FAQ - AlloyBox™ - Photo Printing on Metal
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- What is AlloyBox™?
- Do you print directly to the metal surface?
- What direction does the brushed metal grain follow?
- Do you manufacture 'in-house'?
- What resolution (DPI) should I make my photo?
- What is the depth of the AlloyBox™?
- What sizes can you manufacture?
- What custom print and finishing options do you have for AlloyBox?
- Can you turn my photo into split or multiple panels?
- What about colour matching or colour space?
- How do I fix my AlloyBox™ to a wall?
- How do I clean and care for my AlloyBox™?
What is AlloyBox?
Printing on metal AlloyBox™ is the revolutionary new way to display your images and photos. The printed metal sheet is mitre grooved and fabricated to create the finished AlloyBox™. It looks like a solid chunk of metal suspended on your wall.
With our state-of-the-art direct print process, the picture is brilliant and sharp from edge to edge, and with a range of finishing options through our online 'Photo 2 Art' service you can customise it just the way you want it.
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Do you print directly to the metal surface?
Yes. At Print Lounge our direct printing technologies give our AlloyBox™ product superior and long lasting results. We direct print your image onto the surface of the metal sheet. Other techniques attempting to imitate the direct printing process are known as laminating or sandwich methods. We would like to make you aware that:
- Laminated methods can peel off over time.
- Laminated methods mean that you are looking at the image through a layer of adhesive (this is normally visible).
- Laminated methods can look messy at the edges.
- Laminated methods are not outdoor durable. The direct to substrate printing method (as used by Print Lounge) is indoor and outdoor durable.
- Direct printing (as used by Print Lounge) uses advanced inks and technologies. These technologies give superior results with a wider range of print possibilities, including the ability to print white inks directly onto the metal surface.
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What direction does the brushed metal grain follow?
We always manufacture AlloyBox™ so that the grain direction follows the longest edge. If you prefer to specify this differently you must inform us before or immediately after ordering.
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Do you manufacture 'in-house'?
Yes. All our AlloyBox™ is cut and manufactured 'in-house' in the UK using state-of-the-art CNC machining and direct-to-substrate print technologies.
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What resolution (DPI) should I make my photo?
Firstly, *in all cases* we recommend sending your photo or digital file to us at it's original size and resolution. We will automatically re-size the image for you to get the optimum result based on our printers specifications.
For our particular printing process, one of the most common and degrading mistakes made when enlarging an image to a larger print size, is to force the pixel count or DPI resolution setting to stay the same or higher than the original. This is because in most, if not all, cases an unnecessary amount of digital noise, called pixelation or interpolation, is generated during the process. This results in enlarged images that are not as sharp as the original, with a noticeable blurring or pixelation effect. Again, in most cases this can be avoided by allowing Print Lounge to re-size your image for you. You do not need to ask us to enlarge your image, we will automatically do it for you.
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What is the depth of the AlloyBox™?
The depth of AlloyBox™ is 25mm (2.5cm).
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What sizes can you manufacture?
At Print Lounge we are proud to be able to offer complete custom sizing for AlloyBox™ up to a maximum continuous sheet size of 3000 x 1600mm (3 x 1.6m). If you cannot achieve your desired size using our online Photo 2 Art software please get in touch and we can process your order manually.
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What custom print and finishing options do you have for AlloyBox™?
When ordering your print online you will have the option to choose from a comprehensive range of finishing options. These include Gloss White and Brushed Metal options. For more information on finishing options please see our Acrylic Photo product pages.
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Can you turn my photo into split or multiple panels?
Yes. At Print Lounge we have a range of split panel options available by using our online Photo 2 Art software. To upload your photo and get started click here.
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What about colour matching or colour space?
Ideally, the colours you see on your computer screen are what you will see in the print. However, this is rarely the case and the subject of colour management and colour space is vast and complex. As a general rule of thumb we recommend using sRGB.
It is a common misconception that if everyone uses the same colour profiles that our images will look the same on all devices and all printers. Although the same colour profile might be in use across different devices not all device components are the same. For example; different monitors are made with different components, and different printer manufacturers use completely different ink technologies. There are also differences in the light and colour of your viewing environment. So there will always be variations in colour.
At Print Lounge we are confident at getting good results. However, if colour reproduction is super critical, we recommend sending a hard copy image for us to colour match to.
You can find a useful article on colour management and colour space here.
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How do I fix my AlloyBox™ to a wall?
Each AlloyBox™ comes with integral 'keyhole' fixings for easy fixing to the wall.
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How do I clean and care for my AlloyBox?
You can use a soft damp cloth with non-abrasive cleaners. For tougher surface grime, warm, lightly soapy water can be used.
Getting the print wet will not cause any damage.
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