Product Description
ORAJET® 3850 Translucent Cal – 3 Mil Translucent Calendered PVC Digital Media in Semi-Gloss White – Backlit Signage Film for Rigid Substrates, Indoor & Outdoor
Translucent Semi-Gloss White | Clear Solvent-Based Permanent Adhesive | 7-Year Unprinted Life | Indoor & Outdoor Illuminated Applications
ORAJET® 3850 Translucent Cal is a 3-mil translucent calendered PVC film built for one job and built to do it well: long-term illuminated signage on rigid substrates. The semi-gloss white face transmits light while carrying full-color digital print, so a light box, channel letter face, or backlit menu panel reads clean during the day and lights evenly after dark.
A clear, solvent-based permanent adhesive keeps the film optically neutral behind the print — no adhesive tint shifting your color when the light comes through. Prints on latex, solvent, eco-solvent, and UV curable systems, carries a 7-year unprinted life expectancy, and is fire rated ASTM E 84-07 Class "A" with self-extinguishing behavior on steel per DIN 75200.
Applications
- Illuminated light box faces — acrylic and polycarbonate sign panels, indoor and outdoor
- Channel letter faces — full-color and gradient treatments on rigid faces
- Backlit menu boards — QSR, drive-thru, cafeteria, and cinema concession
- Retail and POP light boxes — window displays, in-store fixtures, mall directories
- Backlit directional and wayfinding signage
- Trade show and exhibit light panels
Technical Data
| Property | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Film Type | Translucent calendered PVC, white, semi-gloss surface |
| Thickness | 3 mil (without liner and adhesive) |
| Adhesive | Clear, solvent-based, permanent |
| Adhesive Power | 4.1 lb/in on stainless steel (FINAT TM-1, 24 hr) |
| Release Liner | 90# PE-coated silicone paper |
| Tensile Strength | Min. 19 MPa along and across (DIN EN ISO 527) |
| Elongation at Break | Min. 130% along / min. 150% across (DIN EN ISO 527) |
| Dimensional Stability | Adhered to steel: no cross-direction shrinkage; < 0.008" in length (FINAT TM-14) |
| Temperature Resistance | -58°F to +176°F on aluminum, short-time exposure, no variation |
| Minimum Application Temperature | 46°F |
| Fire Behavior / Rating | Self-extinguishing on steel (DIN 75200); ASTM E 84-07 Class "A" |
| Life Expectancy | 7 years unprinted, vertical surfaces, accepted application procedures |
| Shelf Life | 2 years at 68°F / 50% RH in original packaging |
| Print Compatibility | Latex, solvent, eco-solvent, UV curable |
Available Sizes
| Roll Length | Available Widths |
|---|---|
| 150 ft (50 yard) | 30", 54", 60" |
| 30 ft (10 yard) | 54" |
Recommended ORAGUARD® Overlaminates
ORAGUARD® Series 215, 290, 290GF, 293, and 297GF are the recommended laminates for 3850 Translucent Cal. On backlit work, remember that the laminate becomes part of the light path — run a lit test panel with your intended laminate before committing to a production run, since sheen and clarity choices change how the finished face reads when illuminated.
Printing for Backlit — What Changes
Ink Density Is the Whole Game
A file that looks correct on a monitor or on a reflective proof will almost always print too light for a backlit face. Transmitted light washes out ink density, so backlit profiles typically call for heavier laydown — often a double-strike or dual-pass — to hold saturation when the box is lit. Build and save a dedicated backlit profile rather than reusing your standard print media settings.
Balance Day and Night
The same graphic has to work unlit in daylight and lit at night. Push density too far and the face goes muddy during the day; too little and it disappears after dark. Print a small test panel, view it both ways against the actual light source, and adjust before the full run.
Ink Drying
Use ORAFOL ICC profiles from orafolamericas.com, and allow solvent-based inks to dry a minimum of 24 hours — 48 to 72 hours preferred — at 70°F before cutting the graphic or applying a laminate. Heavier backlit ink loads carry more residual solvent, so give these prints the full drying window rather than the minimum.
Surface Preparation
Clean the substrate thoroughly of dust, grease, and contamination. On a backlit face, any speck of dirt or trapped air trapped under the film becomes a lit-up defect that is impossible to ignore — wet application and a clean, controlled space are worth the extra time. Freshly lacquered or painted surfaces must be fully cured, and lacquer and paint compatibility should be tested before production.
Quoting a backlit job?
We can help you match the right ORAGUARD laminate to the fixture and talk through profile setup before you commit material. KG Supplies stocks ORAFOL in Phoenix with overnight delivery to Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado, plus nationwide UPS shipping. Call (602) 272-8655 or email Sales@kgsupplies.com.
