Application Film with Air-Egress Technology

Surely you have heard about air-egress vinyl films such as 3M Comply and Avery EZ Apply.  RTape Corp. has developed AT75, an air-egress application tape. The embossed surface of the AT75 facestock impresses a grid pattern of air-egress micro-tunnels in the adhesive for bubble-free lamination of the application tape to vinyl graphics. The advantage is that when you laminate this application tape to a vinyl graphic, it is virtually impossible to entrap an air bubble underneath the tape. That’s important, because if you trap a bubble or wrinkle in the tape, it often results in a bubble in the applied graphic. This unique property has made AT75 a popular clear film application tape in the European market. 

 

The deeply embossed surface also allows the user to tear AT75 by hand, in a straight line, for easy dispensing. In addition, the embossing contributes to the easy unwind of the film, which helps eliminate exhausting application tape struggles.

The slightly tackier AT75 adhesive system helps transfer problematic vinyl films and small lettering. Even though the AT75 adhesive is high tack, the tape is very easy to handle. If the adhesive side of the film accidentally folds onto itself, AT75 pulls apart easily without adhesive delamination! Following vinyl application, this unique adhesive releases easily from the applied graphics. This feature makes the tape ideal when installing wall graphics films, such as Oracal’s 631. 

AT75 is also well-suited for making ready-to-apply (RTA) graphics. During storage, the application tape’s adhesive system will not build to vinyl graphics, nor will the adhesive yellow or discolor. Because of the film’s rigidity, AT75 exhibits excellent lay flat to exposed release liners and   resists curling and tunneling.

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To contact Jim Hingst, write him at hingstjim@gmail.com or at Jim Hingst, PO Box 671, Chesterton, IN 46304 USA. For immediate assistance, call RTape at 1-800-440-1250 or 908-753-5570. Jim Hingst is the author of VinylSignTechniques, which is available at sign supply distributors and at Amazon.

 

About Vinyl Sign Techniques

In Vinyl Sign Techniques, R Tape Business Development Manager, Jim Hingst, provides a comprehensive guide to the vinyl graphics business. Built around his firsthand experiences working for major fleet graphics screen printers and pressure sensitive manufacturers, Hingst offers a perspective on the vinyl business that thoroughly covers sales and marketing, materials, fabrication, and installation and removal of vinyl products of all kinds.

By compiling information from 54 of Hingst’s columns, Vinyl Sign Techniques has something for everybody in the vinyl graphics business. In his book, Hingst provides ideas and techniques for graphics fabricators and installers along with advice for executives and salespeople that will result in higher sales and profits.

Hingst has over thirty years experience in the Graphics Arts market. His career includes a range of activities including product development, estimating, production planning, vinyl application, sales and marketing. Hingst has contributed more than 150 articles to many of the leading publications in the sign industry, such as SignCraft and Signs Canada. Currently, he writes a column for Sign Builder Illustrated , called “Hingst’s Sign Post”. For five years, he wrote the “Vinyl Graphics” column in Signs of the Times.

© 2013 Jim Hingst