how to complex print on carbon fiber

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how to complex print on carbon fiber

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ARSOUILLERB26	ARSOUILLERB26 posted 3 Years Ago Topic Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 16, Visits: 122	Hello mates I would like to know how to achieve complex printing on carbon fiber. I would like to do something like this (picture found on a shop so it's possible) If possible I would like to invoid clear coating because my bodyshop painter had a lot of work clear coating my infused parts (lot of pinholes which forced him to a LOT of layers and of course sanding between each one) I asked to a serigraphic shop if they can print on carbon fiber and it would be a first try for them so if I can give them some advices, it would be a time/money saver. Do you know how this printing can be done and if clear coats are necessary, what product can I buy for a carbon fiber specific application? (I saw in the last easy composites video a "phantom clear") Thank you everybody
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Lester Populaire	L Lester Populaire posted 3 Years Ago Post Details
L Group: Forum Members Posts: 311, Visits: 13K	+x ARSOUILLERB26 - 12/11/2021 4:27:10 PM Hello mates I would like to know how to achieve complex printing on carbon fiber. I would like to do something like this (picture found on a shop so it's possible) If possible I would like to invoid clear coating because my bodyshop painter had a lot of work clear coating my infused parts (lot of pinholes which forced him to a LOT of layers and of course sanding between each one) I asked to a serigraphic shop if they can print on carbon fiber and it would be a first try for them so if I can give them some advices, it would be a time/money saver. Do you know how this printing can be done and if clear coats are necessary, what product can I buy for a carbon fiber specific application? (I saw in the last easy composites video a "phantom clear") Thank you everybody Especially with the white, but even without that, i think the only way something like this will ever look good is if it is painted and then clear coated. I For the pin hole story maybe look into wipe on fillers, which are much more effective than just hitting it with clear and chasing after all pinholes with a needle to break the surface tension... Hope this helps!
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Hanaldo	Hanaldo posted 3 Years Ago Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 2.5K, Visits: 28K	Yeh, definitely something you will want to do with clear over the top. There's other ways, but this is too complex to be reliable. Pinholes are no problem if you've got a decent clear coat. Something like Duratec Sunshield or Scott Bader Glosscoat make short work of it. I imagine the 'Phantom Clear' EC make reference to will be similar, it's probably a polyester top coat of some description. Unfortunately regular spray painters may struggle with them as theyre not quite the same as spraying a regular 2k, it's somewhere between a 2k and a gelcoat. It's possible to get a perfect finish straight off the gun even with bad surface porosity, but it takes practise.
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ARSOUILLERB26	ARSOUILLERB26 posted 3 Years Ago Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 16, Visits: 122	Hi and thank you for your replies Lester, what do you mean by: "wipe on fillers"? English is not my main language so I don't see what it is. So I need a polyester top coat instead of the classic 2k automotive clear coats? Does it have the same king of glossy? I looked about the duratec sunshield and the Scott Bader. It looks like there is no UV protection for the sunshield despite his name ^^ I struggle to find them in Europe.
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Lester Populaire	L Lester Populaire posted 3 Years Ago Post Details
L Group: Forum Members Posts: 311, Visits: 13K	+x ARSOUILLERB26 - 12/16/2021 9:55:13 AM Hi and thank you for your replies Lester, what do you mean by: "wipe on fillers"? English is not my main language so I don't see what it is. So I need a polyester top coat instead of the classic 2k automotive clear coats? Does it have the same king of glossy? I looked about the duratec sunshield and the Scott Bader. It looks like there is no UV protection for the sunshield despite his name ^^ I struggle to find them in Europe. there are specific products to fill in surface porosity like this one: https://shop1.r-g.de/en/art/954200 Honestly i never worked with a specificly formulated prduct like the one i linked, but generally just use some laminating epoxy to do so if nescessary. The key is to not to spray it on, but actually use a squegee or a cloth to actually work it into the porosity, and then wipe off all the excess. It is probably also worth mentionning that you might have to work on your infusion technique. a well made part usually will have very little pinholes over all. hope this helps
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ARSOUILLERB26	ARSOUILLERB26 posted 3 Years Ago Post Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 16, Visits: 122	thanks mate I will order it, can't wait to try Just to be sure I understood well, when you use a squegee or a cloth with epoxy resin (infusion resin to be more fluid I suppose) on it before to wipe it. I tried it with a plastic card (like a credit card) but didn't wipe it off. It took a looooot of time to cure (3 days in a 40° celcius room) despite I used infusion IN2 resin with FAST remover. The aspect is actually quite bad and I have to sand it / polish it a lot. How was the finish for you using your technique? thanks again
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Lester Populaire	L Lester Populaire posted 3 Years Ago Post Details
L Group: Forum Members Posts: 311, Visits: 13K	+x ARSOUILLERB26 - 12/19/2021 2:50:33 PM thanks mate I will order it, can't wait to try Just to be sure I understood well, when you use a squegee or a cloth with epoxy resin (infusion resin to be more fluid I suppose) on it before to wipe it. I tried it with a plastic card (like a credit card) but didn't wipe it off. It took a looooot of time to cure (3 days in a 40° celcius room) despite I used infusion IN2 resin with FAST remover. The aspect is actually quite bad and I have to sand it / polish it a lot. How was the finish for you using your technique? thanks again I always used a fast laminating resin rather than a low viscosity infusion resin, altough i doubt it will make too much of a difference. But the higher viscosity and the better polymerization in thin films doesn't harm either. The surface certainly gets a little cloudy, but nothing the usual paint prep wouldn't take care of.
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