Printed magnets and magnetic signage have long been a great specialty business for sign shops, offering additional revenue streams and repeat business from customers. Over the past few years, magnetic media has also become much easier to work with. In the past, output providers had to print to adhesive-backed vinyl and then mount the print to the magnetic media.
磁性印刷和磁性标牌长期以来一直是标识商店的一个重要的特色业务，它不仅能提供额外的收入来源，并且能够重复地为客户提供服务。在过去几年中，磁性媒介在工作中的应用越来越常见。过去，供应商需要打印出能够进行粘合的乙烯基图形，然后才能再将印刷好的图形安装到磁性介质上。
But printing onto magnetic materials has evolved tremendously since then, and today working with them has become a bit more practical. It’s now possible for shops to take advantage of printing directly onto magnetic materials using eco-solvent, UV and Latex inks as well as offering cost-effective ways to make easily interchangeable signs for vehicles, retail and in-store displays, and wide-format signage.
但从那以后，磁性材料印刷的发展趋势增强，若能够好好利用它们，会使我们在工作中如虎添翼，将工作做得更好。商店现在可以直接在磁性材料上使用生态溶剂、紫外线固化和乳胶油墨进行印刷，来为车辆、零售商、店内展示和宽幅喷印标牌制作简单通用又价格实惠的标识。
Magnetic/Receptive Trends
磁性材料/发展趋势
Jim Miller, technical sales, Adams Magnetic Products, Elmhurst, Illinois, points out that the day-to-day effectiveness of magnet media and magnet-receptive media presents excellent options for sign shops. “There are a number of benefits for magnetic-receptive medias and the popularity for signage and graphics applications. They offer much easier installation with no professional installers required. Magnetic media is also more portable. Gone are the days of fighting to ship and deliver ‘hard surfaced’ P.O.P. displays. Now it can be done in more cost-efficient freight and more manageable formats, rolled in tubes when using magnet/receptive ‘flexible’ media.”
吉姆·米勒是伊利诺伊州埃尔姆赫斯特的亚当磁性材料生产公司的一名技术销售人员，他指出磁性媒介和磁性材料接收媒介的日常功效为标识商店提供了好的选择。“磁性材料在媒介以及标牌和图形领域应用的普及，给我们带来了很多的好处，它们能够在没有专业的安装人员的情况下提供更简单的安装方法。并且磁性介质也更加轻便，运输和传送硬面P.O.P.展示器材的艰难日子已经过去了，现在它能够以更具成本效益的运输模式和更易管理的方式来完成传送。”
Miller says another benefit is layered add-on messaging options for either seasonal customers or applications where a “subliminal message” is needed. “For example, simply layer a '30% Discount' message on top of existing graphics, or layer key messages about a product. Lastly, graphic cost is another benefit. Today the sky is the limit for print technology and its flexibility; whether it is for use with UV, Latex, solvent, offset or flexo print technologies, a magnetic-receptive/magnet media is available,” he explains.
米勒说：“另外一个好处是对于季节性客户来说，可以分层展示需要“重要信息”，例如，简单地在现有的广告上显示‘折扣30％’信息，或者显示关于产品的关键性消息。最后，图形成本的减少是另一个好处，如今过高的成本限制了印刷技术的发展和印刷的灵活性，而用于紫外线固化、乳胶、溶剂、胶版印刷或柔版印刷的技术，都可以使用在磁性材料或是磁性材料等媒介上。”
Systems Approach
系统的方法
“Vehicle signs, calendars and sports schedules will always be at the top of the trends list for printing on magnetic sheeting every year,” comments Mike Gertz, marketing manager, Master Magnetics, Castle Rock, Colorado. “Magnetic graphics systems have seen a noticeable increase in demand in recent years. The combination of printable magnetic and magnetic-receptive sheeting has become popular because the system is versatile, cost effective and easy to use. The system provides vibrant, attention-getting color and works for small applications such as restaurant menus, P.O.P. displays, and store aisle directories, as well as large full-wall murals. One main reason for the increasing use of magnetic graphic systems is the ability to easily change out variable information or graphic elements without changing the entire graphic,” he adds.
科罗拉多州洛克城堡的磁性研究专家及市场经理Mike Gertz补充到：“车辆标识、日历和运动日程一直是每年磁性印刷趋势排居首位。磁性材料图形系统近年来的需求大幅增长，可印刷磁性和磁性片材的组合已经开始变得流行起来，不仅因为这个组合是万能的，而且还能够节省成本和易于使用。该组合能够提供充满活力和引人注目的颜色，适合用于餐厅菜单、P.O.P.展示、以及大型壁画展示等等。增加使用磁性材料图形组合的一个主要原因是磁性材料能够简单地变换多种信息或图形元素，而不改变整体的图形。”
Big Push for Retail Applications
零售应用的广泛推广
Jim Cirigliano, marketing manager at Magnum Magnetics in Marietta, Ohio, says there’s a big push right now to use magnet and magnet-receptive media in retail signage such as menu boards, in-store wall graphics and P.O.P. displays. “These systems allow retailers to easily change out their graphics for different day parts or seasonal offerings.”
俄亥俄州玛丽埃塔Magnum Magnetics的市场营销经理Jim Cirigliano表示：“现在在零售市场标牌上使用磁性材料和磁性材料接收媒介有很大的市场，比如将磁性材料应用于菜单板、店内壁纸和P.O.P.显示屏。这种组合使零售商能够轻松地改变他们的图形信息，以适应不同的单日或季节性产品。”
Cirigliano explains that these systems comprise two parts: magnetic-receptive media and printable magnet sheeting. “Printable magnetic sheeting is the magnetic media many printers are already familiar with, and consists of a rubber-based thin magnet with a printable surface layer that can be fed through a printer. Magnetic-receptive media looks similar, but is designed to mimic the properties of steel that make magnets stick to it. In other words, magnetic-receptive media won’t stick to metal—instead, other magnets stick to it.”
Cirigliano解释说：“这个组合包括两部分，即磁性材料接收媒介和可印刷的磁性片材。可印刷的磁性片材在印刷方面的应用已经非常广泛了，它由橡胶磁性薄片和可以通过打印机印刷的表层材料组成。磁性材料接收媒介和可印刷的磁性片材看起来是类似的，但是它是被设计用于模拟钢化产品的性能来使磁性材料吸附在上面。换句话说，磁性材料接收介质将不会被吸附在金属上，而其他磁性材料则会被吸附在它的上面。”
Cirigliano says as these systems are being used for larger and more prominent displays in retail settings, the wider-format media has become more popular because it allows for large graphics to be printed on fewer individual pieces, thus creating fewer seams when installed. “In addition, retailers are counting on their in-store graphics to be eye-catching and of flawless quality,” he says, “meaning printers are expecting high image quality and consistency of the magnetic media from batch to batch.”
Cirigliano说：“如今在零售行业中更大和更醒目的展示图形已经开始应用这个组合，宽幅图形印刷媒介已经变得越来越受欢迎，因为它可以将较大的图形印刷在单张页面上，从而在安装图形时不会产生过多的接缝。另外，零售商也正在依靠他们的店内图形来吸引人们的注意力和宣传他们产品的完美之处，这就意味着每一份由打印机输出的图形产品被期待着与磁性材料媒介有着相同的高画质。”
Vehicle Graphics Driving Business
车辆图形业务
Melissa Cannon, sales and customer service representative at Ads On Magnets, Castle Rock, Colorado, a division of Master Magnetics, reports that the biggest trends in the magnetic signage market that she is seeing is for vehicle magnets, food and beverage, and industrial labels. “Our largest demand is for vehicle magnets. End-users put logo and contact information for their company, and they prefer the versatility of magnets rather than stickers.”
科罗拉多州洛克城堡的磁性广告公司的销售和客户服务代表梅丽莎·加农在报告中表示：“磁性标牌越来越被广泛地应用于汽车磁性标识、食品、饮料以及工业磁性标识之中，其中，对于汽车磁性标识的需求是大的。终端用户提供他们公司的商标和联系信息，比起贴纸，他们更喜欢磁性材料的多功能性。”
Cannon reports they have fulfilled several orders recently for breweries and restaurants that use magnetic signage to label taps and dispenser handles. “These clients use the magnets interchangeably so they are able to easily remove and replace the magnets in a sterile environment. The durability of the magnets also rivals that of ordinary stickers or labels. Magnetic signage is superior to stickers in the food and beverage industry because they are more resilient to various conditions such as fluctuating temperatures,” she points out.
加农继续说：“我们最近已经为将磁性标牌应用于水龙头标签和自动售货处理标识的啤酒厂和餐馆完成了几个订单。这些客户可以互换使用磁性材料，以便能够在无菌环境中轻松拆卸和更换磁性材料。从耐用性方面来看，磁性材料与普通贴纸或标签也是竞争对手。在食品和饮料行业，磁性标牌优于贴纸材料，因为它们可以在多数条件下进行反复利用，比如在温度不定的条件下。”
A Welcome Addition to the P.O.P. World
欢迎加入P.O.P.世界
“From the onset of the magnetic-receptive print films the choices of using magnetics to solve needs in the P.O.P. world has been a welcome addition,” says Joe Deetz, president/CEO, Visual Magnetics, Mendon, Massachusetts. Visual Magnetics is a materials innovation company that has been transforming walls and surfaces since Deetz invented "magnetic paint" in 1992.In 2007, the company introduced MagnaMedia, the world’s first magnetic-receptive print media. MagnaMedia is a component of the award winning Visual Magnetics Graphic System, which is used by over 300 retailers as a cost-effective solution for in-store graphics.
马萨诸塞州门顿视觉磁学总裁乔·德兹说：“从第一次使用磁性接收印刷薄膜开始，使用磁性材料解决需求问题就成为了P.O.P.领域中一个受欢迎的方法。”视觉磁学是一个材料创新公司，自1992年Deetz发明了“磁性涂料”以来，该公司就已经改变了墙面外观和整体外形。2007年，该公司推出了磁性印刷媒体MagnaMedia。 MagnaMedia荣获视觉磁性图形系统大奖，被超过300家零售商作为解决店内图形改造问题的高性价比方案。
“The magnetic-receptive medias are lighter and perform better than their older cousin, the printable magnet sheet. They come in a variety of materials from polyester to polypropylene, canvas and fabric wall coverings. You can layer the materials with ease and change out the image without hiring an installer,” Deetz says.
德兹说：“与它的兄弟——可印刷磁性片材相比，磁性接收媒介会亮一些。他们从聚酯到聚丙烯，帆布到布艺墙纸，各种材料都可以使用。您可以轻松地对材料进行分类并更换图像，而不需要雇佣安装人员。”
Printing Directly Onto Magnetic Materials
将直接印刷运用到磁性材料中
Cirigliano says that printing direct to the media is the way to go and printing to vinyl and overlaminating on top of magnetic sheeting is a completely unnecessary step. “Print technology is allowing shops to output directly to the media and is an easy transition to make that will save time and money right away, without adding equipment or processes. Ultimately, printing direct provides cost savings, fewer lamination issues and overall better vehicle signs.”
Cirigliano说：“直接用打印机印刷的方法是先对乙烯基材料表面进行印刷，然后再将乙烯基材料层压在磁性片材之上，但实际上这是一个完全不必要的步骤。如今的印刷技术允许商店直接将图形输出到媒体，并且这中间不需要增加任何设备或流程，可以节省金钱和时间的简单方法。总之，直接印刷可以节省成本和减少层压问题，并制造出整体效果非常好的车辆标识。”
He explains that both the vinyl that a shop is buying to print on and the labor you’re paying to apply the vinyl to the magnet during your production process add costs to you. “Not only that, but the extra step and additional handling increases opportunities for a costly error to occur. There are major cost savings in letting the magnet manufacturer apply the printable surface to the magnetic sheeting at the factory, allowing users to simply print directly to the completed media.”
他解释说：“商店购买用于打印的乙烯基材料和你在工作中为了磁性材料而购买的乙烯基材料，会增加你在生产过程中的成本。不仅如此，额外的步骤和多余的处理工作增加了错误发生的机会，这也会增加你的成本开支。主要的成本节省方式是磁性材料制造商可以在产品出厂时将可印刷的表面应用材料覆盖在磁性片材之上，这样不仅大大节省了成本，并且客户也可以在已经完成的媒介产品上进行简单的直接印刷。”
Other Benefits
其他福利
Cirigliano adds that strange things can occur when you laminate vinyl over vinyl, especially when one or both of those vinyls is coated. “Most often the issue is the two vinyls don’t bond well to each other, which can result in the top layer de-laminating. Printing directly to magnets constructed at the factory with means-tested laminates for printing applications allows you to avoid this risk.”
Cirigliano补充说：“当您将乙烯基材料覆盖在乙烯基材料上时，特别是当这些乙烯基材料中的一种或两种都被覆膜时，就会产生一些问题，常见的问题就是两个乙烯基材料之间不能很好地粘合，上层的材料很容易滑落。工厂直接印刷的磁性材料，在经过针对性的层压测试之后能够有效地帮助您避免这种风险。”
He also points out that printing directly to the magnet is especially important for vehicle signs. “Outdoors, temperature changes and the elements can pull and shrink an extra layer of vinyl if you apply one, pulling the edges of the magnet up slightly. On a fridge this might not be a big deal, but on a vehicle, even a slight curl gives dirt, moisture, road salt and other debris a place to get underneath, lifting the magnet slightly off of the vehicle’s metal surface. This ‘air gap’ gives the wind rushing over a fast-moving vehicle something to catch, which is sometimes enough to pull the magnet off of the vehicle. For this reason, we strongly recommend printing directly to outdoor-rated printable magnets for vehicle signs,” he explains.
他还指出，直接印刷的磁性材料对车辆标识来说尤其重要。他解释说：“在户外应用乙烯基材料，温度的变化和其他因素会导致材料的拉伸和收缩，这时你只需轻轻地拉动磁性材料的边缘即可恢复原状。对于冰箱来说，这可能不是一件多大事，但是对于车辆而言，即使是轻微的卷曲也会使其下方染上污垢、水分、道路灰尘和其他的碎屑，从而导致磁性材料轻微地脱离车辆的金属表面。这种“空气间隙”一旦存在，当车辆在快速移动时，产生的风力有时候足以将车辆表面的磁性材料与车辆剥离开来。因此，我们强烈建议将户外可以使用的直接印刷的磁性材料应用于车辆标识。”
Print and Ink Options
打印和墨水的选择
Cirigliano explains that the other benefit from printing direct is that shops can take advantage of printing onto today’s magnetic materials using eco-solvent, UV-cure and Latex printing processes. He adds that their products offered are “optimized” for particular ink types.
Cirigliano解释说：“直接印刷的另一个好处是，商店可以利用生态溶剂、紫外线固化和胶乳印刷工艺在当今的磁性材料上进行印刷。”他接着补充到，他们的产品也会因为特定的墨水而得到“优化”。
“We sell a standard, ‘go-to’ product that works great for most solvent, eco-solvent, UV and Latex printers, but there are also magnetic media products that are optimized for specific press or ink types. For example, our new MuscleMag Latex product is specially designed to work with latex inks and carries HP’s certification for use with their 300 series of Latex printers. We’ve also got special products that work with certain laser/toner based machines that aren’t compatible with magnetized media: un-magnetized sheets that can be magnetized post-print. Plus there are variations of magnetic media that work best with offset printing, screen printing, and other processes.”
Cirigliano继续说：“我们销售一种标准的“定位”产品，适用于大多数使用溶剂、环保溶剂、紫外线固化和乳胶的打印机，但也有针对特定打印机或油墨类型进行优化的磁性媒介产品。例如，新型的MuscleMag Latex产品专门被设计用于乳胶型墨水，并拥有与300种乳胶印刷材料一起使用的惠普公司的认证。我们还有一些特殊的产品，这种产品可以和一些以激光或碳粉为基础的机器一起使用，但是这些机器不兼容磁性媒介：非磁性材料片材可以在被印刷后进行磁化处理。另外磁性媒介也发生了变化，它可以很好地与胶版印刷、丝网印刷和其他工艺共同运作。”
Working with Optimized Inks
使用优化油墨
Gertz says most printable magnetic topcoats for solvent, eco-solvent, UV and Latex inks are vinyl or a coating receptive to these ink types. “Aqueous inks can print direct to magnet that has a paper topcoat or one that’s designed to be receptive to aqueous inks. These graphics would need to be laminated to protect from handling or if using outdoors.”
Gertz说：“大多数用于溶剂、环保溶剂、紫外线固化和乳胶油墨的可印刷磁性面漆是由乙烯基材料或是可接受这些油墨类型的涂层组成的。水性油墨可以直接打印到具有纸面漆的磁性材料或设计为能够接受水性油墨的磁性材料上。这些图形在进行处理工作或在室外使用之前，需要先接受层压以达到保护的效果。”
Cannon reports that they use an eco-solvent ink to print directly to their flexible magnets. “This ink does not smear, run, or change in any way after printing. There is no dry time so we never have to worry about handling the magnets after they are printed. The eco-solvent ink is also outdoor and marine-rated, which is very beneficial for car magnets and other magnets intended to be in various conditions, including under water and in direct sunlight.”
加农报告说：“我们将环保溶剂墨水直接打印到柔性磁性材料上，这种墨水在打印后不会被任何方式弄脏、擦除或变形。因为不需要干燥的时间，所以我们从来不会担心在打印后处理磁性材料时会产生什么问题。环保溶剂墨水也是可以在室外和水下使用的，这对于汽车磁性材料和其他旨在处于水下或阳光直射的各种条件下使用的磁性材料是非常有益的。”
She adds that the magnet material responds very well to the eco-solvent ink that we use. “The piece looks complete, accurate in color, and is able to handle detailed artwork.”
她补充说：“我们使用的环保溶剂墨水和磁性材料配合得非常好。每一件由它们构成的作品都看起来十分完整、色彩合适，并且能够处理好细节问题。”
Magnetic Media Going Wide
磁性媒介与宽幅印刷
Miller says that they offer products in this area especially for wide-format applications. “MegaMAG is Adams Magnetic Products’ wide-format direct print flexible magnet sheet, available in both 40- and 48-inch widths for signs, screen printing, P.O.P. displays, digital imaging and more. It can be used for most print media applications and comes in 20 or 30 mil thickness. It’s available plain, with adhesive or with white PVC that works with most ink systems. We can cut or slit it to any length, and provide it on rolls or in sheets.”
Miller表示，他们在这方面提供产品，特别是提供针对宽幅印刷方面应用的产品。“MegaMAG是亚当磁性产品中的宽幅直接印刷柔性磁性片材，它可以在40到48英寸的宽度上进行标识安装、丝网印刷、P.O.P.显示屏安装、数字成像等等。它适用于大部分可接受厚度为20到30毫米的材料打印的印刷媒介。在平整的表面上使用粘合剂或者使用适用于大部分墨水系统的白色PVC材料，我们可以将其切割成任何长度，并将其使用在卷材或是片材上。”
He adds that MegaMAG product works well with MAGbond magnet-receptive product, allowing designers the ability to create a seamless display measuring 60 inches wide. “MAGbond is our magnet-receptive printable material. It comes 50-, 54- or 60-inches wide, in 10 mil PET or 13 mil Art Paper laminate that can be used with most ink systems. It works in combination with all flexible magnet sheet and most existing magnetic wall systems,” Miller concludes.
他补充说：“MegaMAG产品与MAGbond磁性接收产品配合使用，使设计人员能够创建一个60英寸宽的无缝显示器。MAGbond是我们可印刷的磁性接收材料，它有50、54或60英寸宽，在10毫米厚的PET材料或13毫米厚的Art Paper层压板中，可以与大多数墨水系统一起使用。它可以与所有柔性磁性片材和大多数现有的磁性墙壁系统共同实现良好的工作。”
Magnetic-Receptive Projects
磁性材料接收项目
Deetz says it’s very important to educate your clients on the benefits that magnetic-receptive print medias will give the tremendous flexibility and ease of change as well as cost savings. He reports that they recently completed some interesting projects for a wide variety of clients including the UNICEF 70 Years for Every Child exhibit now on display at UNICEF’s global headquarters in New York City, which features stories and ../images curated from seven decades of working for children.
Deetz说：“让你的客户了解磁性接收印刷媒介所拥有的巨大灵活性、易于改变以及节约成本的优势非常重要。”报告显示，他们最近为各种客户完成了一些有趣的项目，包括为庆祝儿童基金会70周年而举办的儿童展览，其中展示了工作人员七十年来在为儿童服务时发生的故事和图片，现在在纽约市儿童基金会的全球总部展出。
Michelle Siegel, brand development specialist at UNICEF, New York, New York, says that the Visual Magnetics (VM) system was selected because it was ideally suited for the graphic design requirements of the exhibit, and it can be efficiently changed for future exhibitions.
联合国儿童基金会，纽约纽约的品牌发展专家米歇尔·西格尔（Michelle Siegel）表示，视觉磁学（VM）系统之所以被选中，是因为它非常适合展览的平面设计要求，以及它可以有效地改变未来的展览模式。
“The installation of the exhibit using VM upgrades the UNICEF visitors’ center for future exhibits,” says Siegel. “The dynamic system will allow UNICEF to use highly visible exhibition wall space to feature engaging and informative content about children.”
Siegel说：“使用视觉磁学理念来进行展览会的安装工作，将会提升儿童基金会访客中心提供的展览质量。动态系统将使儿童基金会能够在可接受高度的展览空间内来展示关于儿童的一切有吸引力和丰富多彩的内容。”
The VM system was also recently at Day’s Jewelers, a full-service jewelry store, with locations in Maine and New Hampshire. At the company’s new 5,400 square foot Topsham, Maine, location, Day’s Jewelers wanted graphics that were changeable, could easily be stored in a library-style catalog, and would gracefully promote the high-end jewelry brands they sell. The newest location has a store design that celebrates the Maine coast via a nautical theme. The new store features changeable imagery printed on Visual Magnetics’ MagnaMedia collection of magnetic-receptive media. He adds that Day’s Jewelers has also installed Visual Magnetics’ graphics in four other store locations.
Day's Jewelers是一家提供全方位服务的珠宝店，在缅因州和新罕布什尔州均有设点，视觉磁学系统最近也在Day's Jewelers中展现出它的作用。Day's Jewelers在缅因州Topsham建立了一个5400平方英尺的新店，于是他们需要一个可以随时改变的图形材料，在轻松地存储在图书馆样式的目录中的同时，优雅地推广他们销售的高端珠宝品牌。在新建的店铺内有一个巧妙的设计，这个设计通过航海主题来纪念缅因州海岸。新店铺拥有的图像可变材料被印刷在了视觉磁学的MagnaMedia磁性材料接收媒介系列上，他补充说，Day’s Jewelers也在其他四个店铺中安装了视觉磁学图形。
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