Integrated Cycler Instrument Wraps, Cypress CA

Instrument wrap by Iconography. It’s a bird? It’s a plane? Nope – can you guess what these objects are that are wrapped to look like football helmets?

These are the Simplexa Integrated Cyclers from Focus Diagnostics, headquartered in Cypress, CA. These nifty instruments are used by laboratories around the world to test for various diseases. At Iconography, we are proud to add a custom and somewhat fun element to this interesting product line, having wrapped these instruments to look like everything from a fishbowl to a dinosaur.

We use the same high-quality 3M vinyl wrap materials and laminates on these instruments as we do on our vehicle wraps. There are two basic types of wrap materials that can be used, and the selection really depends on your design.

 

1. Cast Colored Vinyls. These are vinyl wrap materials that are produced by the manufacturers in predetermined colors. The material is made by pouring the colored vinyl in liquid form into a huge sheet mold. The vinyl is then cooled, and cut into long rolls that we purchase and use to wrap cars, boats and other items. The benefits of using a cast colored vinyl is that the color is solid all the way through. These vinyls do not need to be laminated, and will typically last longer than than the other option, which are the digitally printed vinyls. However, a limitation of the cast colored vinyls is that they can only be used for solid color designs. Designs with lots of graphic effects, pictures, or gradations will need to be printed.

2. Digital Print Vinyls. These wraps have all of the color and design printed onto the white material using one of our large format digital printers. The benefit of digitally printing your vinyl is that the design possibilities are virtually endless. Pictures, graphic designs and text can all be combined to create anything you have in mind. Once the material is printed, it is then covered with a UV laminate film to protect against fading and small surface scratches. While these materials will last for several years and look great with proper care, they will not last as long as the Cast Colored Vinyls.

Wrapping an object that is virtually round like this one, or any object that has very deep complex curves requires a great deal of skill and expertise. Applying any type of vinyl wrap to a round object, such as a sphere, helmet, or curved furniture, requires a combination of heat, tension, and strategic smoothing to prevent wrinkles and bubbles.

Core Techniques for Applying Instrument Wraps and Vinyl to Round Surfaces

• The “Taco” Method: When applying decals or small wraps, fold the vinyl slightly like a taco, touch the center to the object first, and then work outward to the edges.
• Relief Cuts: For designs using transfer tape, cut small slits in the tape (but not the vinyl) around the perimeter. This allows the tape to overlap and the vinyl to lay flat on the curve without buckling.
• Pre-Stretch & Shrink: Stretch the vinyl over the curved area while it is cool, then apply heat. High-quality vinyl has a “memory effect” and will naturally shrink to hug the contours of the object.

Instrument Wrap Step-by-Step Application Guide 

1. Surface Preparation: Clean the object thoroughly with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol to remove oils and dust.
2. Initial Placement: Peel back a small section of the backing and anchor the vinyl at the highest or flattest point.
3. Apply Heat: Use a heat gun or hairdryer on a low-to-medium setting (ideally 90°C to 110°C for stretching) to make the vinyl malleable.
4. Work from Center Outward: Use a felt-covered squeegee or your fingers to smooth the vinyl in a circular or “swirl” pattern, pushing air toward the edges.
5. Manage Wrinkles: If “wedge-shaped” wrinkles appear at the edges, lift the vinyl, apply light heat, and pull it taut before smoothing it back down.
6. Post-Heating (Critical): Once the entire surface is covered, run the heat gun over all curved areas and edges one last time. This “kills” the vinyl’s memory, ensuring it stays in its new shape and doesn’t lift over time

For many of our customers, their design dictates which material they will use. Complex designs most often need to be digitally printed. When designs can be achieved using blocks of solid color, then a cast colored vinyl is often a good choice, particularly if the wrap needs to be in place for many years.

Have a unique wrap project in mind? Give the experts at Iconography a call today at 714-524-5424!