The other day we received a call from one of our competitors asking about our production schedule and how soon we could work on a full sized Mercedes Benz Sprinter. Interesting question coming from a rival. The customer had a very short install window due to a trade show that they wanted to unveil the new van at and the sign shop was at least two weeks out. You know you are doing something right when your competition is referring their customers to you! We were booked out two weeks also, but with some creativity, we made time to work for the nice folks at Electroscan.
We started with the art file that they had for the wrap. The splash of water that appears along the side of the van was purchased from an online photo store. The graphic measured a grand total of 16″. Probably not going to be able to stretch it to over 16 feet! Our graphic designers went to work with the file. We use a number of art resource sites but this proved a challenge. We found a file that was close to what our customer wanted but it wasn’t a true vector file (vector files allow for almost unlimited resizing). But because our designers are professional trained, and have years of experience, this wasn’t an issue. We were able to reproduce the image and through Adobe Illustrator, fill in the areas that didn’t look exactly the way our customer wanted it. The image was perfect. Now on to production.
We produced the three sides on 3M IJ180cv3 wrap grade material. We also laminated the print with 3M’s 8518 optically clear laminate. This image will look great for years to come. On the back of the van we used reflective vinyl for the red/yellow stripes. Because we use a HP 360 Latex printer, we can print the colors on the reflective vinyl and they look as good as cut vinyl.
The first part of wrapping a vehicle is to ensure that the surface of the van is completely clean. First, we wipe down the surface with alcohol, then water. As the vinyl went on, it was apparent that this was going to be a beautiful job. The colors were vibrant and really stood out. A little hand cutting to trim the edges and heat to relax the vinyl and we were done except for the unveiling. When our customer showed up to pick up the van, he commented that the van looked exactly like our art work. Imagine that. We hear that a few times every day.
So if you have a vehicle or a fleet of vehicles that you would like to turn into a mobile billboard please give Optimum Signs a call. We can be reached at 262.289.9481 or emailed at info@optimumsignswi.com. We can take your existing design and refresh it. Or use it as is. We can also start from scratch and create a whole new brand. At Optimum Signs, we get you noticed.
