ULTRAVIOLET (UV) HEAT-ACTIVATED LAMINATING ADHESIVE FOR AN INKJET PRINTING PROCESS

1 . A system comprising:

one or more actuators;

a first inkjet mechanism coupled to the one or more actuators and configured to deposit ink in a particular pattern onto a surface of a rigid medium when driven by the one or more actuators;

a second inkjet mechanism coupled to the one or more actuators and configured to deposit a laminating adhesive onto the particular pattern printed on the surface of the rigid medium when driven by the one or more actuators; and

a pair of stainless steel plates coupled to the one or more actuators and configured to:

receive an overlay film layer and the laminating adhesive deposited onto the particular pattern printed on the surface of the rigid medium when driven by the one or more actuators, the overlay film layer positioned such that a surface of the overlay film layer faces the laminating adhesive; and

apply pressure to the overlay film layer and the laminating adhesive to laminate the particular pattern printed on the surface of the rigid medium.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pair of stainless steel plates is configured to:

apply heat to the overlay film layer and the laminating adhesive when driven by the one or more actuators.

3 . The system of claim 2 , comprising:

a pair of platens coupled to the one or more actuators and configured to:

receive the heat from a heat source; and

apply the heat and the pressure to the stainless steel plates when driven by the one or more actuators.

4 . The system of claim 3 , comprising:

a lamination press coupled to the one or more actuators and configured to:

drive the one or more actuators; and

convey the heat from the heat source to the pair of platens.

5 . The system of claim 1 , comprising:

an ultraviolet (UV) light source coupled to the one or more actuators and configured to:

cure the particular pattern printed onto the surface of the rigid medium; and

cure the laminating adhesive deposited onto the particular pattern printed on the surface of the rigid medium.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pair of stainless steel plates is configured to:

create a bond between the overlay film layer and the rigid medium using the laminating adhesive, the bond having a peel strength greater than 7 pound-force (lbf) or 31.1376 newtons (n).

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the overlay film layer comprises at least one of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pressure is in a range from 1000 to 1800 pound-force (lbf), and wherein the pressure is applied for two to four minutes.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to:

cool the rigid medium for twenty-four to thirty-six hours after applying the pressure.

10 . The system of claim 1 , comprising:

an ultraviolet (UV) light source coupled to the one or more actuators and configured to:

cure the laminating adhesive by radiating the laminating adhesive using UV radiation of subtype A (UVA) having a wavelength in a range of 320 to 400 nanometers (nm), wherein the laminating adhesive comprises Norrish Type 1.

11 . A method comprising:

depositing, by a first inkjet mechanism coupled to one or more actuators of a system, ink in a particular pattern onto a surface of a rigid medium when driven by the one or more actuators;

depositing, by a second inkjet mechanism coupled to the one or more actuators, a laminating adhesive onto the particular pattern printed on the surface of the rigid medium when driven by the one or more actuators; and

receiving, by a pair of stainless steel plates coupled to the one or more actuators, an overlay film layer and the laminating adhesive deposited onto the particular pattern printed on the surface of the rigid medium when driven by the one or more actuators, the overlay film layer positioned such that a surface of the overlay film layer faces the laminating adhesive; and

applying, by the pair of stainless steel plates, pressure to the overlay film layer and the laminating adhesive to laminate the particular pattern printed on the surface of the rigid medium.

12 . The method of claim 11 , comprising:

applying, by the pair of stainless steel plates driven by the one or more actuators, heat to the overlay film layer and the laminating adhesive when the pair of stainless steel plates is driven by the one or more actuators.

13 . The method of claim 12 , comprising:

receiving, by a pair of platens coupled to the one or more actuators, the heat from a heat source; and

applying, by the pair of platens, the heat and the pressure to the stainless steel plates when the pair of platens is driven by the one or more actuators.

14 . The method of claim 13 , comprising:

driving, by a lamination press coupled to the one or more actuators, the one or more actuators; and

conveying, by the lamination press, the heat from the heat source to the pair of platens.

15 . The method of claim 11 , comprising:

curing, by an ultraviolet (UV) light source coupled to the one or more actuators, the particular pattern printed onto the surface of the rigid medium; and

curing, by the UV light source, the laminating adhesive deposited onto the particular pattern printed on the surface of the rigid medium.

16 . The method of claim 11 , comprising:

creating, by the pair of stainless steel plates, a bond between the overlay film layer and the rigid medium using the laminating adhesive, the bond having a peel strength greater than 7 pound-force (lbf) or 31.1376 newtons (n).

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the overlay film layer comprises at least one of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the pressure is in a range from 1000 to 1800 pound-force (lbf), and wherein the pressure is applied for two to four minutes.

19 . The method of claim 11 , comprising:

cooling, by the system, the rigid medium for twenty-four to thirty-six hours after applying the pressure.

20 . The method of claim 11 , comprising:

curing, by an ultraviolet (UV) light source coupled to the one or more actuators the laminating adhesive by radiating the laminating adhesive using UV radiation of subtype A (UVA) having a wavelength in a range of 320 to 400 nanometers (nm), wherein the laminating adhesive comprises Norrish Type 1.