optimont® Laserfilm

optimont® Laserfilm – Ursprung und weitere Entwicklung

optimont® Laserfilm wurde ursprünglich für die Produktion von Positivfilmen entwickelt. Für diesen Zweck wird der Filmersatz für Reprografie in der heutigen, digitalisierten Welt nicht mehr oft eingesetzt. Aktuell wird die Laserfolie glasklar für Druck im Bereich Labeling breit verwendet. Design ist ein weiterer wichtiger Anwendungsbereich der Folien sowie die Verwendung als Laserfolie für Digitaldruck Backlight. Als Laserfolie für xerografische Drucksysteme ist optimont® Laserfilm für alle Drucksysteme geeignet, die mit Toner arbeiten. War ursprünglich also die Druckvorstufe das am meisten verbreitete Anwendungsgebiet von optimont® Laserfilm so ist heute die Verwendung als Druckmedium für spezielle Anwendungen das häufigste Einsatzgebiet.

Manufacturing process of optimont® Laserfilm

optimont® Laserfilm is manufactured from biaxially oriented polyester film, known as BO-PET film. The base material BO-PET film is produced from polyester film, which is reheated after the production process and then stretched in a controlled manner. This stretching, or orientation, in the machine direction as well as transverse to the machine direction gives the film its high heat resistance, tear strength, and abrasion resistance.

Biaxial orientation not only improves the mechanical properties of the film, it also provides the dimensional stability of optimont® Laserfilm, which is an important prerequisite for the use of the film in printing applications.

Finishing of optimont® Laserfilm

For use as optimont® Laserfilm, the base material BO-PET film is coated on both sides with a white-matte coating. Due to this coating, optimont® Laserfilm is suitable for copiers and many other applications. As part of the coating process, the film is also equipped with antistatic properties. Even after coating, optimont® Laserfilm remains translucent. The film enables high print quality with uniform toner coverage. optimont® Laserfilm is also chemically resistant and, for example, resistant to ethyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, and also to water.

Areas of application for optimont® Laserfilm

optimont® Laserfilm can be printed with all toner-based printing systems as well as with drawing plotters. The transparent BO-PET laser film can also be written on by hand using commercially available pens. Pencil and ink can be erased from optimont® Laserfilm without smudging.

The laser film for copying systems can be used in copiers like standard copy paper. The printing process used for printing on optimont® Laserfilm depends on the intended use of the printed results. Laser prints on optimont® Laserfilm are high-contrast and sharply defined. They can therefore be used directly as printing templates for exposure in screen printing and offset printing.

optimont® Laserfilms in the Bleher Folientechnik product range

optimont® Laserfilm is available in the Bleher product range in two different product qualities:

• The BO-PET film optimont® Laserfilm, coated on both sides with a white-matte coating, is still used in special applications or in the art sector as a positive film for laser printers, as a film replacement for reprography, as a BO-PET film for digital printing, and as a print medium for all xerographic printing systems. Technical drawings or art and design objects produced on drawing plotters are created on it. optimont® Laserfilm is also used as a printing film for business cards and for backlight applications. optimont® Laserfilm is supplied in standard lengths and standard widths on rolls as well as in DIN A4 and DIN A3 formats. The PET laser film for prepress is available in thicknesses of 95 and 140 µm.
• optimont® LF-AD is coated with a self-adhesive layer on one side but otherwise has the same product properties as optimont® Laserfilm. This laser film for label printing is therefore used in offices or in shipping and logistics as self-adhesive labels. optimont® LF-AD is supplied in suitable sizes as die-cut parts or in DIN A4 format.

Advantages of optimont® Laserfilm

• High print quality due to the matte coating
• Easy to process thanks to the antistatic treatment
• Heat-resistant and dimensionally stable, therefore suitable for use in all printer types and also very well suited for high fusing temperatures
• No smudging when erasing ink or pencil
• High-contrast and sharply defined prints
• The translucency of optimont® Laserfilm enables interesting optical effects
• Temperature resistance is 140° Celsius, and even up to 200° Celsius for short periods, allowing use in all printer types
• The very good flatness prevents undesirable effects or ghosting. The prerequisite is that the films are thoroughly cleaned before use and fingerprints are removed

Technical data of optimont® Laserfilms

• The tensile strength of optimont® Laserfilms depends on thickness and ranges in the machine direction between 1909 and 2109 kg/cm² and in the transverse direction between 1960 and 1924 kg/cm²
• Elongation at break also depends on thickness and ranges in the machine direction between 129 and 166 percent and in the transverse direction between 129 and 149 percent
• optimont® Laserfilm is supplied in thicknesses of 95 and 140 µm, referring to the thickness including coatings. The underlying BO-PET film is 20 µm thinner in each case
• The static coefficient of friction is 0.35, the dynamic coefficient is 0.30
• The melting point of optimont® Laserfilm, as with the base material BO-PET film, is 252° Celsius
• Due to the good ink absorption of the coating, optimont® Laserfilm dries immediately
• Haze is less than 95 percent
• Light transmission is greater than 85 percent
• The color of optimont® Laserfilm is described as a translucent, matte white

Storage of optimont® Laserfilm

optimont® Laserfilm is best stored dry and in the dark in its original packaging. Strong light sources and direct sunlight should be avoided. A closed storage room or a closed warehouse is most suitable. Moisture and heat can damage optimont® Laserfilm. For storage, facilities are recommended in which a temperature of 40° Celsius is not exceeded.