ENWW 29
Polycarbonate sheet
Brand names examples: Lexan
®
, Makrolon
®
, Tuffak
®
Considerations
• In general, ink adhesion is better on polycarbonate then on acrylic or glass.
• However, the smooth, non-porous surface does make it susceptible to scratches and
scraping. Special precautions are necessary in the handling and display the printed piece
to protect it from abrasion.
• Adhesion can be improved with the use of a pre-treatment or primer, such as HP PT70
Specialty Polycarbonate Scitex Primer – part number CD574A.
Preparation
• Peel the protective film off one side, leaving the other side protected until finishing or
installation of the finished graphic.
• This material tends to hold static charge. Review and follow the steps in the Static
Electricity chapter of this guide.
• Ensure that media tables are attached and secured to the printer to provide a grounding
path for static loaded material.
• Wipe the printing surface with an anti-static tack cloth to remove static charge and any
dust or debris.
• If an anti-static tack cloth is not available, 90%-or-higher IPA on a lint-free cloth can be
used to remove dust or debris. Allow the sheet to sit out on the input table about 5
minutes to allow the IPA to evaporate and the static to dissipate.
• Depending on end-use application, ink adhesion may be an issue. Use of a polycarbonate
primer can improve ink adhesion.
Recommended print modes
• Photo Plus profile for applications that will be viewed from the printed surface. For
increased saturation, use Photo – Saturated or Photo Plus – Saturated.
• Indoor Signage Plus or higher quality for applications that will be viewed through the
glass and either a white ink overflood is used or white backer is applied over the printed
surface. Flip the image in the RIP software prior to printing for view-through applications.
• Photo – Backlit or Photo Plus – Backlit, using either Spot or Overflood modes, for backlit
applications.
Printing
• Select Clear Sheet when configuring and loading these media.
• Media placement detection is disabled when using these media. When loading the media,
it is necessary to enter the location of the left (user side) and right (service side) edges of
the media according to the Media Measurement Option selection.
• Use a Clear Sheet media profile from the RIP software.
• For applications that require fine detail, use the Fine Text option and/or lower the
printhead height from its nominal 0.085 inch (2.2 mm) setting.
Output handling
• Use clean, cotton gloves to avoid fingerprints.
• Take care when loading or lifting sheets off the table as media and ink can be easily
scratched.
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