PVC Foam Board for UV Printing: 6 Quality Checks

PVC foam board is commonly used for UV printing, to create advertising signage, display boards and internal promotional materials. However, not all sheets will give the same results. There are several checks you should carry out on the sheets before ordering larger quantities.

Sometimes issues can be found when the sheets are placed in your UV flatbed printer.

Let’s take a look at the 6 checks.

1. Sheet Surface

For UV printing, your sheets should have a clean surface and be fairly smooth. They shouldn’t have obvious scratches or dirt, oil and other contaminates. Whilst small blemishes may be overlooked when looking at blank sheets, once they’ve been printed they can stand out more, especially if you’re using darker colours or large areas of solid colours.

Pick a few sheets from different points of the pallet. Inspect them in good lighting.

Check for scratches, dents or any surface imperfections. Also check for any packaging or handling marks. If they have a protective film, check for any residue when you remove it.

Check for any surface issues that you would see when printing directly onto the board. This can vary dependent on the formulation and surface.

Don’t assume a smooth sheet will have good adhesion.

If you're comparing materials for printing, you can also look at our PVC free foam sheet for signage and printing.

2. Flatness

For a UV flatbed printer, you’ll need the boards to have a print head to surface distance within the manufacturers’ recommendations.

If the sheet warps, it could cause issues.

For example, you may have a sheet which is 5mm thick but slightly curved along the length of the sheet. When placed onto the printing table, you’ll have sections of the sheet which are higher than others.

This impacts your printing quality and can cause a higher risk of printhead strikes.

Check that you have flat sheets. This is especially important if you’re printing larger sheets, like 1220 x 2440mm.

Place your sheet onto a suitable flat surface to ensure there is no warping or twisting. When testing on your printer, ensure that there is no raised areas due to the vacuum table holding the sheet.

Boards stored vertically without correct support or at uneven temperatures could warp.

If you’re supplying PVC foam board to printing companies, it’s worth speaking to your manufacturer about the flatness requirements.

For more on dimensional checks, see our guide, PVC Foam Board Tolerances You Should Know.

3. Surface Energy & Ink

This is often something people overlook.

The surface must be wettable by the UV inks. If the surface energy isn’t suitable for the ink system, the ink may not flow or adhere as intended.

However, the surface energy isn’t everything.

Depending on your UV inks, primers, curing settings and formulation of your PVC foam board, you may get different results.

Your printer may get acceptable adhesion without any cleaning or surface treatment, whilst others may need some cleaning or a suitable primer.

If you’re purchasing for regular printing, speak to your printer/ink supplier to find out what surface conditions they would like.

A dyne test can help provide some useful information, however, you shouldn’t rely on this. It’s best to test your board with the same ink, printer and curing settings you would be using.

4. Ink Adhesion

Sometimes you can get good quality prints but then have adhesion issues.

To check your printed surface:

1. Print a test sample with your usual settings. Let it reach the condition your ink supplier recommends.

2. Complete an adhesion test. This could be a crosshatch test. Complete with an agreed method.

3. Check for any peeling, flaking or lifting.

If you have signs that will be handled, cut, drilled or installed, you may want to check how the printed surface reacts.

Remember to check your curing settings. Adhesion could be caused by the surface of your board but could also be due to the ink, incorrect curing or contamination.

Not always will you need to change your board. It’s best to check the whole printing process.

5. Colour & Surface

As a distributor, you may find it as important to have consistent sheets.

Imagine supplying white PVC foam boards to a customer for lots of retail display panels. If there is a noticeable difference in the base colour of the sheets, the final prints may not match. This is especially the case if you’re leaving areas of white or using transparent inks.

The surface can also vary. If one sheet has a different texture or sheen, this could impact the final appearance.

Pick sheets from different pallets and compare them in the same lighting.

For more demanding applications, colour can be measured using an agreed instrument and colour difference method.

It’s also worth checking the surface of the board. Some customers may prefer a matte finish whilst others may require a different surface for their printing.

Before reordering, ensure that the colour and surface requirements are in the approved spec.

For buyers comparing different sheet structures, our article on PVC free foam, Celuka and co-extruded board explains how material choice can depend on the final application.

6. Test Different Batches

Just because you’ve tested one sheet and it printed well, doesn’t mean that all the shipments will be the same.

As a distributor for advertising materials, your customers may be using the same PVC foam board for months or years. They won’t want to change their printing settings each time a new container arrives.

It’s important to have consistent batches.

Ask for samples of the actual grade you intend to purchase. If possible, test sheets from different batches.

Use the same printer, ink, cleaning and curing settings.

Keep a record of the printing results. This can include adhesion, surface, flatness and any issues with handling.

For example, you may have a 3mm PVC foam board approved by your printing company for indoor signage. However, the next batch could have a different surface and the same UV inks may react differently.

Keeping a record will make it easier to determine if the issue is due to the board, ink or printing.

Speak to your manufacturer to find out how they identify their grades and batches.

For more on choosing a supplier for regular orders, read Choosing PVC Foam Board for Signs, Cabinets and Interior Work.

What To Confirm

When purchasing PVC foam board for UV printing, it’s helpful to agree some basic requirements.

Not all applications require the same requirements.

If you’re using your board for a temporary promotion inside, the performance requirements may be different to a printed panel that will be regularly handled or installed outside.

If you’re using your board outside, you should separately evaluate the durability of your UV inks and weather resistance of your board. Just because your ink adheres well, doesn’t mean your signage will last.

Final Thoughts

PVC foam board can be a great option for UV printing. However, there are several factors to consider.

The surface, flatness, ink compatibility, adhesion, colour and batch quality can all impact your final result.

As a distributor or printing company, it’s best to test samples with your actual printing equipment. Agree the important requirements.

If you need to source PVC foam board for signage or UV printing, let us know the thickness, sheet size and application you require. We can also help you by finding out any ink adhesion or surface requirements you may have. Our team can review the specifications with you.

You can contact Goldensign to discuss your sheet specifications before placing a bulk order.