Cast vinyl is a high-end self-adhesive vinyl wrap. Cast vinyl is mostly used for vehicle wraps or applications when a high-quality finish is required. Cast vinyl is more expensive than calendered films due to the manufacturing process. Standard vinyl printing wouldn’t be able to cope with deep curves and recesses so are of no use to vehicle wrap applications. A cast vinyl, on the other hand, is different. Cast vinyl can be heated and stretched into a deep recess without any issues. The ability to form shapes makes cast vinyl the only option when dealing with vehicle wraps. Wrapping vehicles does take experience.
My vehicle wrap has failed. Is it the vinyl?
99.9% of all vehicle wraps that fail are down to the installer and not the cast wrapping film. We have seen many instances of so-called experts fitting sub-standard graphics which have ruined a vehicle wrap.
What makes Cast vinyl different from other types of vinyl?
What makes cast vinyl different is the materials used and the manufacturing process.
Cast vinyl is produced by spraying liquid resin onto a highly polished cast paper backing. Due to the plastic not going through the calendaring process, the vinyl is super conformable and easily mouldable. Calendering, on the other hand, uses rollers to squeeze and heat the plastic into a perfect sheet. On a cast vinyl production facility the vinyl resin is sprayed onto the backing-sheet. The vinyl then drys and sets on its own and lets gravity do the settling of the plastic. This unusual settling process makes the vinyl set forming a thin layer. Cast vinyl when held up to the light is more patchy and inconsistent in thickness than a calendared vinyl as the plastic hasn’t been formed by heat or pressure. The result is a highly conformable vinyl. The vinyl is more conformable than calendered films as the ‘memory’ of the plastic hasn’t yet been set. Not being formed by heat or pressure means that the vinyl film will stretch into recesses and curves. Once applied the vinyl is then superheated which sets the memory of the plastic preventing the vinyl film from ‘popping’ out of recesses. ‘Popping’ is when a vinyl shrinks back over time once cooled, popping away from the recess.
Can I apply cast vinyl on flat panels?
Yes, you can. Cast vinyl can be used for standard flat panel work when a high-quality film is required. Cast vinyl usually is much more glossy than calendared vinyl and are less likely to scratch over time as the film is more supple and less brittle. If you require a super high quality long lasting vinyl film then cast vinyl is a definite must.
What is MDX wrap vinyl?
MDX wrap vinyl is a wrapping vinyl manufactured by Metamark. Metamark MD-X vinyl is referred to as a calendared cast. Even though not a full-blown cast vinyl, MDX is super conformable. MDX wrap vinyl is manufactured on a calendaring line; however, it uses higher grade plasticisers. The use of high-grade materials means that for most applications MDX wrap vinyl is ideal for the job. We have used MDX to wrap buses and vans of all shapes and sizes. With a little persuasion, we have seen used MDX wrap vinyl on the deep recessed of Mercedes Sprinters which are up there with the deepest light commercial recess that we have seen.
