The Ultimate Wrap Experience demonstration was conducted several times each day at SGIA. Large crowds gathered to learn the latest and greatest in vehicle wraps. The Ultimate Wrap Experience covered every step of the wrap process. From concept to installation and everything in between.

1. THE ULTIMATE
WRAP EXPERIENCE
A Professional Vehicle Wrap
Workflow Demonstration
From Start To Finish
Sponsored By

2. DESIGN & LAYOUT
The most important factor in any wrap / partial / graphic is the art itself.
The art or “the look” is what the client is buying, and its the image that the vinyl shop
will ultimately print, tranfer onto vinyl, laminate, and apply to the vehicle.
Aurora Graphics Is All About The Art!
Our website www.auroragraphics.net contains the largest library of wide and
grand format digital art in the world. Visit us at SGIA as we demonstrate how to
use the art including the Aurora Graphics “Wrap Design Studio”. The “Wrap Design
Studio” quickly and easily creates virtual mockups before final approval & printing.
Remember
The Art Is What Your Client Is Buying
The vinyl is a means to transfer it to the vehicle.
For more information about vehicle layout &
graphics, please contact Aurora Graphics at:
1-316-838-2000
www.auroragraphics.net

3. PREFLIGHT& RIP
The Raster Image Processor, or RIP, is the vital component to get the artwork to print
correctly for size, position, shape, and most importantly color.
Vehicle graphics must be printed with exactly the right size and color. Multiple strip
graphics must also align perfectly and match perfectly. ONYX® PosterShop® and
ProductionHouse™ software products provide the most powerful functionality for
vehicle graphic producers. They drive even high-speed printers like the ColorPainter
H series flawlessly and take advantage of the extreme 8 color ink set offered by the
ColorPainter - including the ability to RIP true monochrome images using just 3 colors
(black, gray and light gray).
PosterShop Feature Highlights
Printers Supported
• 2 Active Printers
• Print to 2 Aqueous Ink Jet, Entry Level Solvent, Large Format Solvent, UV
Flatbed Printers
• RIP / Processing Support
•1 Active RIP (Native PDF, PS, and Raster Image Process)
• RIP-and-Print on the Fly
Top Product Benefits/Features
• Smooth Smart 16-Bit color gradients and blends for perfectly-looking large
vehicle wraps
• Includes standard media color profiles for top vehicle wrap media
• Easy installation that gets you into production quickly
• Automated and custom tiling and nesting tools for maximum media savings
• Reduce production costs by building automated and unattended Print-only
and Print-and-Cut workflows
• Native PDF, EPS and Raster image processing for efficient and reliable
reproduction from creative applications
• Automatic PANTONE®, RAL and HKS Spot Color Matching
• PrintMetryx JobView job and cost tracking
For more information about vehicle preflight
and RIPing, please contact Onyx Graphics at:
1-800-828-0723
www.onyxgfx.com

4. PRESSURE SENSITIVE FILMS
The Avery MPI 1005 Supercast Series, a
line of super conformable cast vinyl films, is
the newest line of vehicle wrap products
developed by Avery Dennison. Supercast
films are digitally printable and feature
enhanced conformability and stay down
over complex curves and rivets with no
tenting or lifting – a new option that is
ideal for vehicle wraps, fleet graphics and
architectural applications.
Avery Dennison films featuring Easy Apply
and Easy Apply RS technology allow most Avery Graphics offers a full spectrum of
installers to achieve high quality results and cast and calendered overlaminates with
typically complete the job in less time than Gloss, Luster and Matte finishes. As a rule,
with most other films. When combined cast overlaminates should be paired with
with Avery Digital Overlaminates, it’s a cast vinyl and calendered overlaminates
strong combination that can be applied to should be paired with calendered vinyl.
complex curves and rivets. Overlaminates provide durability through
resistance to abrasion, scratching and
“I’ve been installing vehicle wraps for UV-light and in general increase the
many years and the Avery MPI 1005 lifespan of the graphic, meet functional
Supercast films are simply one of the most requirements such as UL approval for
conformable films I’ve worked with,” said floor graphics and are available with a
Justin Pate, a globally recognized graphic variety of finish options.
installer with 14 years of experience. “It’s
like driving a super luxury car and it did
everything I have always wanted a film
to do with the greatest of ease. The print
quality is top shelf and wraps are faster and
easier to install and the colors really pop.”
Visit Avery at booth # 3069
For more information about Avery Graphics
Films, please contact us at:
1-800-282-8379
www.na.averygraphics.com

5. PRINTER & INK
Creating eye-popping vehicle graphics is a
business, so your printer and ink must give
you a competitive advantage in the area
of output quality, turnaround time, output
longevity, and/or long-term reliability.
Today, only solvent printers can provide
the rich glossy colors required by vehicle
wrap customers, and only solvent printers
can deliver repeatable prints day in and
day out without heat-related distortion
and color imperfections associated with
Latex printers. Avoid yellow inks without nickel as they
will fade substantially faster than yellow
Solvent printers come in many sizes and inks with nickel. Eco-solvent inks that have
prices, but the most common size for a lower odor, and lower levels of solvent
vehicle graphics is 54” - 64” wide, with true inks often sacrifice adhesion, lightfastness
720 x 720 dpi and at least 6 colors. Higher and color gamut. Seiko’s line of low-
resolution printers are often too slow to be solvent inks have the very largest color
commercially viable in the vehicle graphic gamut in the industry and the longest
business where “time is money”. And outdoor durability. And they offer superior
high-volume printers are better served rich glossy blacks and reds - which cannot
by buying a printer with industrial piezo be achieved on other printers with less
inkjet print heads versus a printer based on sophisticated inks.
desktop Epson
inkjet heads. ColorPainter printers from Seiko
Instruments have been the leading
Solvent inks also printer for professional vehicle graphics
come in many for over 7 years. And ColorPainter is the
flavors such as only solvent printer line in the industry
eco-solvent, low-solvent, real solvent, to give customers two choices: the
etc. For rich, glossy colors that have the ColorPainter V-64s for professional vehicle
outdoor durability and graphics producers, and the high-speed
lightfastness required for ColorPainter H-74s for high-production
vehicle graphics, choose facilities. Both are backed by the industry’s
a low-solvent or true best output warranties from leading PVC
solvent ink. manufacturers, and excellent after-sales
support and service.
For more information about printing and vehicle
inks, please contact Seiko Instruments USA at:
1-800-264-1272
www.seiko-i.com

6. LAMINATE & LAMINATION
Lamination is a critical and sometimes
overlooked step in creating “THE
ULTIMATE WRAP EXPERIENCE”.
Lamination gives graphics additional
weight and body that will make
installation easier. Lamination can also
enhance colors, making graphics more
vivid while providing an important layer
of protection from UV rays, road debris,
To compliment AGL’s industry proven
dirt and grime. Remember, lamination
equipment are AGL’s industry proven
is just as important to enhancing and
laminates. AGL laminates are made of
protecting digital graphics as clear coat
the highest quality materials to provide
is to enhancing and protecting painted
consistent, high quality output every
surfaces.
time. AGL’s Cover-Rite V2 laminate
revolutionizes the industry by providing
What puts AGL laminators in a class by
the only step saving, mistake proof
itself? AGL laminators are built in the
laminate on the market. This single
United States using American made
product incorporates a built in pre-mask
components. You won’t find flimsy plastic
to protect the surface of the image. It
covers and supply shafts that look more
also absorbs any excess film tension,
like rotisserie skewers on our equipment.
ensuring your output is flat and ready for
And the heart of every AGL laminator
installation.
are all steel, non crowned rollers with
a high release silicone rubber covering.
Visit booth 2435 to see how AGL
Our roller design ensures graphics and
can help your company work
laminates feed flat and evenly and will
smarter!
greatly reduce the amount of prints
destined for the trash. In addition, all AGL
laminators are pneumatically controlled,
giving operators absolute precision and
control at their fingertips. Now, more than
ever, it’s important to understand your
applications and to have the right tool for
the job!
For more information about vehicle laminates
and laminators, please contact AGL at:
1-800-276-2664
www.aglinc.com

7. VEHICLE PREPARATION
Just like building a home, a wrap is similar and follow the manufacturers
in the preparation stages. Similar in the instructions and ALWAYS follow up
sense, that the final product (the wrap) is with IPA to clean off the film that will
only as good as it’s foundation. Not paying be left behind.
attention to the details when preparing the • De-badging: In the event you
intended surface to be wrapped can defeat need to remove decals and badging
you before you even start. Here are a few from the vehicles surface be sure to
tips to help insure you’ve properly prepared exercise caution with this as some
your surface. adhesives that are used by the
OEMs can be quite aggressive and
Squeaky Clean is the key to good adhesion! can possibly cause damage to the
To execute this, there are steps you’ll need intended surface during the removal
to take to insure a solid foundation that will process.
promote adhesion. • Ambient Temperature: Planning
• Wash the vehicle thoroughly 24 hours ahead is absolute on either end of the
before you intend to apply media. temperature spectrum, where and
• Pay close attention to all the Nooks and when you need to choose. Note any
Cranny’s (if the materials going to fail this is issues in this area can compromise
most likely where it will begin) your project. So pick and choose your
• Just prior to installation you’ll want to areas and timelines well as you’re
hermetically clean the intended surface with the one that’ll be warranting the
Ideally, isopropyl alcohol. Again the Nooks application! (Ideal installation Temp:
and Cranny’s. 65-75degreesF)
• In the event the vehicle is damp or wet Too high and material will become
just prior to installation you will need to very supple! (Over 80F)
absolutely dry the expansion joints and Too Low and the material will
seams thoroughly. As the Digital medias become brittle! (Under 60F)
for wrapping vehicles today are all dry • Cleaning Solutions needed for
installations!! good prep: Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA),
• Road tar and bug removal: In many Xylene, Terry cloth towels, Microfiber,
cases it is necessary to use more aggressive Box of Rags.
chemistry to remove these types of
contaminants. We use Xylene in this
situation. Though not as aggressive as During SGIA 2010, we’ll spend time on this area
some other cleaning solutions if applied of surface preparation. And we will answer
questions regarding specifics during the show
properly to an OEM painted surface it will times posted at the booth.
easily emulsify those contaminants. Be safe
For more information about vehicle preparation,
please contact Apewraps at:
1-619-435-0624
www.apewraps.com

8. WRAP INSTALL
Now that you’re vehicle/surface is Squeaky Squeegees: Teflon® type, Soft style fabric/
Clean It’s time to apply. Here is a checklist of micro-fiber and Felt
how to get it right the First Time. Gloves: Wrap Gloves™ specifically
designed for graphics. They conform to the
Area: It’s imperative that the area that you hands and easily slide across the surface
will install in is clean and free of debris, without transferring oils and contaminants
preferably well lit space with 4 feet of clear to the finished surface.
perimeter to install comfortably. Knives: We
specifically use
Placement: “Measure Twice Stick it Once” is the brand
the old adage, that is spot on for a successful OLFA® as this
install. With either Tape or Magnets, you’ll manufacturer
has knives and
place the graphic onto the vehicle (backing is
blades that are
still on the media). In most cases magnets are precise and quality built.
best, as this will allow you to easily move your Heat Gun/Torch: Our people primarily
graphic into position. Once in position, use use an Automatic propane torch for your
a marking system (e.g. grease pencil/stabillo) everyday installations. However, you may
that will help you hunt those marks upon want to start with a heat gun until you
removal of the backing. In the case of our car become familiar with the torch.
here at the show the body is aluminum so Burnishing tools: Brushes that come in
we’ll be using the other method of pinning various sizes for tight areas like rivets and
seams.
the graphic, Tape (med tack painter type).
Tapes: Painters style tape (Med tack clean
Media: There are many types of media used removable), Pinstripe tape, not masking tape
today in vehicle graphics, primarily all being but an elastic type that will not break when
applying pressure(See the Blue pinstripe
an air-release type system. However, most of
tape).
those adhesives are High Tack in nature and Air Release Tool: There are many brands
can be more difficult to apply and reposition of this type of tool. Find Two and stash one
than others. So check to see how aggressive away.
you media is to determine how you’ll make Tape Measures: We carry different styles
your first moves in applying! but primarily you’ll want two types (1) that
conformable (e.g. 12 footer ½” width) and
Installation: As you’ll see here at the show a larger 25 footer rigid for longer runs.
it’s easier to show you than write a novel on Tool Belt: So you’re not chasing tools
How To. Tooling is one area that is imperative when you need em!
for a successful installation. Here is a tool list Cleaning Solutions: As spec’d on page 7.
and a few tips on the installation phase:
During SGIA 2010, we’ll spend time on this area of application and discuss the specifics on tools and
installation and will field questions regarding specifics during the show times posted at the booth.
For more information about vehicle preparation,
please contact Apewraps at:
1-800-xxx-xxx
www.apewraps.com