Part of our business is the printing of Fridge magnets.

We would now like to enhance this product by printing full colour, ie
photographic, magnets for which purpose we propose to use a full
colour laser printer which prints the images onto a sheet of paper
(approx 450 x 320mm) which would then be sealed on its image surface
with a laminate.

Our difficulty is that this product then needs to be married up to the
Fridge magnet material which has a self adhesive backing on one side
to accept the paper sheet. We have yet to be able to find a
device/machine that can marry these up so that the paper sits in
exactly the same spot every time. This is vitally important since the
magnets need to then be die cut.

Is there such a device out there?

A lot depends on the quantities - size of each run, total volume per
year???
Also are the cuts simple rectangles, or custom shapes, like a car?

Non-adhesive magnetic material is available in sheets & rolls,
you can use a heat-set adhesive sheet to attach them.

How are you cutting them?
could you space them apart slightly, with the print extended over the
edge (called a "bleed" by printers) to allow for minor cutting
errors???

low volume -short runs would be easy on any printer/cutter of the type
used in signmaking shops (way to many to list here)) and the cutting
is done with a knife blade, so no die is needed, they can be
calibrated to print & cut with high accuracy.  Overlaminates are
available too

Christiang --

There are other techniques that can be used, such as printing directly
on mylar plastics.  I might suggest looking at options on the Lexjet
site and perhaps calling Ron Simkins at that company for a solution:
http://www.lexjet.com/lexjet/

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

Allow me to try to explain a little more clearly.

We have absolutely NO problem with the die cutting technique, never
mind the shape, that problem is taken care of since we already use
aluminium clamshell diecutters.

PROVIDED we can find a technique which allows us to adhere each
rectangular sheet of paper in exactly the same place for each sheet
(dot for dot registration to use the technical term) to the backing
sheets of magnet material all our problems with this overall technique
are solved. Trouble is that I have yet to find a solution to this
particular step in the process.

We're not exactly innocents when it comes to printing (see
http//:scribal.com) and we already print vinyl magnet material using
UV screen printing, but not full colour, technically CMYK, because
that technique would make the job too expensive. The same can be said
for dye sublimation and ink jet.

Depending on your printer how about using a magnetic waterfast gloss
paper http://www.printit-at.com then no problem attaching anything as
it is done already may depend on quantity you produce as thicker paper
tends to need to go via the bypass mechanism.