Vehicle Wraps:
How Do They Do It?

(Click the photos to see a larger version.)

We've all seen them: cars, buses, trolley cars, and trucks decked out in full-color images. More like full-body tattoos, if you ask me.

I always wondered how this was done, and I started paying attention to articles I found at www.SGIA.org. SGIA is the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association, and I am a member. Their site, as well as their newsletters and other publications, is chock full of excellent content.

Through my association with SGIA, I found Judd Morgan of USA Image in Louisville, KY. Last May, I interviewed Judd about building wraps (Print Tip May 12, 2008) and figured, heck, if they can wrap a building, they can wrap a vehicle.

USA Image does indeed wrap vehicles, so I interviewed Judd, head of Sales/Marketing, about this specialty.

MD: Judd, what's the basic process for a vehicle wrap?

It's a series of steps. Here's how it goes:

1. Vehicle Appraisal/Request for Quote - This is not a monetary appraisal, but rather an evaluation of the overall requirements of the vehicle and condition of the vehicle paint. Oxidized paint has a powdery consistency and will not allow the vehicle wrap material to adhere correctly. Compound curves (curves that extend in several directions at once, think of a front fender near the headlight) are more difficult to install and will take more installer time.

2. Measuring and Photography - This can be done at the same time as step #1. It's important to have the designer and installer working together on this step to account for any discrepancies between the vehicle template and actual measurements.

3. Printing - Our vehicle wraps are printed on one of our Vutek 5330 digital printers. The solvent ink set we use is very resistant to outdoor elements to ensure a long-lasting wrap. Wraps are usually printed in vertical overlapping panels to ensure registration of ad copy. Panels are trimmed and laid out in the same fashion that they will install so that measurements and overlap can be checked. So basically, your panels are like so: one driver's side laid out with windows, one passenger side with windows, one rear section with windows, one front, and one roof (if it is being wrapped). If you had one extremely flat vehicle it would look very similar to what you are now looking at. (That’s never the case of course, it can't be that easy.)

4. Installation - Depending on the level of difficulty, installation could take 12-16 hours. Some of the more popular difficult vehicles lately are Chevy HHRs and PT cruisers. These are especially difficult because of those compound curves we spoke of earlier. Panels are dry-fitted on the vehicle for alignment before installation.

5. Customer Pickup - This very important step is a great time for the salesperson and client to discuss the wrap and answer any questions they may have about proper wrap care, warranty, etc.

MD: What equipment do you use to create the vehicle wrap?

We have a Vutek 5330 EC 8-color digital printer, and a cold laminator for vehicle laminate.

MD: Tell me a bit about designing a wrap. Any special skills and software involved? How complicated is it?

When designing a wrap, it's critical to take detailed pictures and measurements of the vehicle and compare them to the vehicle template.

Basically, the template treats the vehicle as a five-sided box. The designer must layout designs while still keeping in mind the body lines, mirrors, moulding, and various nooks and crannies of the vehicle.

Ad copy/design should be configured to avoid these nooks and crannies to best present a cohesive and well-designed wrap. When providing a file directly to the printer, you should expect that the printer will slightly move objects to achieve this common goal. It's a complicated process that requires a very imaginative individual. A more mechanically suited designer would be more than capable of handling the actual layout.

As vehicle wraps have gained popularity, new software and design programs have been produced. Some take a 3D model into account; some incorporate different "fills" (think of a database of backgrounds, like clip art for vehicle wraps). Keep time and budget into account.

MD: Are there pricing guidelines you can share?

Pricing is based on overall sq. footage of material printed, coupled with installation time. I believe that a price break should absolutely be given for a job entailing multiple vehicles. It increases the overall printing volume of the job and allows the printer to eliminate some material waste, so why not give the client a price break?

Vehicle wrap materials are "cast" pressure-sensitive film and are more costly due to their manufacturing and raw material cost vs. the "calendered" films that are mounted to flat foam boards.

My best analogy for cast vs. calendered film is a baking reference. Cast films are like baking from scratch. A recipe for the film calls for premium ingredients mixed together at a certain speed for a certain time. A series of ovens evaporates the non-needed items, leaving behind a sheet of that wonderful, highly conformable cast vinyl that will spend its time as a vehicle wrap.

Calendered vinyl is mixed together and extruded between two rollers like pasta, or pizza dough. It's faster and more economical but should only be used on box trucks or flat side vehicles such as transit advertising. If your vendor does not know the difference, then simply say thank you and back out the door.

MD: Are wraps totally customizable?

Any wrap should be as customizable as you wish; you are only limited to the size of the vehicle. If the budget is tight and the promotion is short, try a half wrap. Wrapping half the vehicle can save money and installation time.

MD: How is a wrap applied? I picture a huge hair dryer, shrink wrapping a car!

It's funny you say that, because a heat gun is used which resembles a hair dryer - but it achieves much higher temperatures. The wrap is heated in areas where a material needs to adhere or make a curve. The film acts much differently when heat is applied; this is a skill that takes quite some time to master.

MD: Does a car or other vehicle need to be "treated" before being wrapped?

Ideally, a car will be thoroughly washed before arrival. The clean vehicle should then be wiped down with isopropyl alcohol and given adequate time to dry to ensure wrap adhesion.

MD: What's one of the coolest projects you've handled?

It was a mobile marketing piece for the United States Army. The wrap was of a semi tractor and trailer and H3. The trailer itself extended on either side to produce a huge inside space for showcasing army technology. This required very detailed and precise installation and cutting by our crew once the wrap was applied. The look of the H3 half wrap mimicked the trailer design.

MD: Is every wrap removable? What is the material that is typically used?

Every wrap is removable; however they are produced on a "permanent" material. Permanent materials are meant to last years in terms of print quality and adhesion. Removable materials should only be used for short-term use, such as transit advertising.

MD: What online resources exist for Print Tips readers to learning more? Are there associations other than SGIA?

Other than SGIA I would rely on trade publications for info. Wraps magazine, Wide Format Imaging, The Big Picture, etc. As the popularity of vehicle wraps has grown, in-depth coverage of this medium has skyrocketed.

I want to thank Judd Morgan of USA Image for this interview. You may contact him directly at 1-800-342-1690 x240 and learn more about the company at www.usaimage.com.

Comments? Talk to me at mdana@bostonprintbuyers.com.

©2008 Margie Dana. All rights reserved. You're free to forward this email to friends and colleagues: please do! However, no part of this column may be reprinted without permission from the author.

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