以牢牢地将保护膜黏合在图形上直到它们被一定的热量融化或被化学物质除去，而不会破坏图形的表面。例如，车辆的外包装通常印刷在使用具有可撕除粘合剂的保护膜材料上。
With today’s trend of short-term branding for special events, pop-up stores and other promotional activities, films with ultra-removable adhesives are gaining popularity. They adhere well, but are meant to do so only temporarily.
随着如今品牌的短期宣传活动盛行，使用可撕除黏合剂的保护膜在短期营销概念店和其他促销活动中越来越受到欢迎。保护膜可以黏合得非常牢固，并且只是短期性的。
There are also two main categories of specialty adhesives for installation on less traditional materials. The first are for low-surface-energy (LSE) surfaces, which can range from the plastic sections of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to powdercoated metal shelving and racks.
还有两种主要的专用黏合剂用于安装在较为新型的材料上。第一种可以用于低表面能（LSE）材料的表面，全地形车辆（ATV）的塑料部分到粉末涂层的金属货架都可以使用。
While a graphic printed on a typical white vinyl film may initially appear to stick well to a certain plastic surface, over time it could become apparent the film’s adhesive simply wasn’t designed for such an application. It might not stand up to normal use and the application could fail.
虽然印刷在标准的白色乙烯基薄膜上的图形最初似乎可以很好地粘附在某一塑料表面上，但是这种保护膜的黏合剂根本不是为了这种图形产品而设计的，随着时间的推移，保护膜的黏合剂会渐渐失效，无法保持正常的使用，最终导致图形产品的损坏。
Such failures are caused by the plastic itself—specifically, by plasticizers inside it that help it look fresh and maintain its colour. These plasticizers can migrate out of the surface, creating an oily surface that in turn causes the graphic to fail.
这种失败是由塑料本身——特别是由塑料本身所含有的增塑剂所引起的，这些增塑剂可以保持塑料的颜色不变使塑料看起来一直都是崭新的。这些增塑剂可以迁离表面，在表面产生油性，从而导致图形产品的失效。
A film with an LSE adhesive is specially formulated to bond to these difficult, non-standard surfaces, so choosing the right product will allow the signmaker to stand behind the project with confidence.
为了解决这些困难，将保护膜和具有低表面能的黏合剂结合到一起使用可以产生非常好的效果。材料表面的标准不限，因此选择合适的产品能够让标识制造商更加得心应手地进行这个项目。
The second specialty category is for adhesives that can be applied successfully to stainless steel. For interior application surfaces, such as elevator doors, it is not typically necessary to stray from typical product lines; an ultra-removable adhesive is usually the right choice, as the graphics are most likely for short-term promotional purposes. With exterior applications, on the other hand, projects installed on stainless steel—e.g. tanker truck graphics—can easily fail unless they use specialty films and adhesives.
第二种专用黏合剂可以应用于不锈钢的材料表面。类似电梯门内部表面材料的应用，通常不需要脱离典型的产品生产线；对于将要用于短期促销行为的图形产品，可撕除黏合剂通常是正确的选择。另外，安装在不锈钢外部的图形（比如油罐车图形），除非使用专门的保护膜和黏合剂，否则很容易导致安装的失败。
A tanker truck, after all, is exposed to salt spray and moisture on highways, which react with its stainless steel cause the graphics to fail. A specialty adhesive for this purpose, however, will withstand the elements yet also be removable when desired, with heat and/or chemicals.
油罐车在高速公路上行驶，必然会暴露于尘雾和湿气之中，而当尘雾和湿气与不锈钢发生反应时，就会导致图形破损。然而，这种专门用于不锈钢表面的黏合剂既可以抵抗尘雾和湿气的腐蚀，在不需要时也可以用一定的热量融化或被化学物质所去除。
Cast vs. Calendered
铸造与压延
Cast films are designed for long-term projects, whereas calendered films should only be used for shorter-term graphic applications.
用铸造工艺生产出来的保护膜是为了长期项目设计的，而使用压延工艺生产的保护膜只能用于短期图形产品的使用。
Films that look alike may have very different properties. It is important not to send a less expensive calendered film to do a more expensive cast film’s job. Even if a calendered film has the right adhesive in place, if it is applied to a surface with deep grooves, it will fail.
外观相似的保护膜可能会具有非常不同的性能。重要的是不要把价格便宜的延压保护膜用在需要使用较贵的铸造保护膜的图形产品上。就算延压保护膜有一定的黏合性，但是如果将它覆盖在具有深槽产品的表面上，也并没有什么实际的作用。
In addition to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cast films, recent advances have led to the development of highly flexible and conformable reflective films, as well as non-PVC cast films, to meet a wide array of client objectives. They work well on vehicle wraps and highly textured surfaces, preventing the types of failures that can cost sign shops extra money or, even worse, their reputation in the marketplace.
除了聚氯乙烯（PVC）的铸造保护膜之外，逐年进步的技术正在带动高灵活性和反光保护膜以及非PVC的铸造保护膜的发展，以满足广泛的客户需求。它们在车辆包装和纹理复杂的材料表面上拥有非常好的保护效果，帮助标识商家减少了一些在故障方面的额外成本，更重要的是，提升了这些商家在市场上的声誉。
Enhancing protection and appe
arance
加强保护和美化外观
Moving beyond the customer’s objectives in terms of appearance and duration of use, it is also important to discuss how to protect the graphics from dirt, fading and vandalism with an overlaminate.
除了满足客户在外观和使用期限方面的要求，讨论如何通过覆盖层来保护图形免受污垢、褪色和磨损的伤害也是十分重要的。
Determining the best method for protecting graphics will depend on location and desired appearance. Many clients will want a matte finish for their indoor graphics, for instance, where a gloss finish would reflect too much light and make it hard to see the ../images. For printed vehicle wraps, on the other hand, gloss is the most-requested finish. And with graphics that are to be applied to outdoor surfaces prone to vandalism, a graffiti-resistant overlaminate is the best choice.
确定保护图形的方法将取决于图形放置的地点和图形的外观要求。许多客户要求他们的室内图形要使用哑光的材料，因为光泽度过高的材料容易对光进行大量的反射，从而导致看不清图像。另一方面，印刷车辆包装对于光泽度的需求就比较高，而且应用于户外产品表面的图形容易遭到破坏，因此一个防涂鸦的保护膜是好的选择。
In addition to standard overlaminate options like gloss, lustre and matte, there are also ‘ultra-matte’ and textured options like linen and wood grain, along with sparkle effects. So, in addition to protecting graphics, there are growing numbers of ways to help clients achieve the specific look they want.
对于保护膜的选择除了从光泽、亮度、哑光这些标准来考虑，还可以从亚麻材质、木头纹理或者是具有闪闪发光效果的材料这些方面来选择。因此除了保护图形本身以外，帮助客户完成他们想要定制的外观的保护膜种类也越来越多了。
Installing and removing graphics
安装和拆除图形
Installation is key. A sign shop can do all of the proper groundwork in terms of specifying the right products for the project, only to have a poor installation compromise the integrity of the entire undertaking. Even the best-looking printed graphics will look awful if they are installed wrong. It is important to make sure the installer has the right training and experience for the application in question.
安装是关键。对于一个项目而言，标识商店只要选择了正确的产品就可以将所有的工作做好，但是安装不完善就很有可能会损害整个企业的信誉。如果安装错误，即使是最好的喷印图形也会看起来很糟糕。重要的是要确保安装人员对相关安装程序有着丰富的经验和受过正式的培训。
The eventual need to remove the graphics is often overlooked at the outset of a project, but this is an extremely important factor to consider when selecting products. All too often, when sign shops quote a job, they do not factor in removal time.
拆除图形作为项目的最后一步，却往往在一开始就被忽略，但这恰恰又是在选择图形产品时需要考虑的一个非常重要的因素。大部分的标识商店在开始一项工作的时候，他们很少将搬迁的时间纳入考虑的范畴之中。
The average lifespan of wide-format graphics is becoming shorter, particularly with a growing trend toward ‘experiential’ marketing and branding. At the 2016 National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game in Toronto, for example, one of the event’s sponsors was a competitor to the venue sponsor. As such, changeable films were used to cover existing branding with short-term graphics for the duration of the internationally televised game. Afterwards, the graphics were removed cleanly without needing additional heat, simply by pulling them away like Post-it Notes.
随着“体验式”营销和品牌形象日益增长的趋势，宽幅喷印图形的平均寿命正在变短。例如，在多伦多举行的2016年全国篮球协会（NBA）全明星赛中，其中一个比赛赞助商是场馆赞助商的竞争对手。在这个国际篮球比赛中，可随时拆除的保护膜用来覆盖在现有品牌的短期图形广告上，之后，在无需更多耗费的情况下，图形被干净地拆除，就像撕下一页纸一样的简单。
Many sign shops unfortunately choose the cheapest film they can find—and the cheapest adhesive is a permanent one. In the end, they can wind up spending more on time and labour to remove the graphic than they did on preparing and installing it, particularly when it comes to surfaces like glass. Choosing the right film with the right adhesive can save a lot of time and, therefore, money.
许多标志商店选择了他们可以找到的便宜的保护膜，而便宜的胶粘剂是永久性的。到最后，他们就得花费多于准备和安装图形的时间和劳动力来拆除图形，特别是当涉及到类似玻璃这样的表面。选择合适的保护膜和粘合剂可以节省大量的时间，而节约时间就是节约金钱。
Product categorizations are also relative, depending on the application. A full vehicle wrap for a weeklong promotion using a typical ‘removable’ adhesive, for instance, will still be costly to remove in terms of time and labour, requiring a skilled worker and the use of heat and/or chemicals. There are now ‘ultra-removable’ changeable films, which even a non-skilled employee can easily remove from a vehicle’s body and windows in 20 minutes, providing substantial cost savings. These films also adhere well in cold Canadian temperatures, providing a competitive advantage in a market where other shops are spending more time and effort to do the same types of work with the wrong products.
产品分类也是相对的，具体取决于产品的实际应用。例如，将专门的“可清除”黏合剂使用在仅维持一周的促销车辆的包装方面，所耗费的时间和劳动成本依然是非常高的，并且需要技术熟练的工人以及使用一定的热量或化学物质来完成图形的拆除。现在使用“超快去除”保护膜，即使是非技术人员也可以在20分钟内轻松地将图形从车身和窗户上拆除，从而大大节省了资金。这些保护膜在加拿大的寒冷空气中也能保持良好的状态。与其他商铺花费更多的时间和精力做同类型的工作却用着错误的产品相比，这种保护膜在市场上显然有着更大的竞争力。
Guided in the right direction
正确的工作指导
By taking the time upfront to fully understand various products before finding the right options to complete an application, sign shops can protect their brand image and avoid the cost and time involved in having to redo a job following a failure. And when in doubt, signmakers should reach out to vendors and manufacturers that can help guide them in the right direction.
通过提前花时间了解各种产品，做出正确的选择来完成相应工作，标识商店才可以有效地维护他们的品牌形象，并在产品在发生故障后，减少重新启动工作时消耗的成本和时间。当产生疑问时，标识制造商应该尽快联系到可以帮助他们找到正确解决办法的供应商和制造商。
|
