Need info on laminating poly carbonates etc

[ToddChapman]

Hello. I have been on google for hours and came up with nowhere.

I need to come up with a low cost solution for laminating glass with PVB or other poly as sublayer. In some cases there will be 1/16 or 1/18 glass on top of a sublayer of acrylic or polycarbonate. In other versions, there will be Lexan MR on top of a sublayer.

The point is to have a transparent top layer of glass or some poly material, the top layer gets digitally printed from the back side in reverse. The sub layer covers a PCB(electrodes for capacitive touch sensing(Qprox)). The panels are 4" x 6.6", and total thickness will be around 1/8" when laminated.

Can anyone recommend a source to do this lamination process on a shoe string? Ideally, some small oven or oven with press would be great, small quantity production is OK. I understand that heat and pressure are the method, but I see no small solution.

I have talked to big companies, but their processes are too time consuming and costly for prototyping and experimenting to get the right look. The quotes I have from several companies are not doable, so home brew is the only path.

Thanks for any suggestions on how to set up for lamination.

 

[patprimmer]

Lexan MR is polycarbonate with a special surface coating. I am not aware if it is available coated one side only. If so it should be easy to laminate with a solvent cement or maybe a polyurethane adhesive.

Also polycarbonate can be coated to give an MR finis. This is how automotive headlights are done. am not up to date on the inal method, but I know siloxane and PU coatings were on the short list.

Regards

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Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[unclesyd]

You might want to give Toray and Kapco a call. There a lot of PSA films available.

http://www.torayfilms.com/datasheet...al&PHPSESSID=05006a356ed1ebb14e6ced0478c5282a

https://www.kapco.com/cms/site/bfdc00c67312fea8/index.html

 

[unclesyd]

Forgot about this one.

http://www.cpfilms.com/

 

[ToddChapman]

Great. Plenty of stuff to work with with these responses.

Now that I have got some insight into how to do this, I will probably do 3 layers:

Top Lexan MR or Makrolon AR one side (.05")

Middle Graphic Layer. Ink jet printed Velvet Polycarb(.05")

Bottom Stiff acrylic for strength in black .1".

Now that the films are sorted, it's time to look at a low cost ink jet printer to print the inner layer. Then come up a hash marking scheme to lay the parts together and heat press in some type of small press (modified pan cake cooker--top and bottom heat), then laser or machine the entire thing, cutting the real border and required holes.

I appreciate your input guys, those are helpful for the layers needed.

 

[unclesyd]

Here is a very similar process to what you are trying to do, I think. I had this marked to checkout in my favorites for a friend in the Graphic Arts business.

http://www.contravision.com/index.html

 

[ToddChapman]

Nice product. In some cases that would be great, I did not mention however that my sub layer is drilled (or lasered) with small holes to allow a speaker to play through, there are also several holed to be cut that led's will load through the rear for back lighting. The center layer will only be drilled (lasered) for the speaker holes only and there will be transparent areas for led light transmission, as well, the top MR layer will be drilled for the speaker holes.

In reality, each part contains different cut-outs and drills that are unique to the layer, then all parts are aligned and heat pressed with or without a cement which remains to be sorted out.

 

[MikeHalloran]

That's sort of how these are done:

http://microadvances.com/

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA