Application:
An additional economic benefit with thermal transfer printing

The user

is one of the largest European manufacturers of travelling loading platforms. The product range includes traditional, general-purpose, foldaway and special-purpose loading platforms as well as vertical hoists and hoisting systems for handicapped persons.

Initial situation

Self-adhesive type plates – manufactured in a silk-screen process – were used in the past. In this respect a transparent polycarbonate foil was printed from the rear (single or multicoloured) and equipped with a self-adhesive transfer tape. Printing was effected in different colours depending upon the type of vehicle or field of application. Variable data such as production details and barcodes could not be implemented with this method. At the same time this manufacturing process was both time-consuming and costly.

The stock-keeping process was complex and the costs for the templates and screen were enormous. New kinds of type plates could not be made available at short notice.

To reduce costs and improve flexibility, a print system was needed that would enable the type plates to be produced in-house.

Solution from ELTEX

ELTEX TOP PROTECT 2 in 1 proved to be the optimum solution for an annual quantity of approx. 20,000 type plates.

All type plates are imprinted in a thermal transfer printing process and subsequently laminated with a transparent polycarbonate foil. The surface structure is thus identical to that created in the silk-screen process.

The printable foil is equipped with an extremely thick adhesive layer that provides for excellent adhesion to structured substrates.