Inside Baseball
Industrial Print & Decal Glossary
Are you interested in what the industry terms mean? We’ve got you covered. Below is a glossary that we will be adding to on a monthly basis with important industry terms. Our goal is to make things as easy as possible for the clients we serve. Helping you understand the terms will help you know the possibilities and your options.
Button Text
Our Capabilities
Featured Terms
Custom printed decal applied to a blue polyethylene portable toilet, a low-surface-energy plastic substrate
Dyne Level (Surface Energy)
Dyne level measures a surface’s energy in dynes per centimeter and predicts whether ink or adhesive will wet out and bond to it. Higher dyne levels bond more easily. Below roughly 36 dynes/cm a substrate is considered low surface energy and needs a specialized adhesive or surface treatment.
Printed graphic overlay forming the operator-facing panel of a membrane switch keypad
Graphic Overlay
A graphic overlay is a printed panel that forms the visible, user-facing surface of a control interface — the printed face of a membrane switch, keypad, or instrument panel. It carries branding, labeling, and legends while sealing the electronics beneath it against dust, moisture, and chemicals.
Glossary
Industry Standard Terms
More of the vocabulary you’ll meet when specifying industrial decals, labels, and graphic overlays, what each term means, and where it changes what you should order.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive icon

Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive (PSA)

A pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) is an adhesive that forms a bond when light pressure is applied — no heat, water, or solvent required. Nearly every industrial decal, label, and graphic overlay uses one. PSAs are classified as permanent, removable, or repositionable, and by chemistry: acrylic, rubber, or silicone.





Acrylic PSAs dominate outdoor industrial work because they resist UV, heat, and plasticizer migration, and their bond strengthens over 24–72 hours as the adhesive wets out into the substrate. Rubber-based PSAs deliver higher initial tack and bond better to low-surface-energy plastics, but degrade faster outdoors. Adhesive choice is driven by the substrate’s dyne level, service temperature, and whether the label must ever come off cleanly.
Kiss-cut versus butt-cut label icon

Kiss-Cut vs. Butt-Cut

Kiss-cutting cuts through the face material and adhesive but leaves the liner intact, so the decal stays on its backer until peeled. Butt-cutting cuts through face and liner together, separating each label completely. Specify kiss-cut for hand application and non-rectangular shapes; butt-cut for speed, volume, and rectangles.



Kiss-cut labels ship on sheets or rolls with the surrounding matrix weeded away, which makes them easy to pick and apply by hand and allows any die shape. Butt-cut labels are simply guillotined apart — cheaper and faster, well suited to high-volume rectangular runs, but every label is loose and has no exposed liner edge to grab. Steel rule dies add tooling cost; digital die-cutting removes it at lower volumes.
Overlaminate film layer icon

Overlaminate

An overlaminate is a clear film bonded over a printed decal to protect the ink from abrasion, UV, chemicals, and repeated cleaning. It is a separate layer laid on top of the graphic rather than a coating sprayed onto it, and it is usually what determines how long a printed decal survives outdoors or in a wash-down environment.

Overlaminates are specified by film chemistry and by finish. Cast vinyl laminates pair with cast printed film for conformable, long-term outdoor graphics; polyester and polycarbonate laminates add chemical and abrasion resistance on equipment panels. Finish matters as much as durability — gloss saturates color, matte kills glare on operator-facing panels, and textured laminates add slip resistance for floor and step graphics. Match the laminate to the face film: a cast print under a calendered laminate will still shrink and lift.

Domed decal icon

Domed Decal

A domed decal is a printed decal covered with a clear polyurethane resin that self-levels into a raised, lens-shaped dome. The resin adds a three-dimensional look, magnifies the artwork beneath it, and forms a hard, UV-stable, chemically resistant shell — commonly used for nameplates, equipment badges, and brand emblems.

Doming happens after printing and cutting: measured polyurethane is dispensed onto each piece, surface tension pulls it out to the die-cut edge, and it cures to a permanently flexible, non-yellowing finish. Polyurethane is specified over epoxy for outdoor work because epoxy ambers under UV. Domed decals resist solvents, salt, and impact far better than flat printed decals, which is why they hold up on equipment exteriors, machinery, and vehicles.

Subsurface printing icon

Subsurface Printing

Subsurface printing places the ink on the back of a clear film rather than the front, so the film itself becomes the wear layer and the graphics are viewed through it. Because nothing can abrade, scratch, or chemically attack the ink, subsurface-printed parts survive cleaning, handling, and high-cycle use that would destroy surface printing.

It is the default construction for graphic overlays, membrane switches, and instrument panels printed on polyester or polycarbonate. The artwork must be mirrored before printing, and colors are laid down in reverse order, with opaque white typically printed last as a backing layer.

The trade-off: subsurface printing requires a transparent substrate and adds a process step, so surface printing remains standard for vinyl decals and general labels.

Edge lift icon

Edge Lift

Edge lift is the failure mode where a decal’s perimeter releases from the substrate and curls upward while the center stays bonded. It is caused by film shrinkage, insufficient adhesion on a low-surface-energy or contaminated surface, or applying a film across a curve it cannot conform to.

Calendered vinyl is the most common culprit: the internal stress from its manufacturing process pulls the film inward as it ages, and a compound curve accelerates it. Contamination — wax, silicone, oil, or powder-coat release agent — is the second cause, and surface prep with isopropyl alcohol prevents most of it. The fixes are specification-side, not field-side: cast film for curves, a higher-tack adhesive on plastics, and post-heating to relieve stress at application.

Our work showcase

Take a look at some of our recent work featured below. From bold signage to intricate custom labels, our print solutions are designed to make an impact. Let these projects inspire your next big idea!

Headphones for Your Afternoon Jam Sesh
Headphones for Your Afternoon Jam Sesh
Branding in Style
Branding in Style
Morning Pour Ready
Morning Pour Ready
Print Solutions for Every Need
Print Solutions for Every Need
Designed for the Everyday
Designed for the Everyday
Sip in Style
Sip in Style
Cozy Up with Custom Branding
Cozy Up with Custom Branding
Cap Your Brand's Potential
Cap Your Brand's Potential
Make Every Day a Branded Experience
Make Every Day a Branded Experience
Customizable Hat Seams
Customizable Hat Seams
Your Routine, Your Rules
Your Routine, Your Rules
Own the Court with Custom Style
Own the Court with Custom Style
Custom Drinkware for Your Brand
Custom Drinkware for Your Brand
Drinkware Built for Adventure
Drinkware Built for Adventure
Tote-ally Custom, Tote-ally Yours
Tote-ally Custom, Tote-ally Yours
Your Logo, Your Look
Your Logo, Your Look
The Tentree Juniper Blanket
The Tentree Juniper Blanket
Customizable Hat Tags
Customizable Hat Tags
Your Brand, On the Move
Your Brand, On the Move
Custom Headwear Tailored to Your Brand
Custom Headwear Tailored to Your Brand
Sip in Style
Sip in Style
Custom Gear for Real Life
Custom Gear for Real Life
FEED Organic Cotton Tote
FEED Organic Cotton Tote
Everyday Essentials, Your Way
Everyday Essentials, Your Way
Carry Your Message Everywhere
Carry Your Message Everywhere
Your Brand, Part of Daily Life
Your Brand, Part of Daily Life
Branding That Travels Far
Branding That Travels Far
Unique Gear for Your Routine
Unique Gear for Your Routine
Crafted for the Life You Live
Crafted for the Life You Live
Hats That Speak Your Brand
Hats That Speak Your Brand
Headphones for Your Afternoon Jam Sesh
Headphones for Your Afternoon Jam Sesh
Branding in Style
Branding in Style
Morning Pour Ready
Morning Pour Ready
Print Solutions for Every Need
Print Solutions for Every Need
Designed for the Everyday
Designed for the Everyday
Sip in Style
Sip in Style
Cozy Up with Custom Branding
Cozy Up with Custom Branding
Cap Your Brand's Potential
Cap Your Brand's Potential
Make Every Day a Branded Experience
Make Every Day a Branded Experience
Customizable Hat Seams
Customizable Hat Seams
Your Routine, Your Rules
Your Routine, Your Rules
Own the Court with Custom Style
Own the Court with Custom Style
Custom Drinkware for Your Brand
Custom Drinkware for Your Brand
Drinkware Built for Adventure
Drinkware Built for Adventure
Tote-ally Custom, Tote-ally Yours
Tote-ally Custom, Tote-ally Yours
Your Logo, Your Look
Your Logo, Your Look
The Tentree Juniper Blanket
The Tentree Juniper Blanket
Customizable Hat Tags
Customizable Hat Tags
Your Brand, On the Move
Your Brand, On the Move
Custom Headwear Tailored to Your Brand
Custom Headwear Tailored to Your Brand
Sip in Style
Sip in Style
Custom Gear for Real Life
Custom Gear for Real Life
FEED Organic Cotton Tote
FEED Organic Cotton Tote
Everyday Essentials, Your Way
Everyday Essentials, Your Way
Carry Your Message Everywhere
Carry Your Message Everywhere
Your Brand, Part of Daily Life
Your Brand, Part of Daily Life
Branding That Travels Far
Branding That Travels Far
Unique Gear for Your Routine
Unique Gear for Your Routine
Crafted for the Life You Live
Crafted for the Life You Live
Hats That Speak Your Brand
Hats That Speak Your Brand
Our insights
Stay tuned for expert advice, industry news, creative ideas, and behind-the-scenes stories that will help your business soar. Let's create something extraordinary, together!
What Decal Material Lasts Longest Outdoors? A Spec-by-Spec Comparison

What Decal Material Lasts Longest Outdoors? A Spec-by-Spec Comparison

The longest-lasting outdoor decal is cast vinyl under a UV-stable overlaminate, which 3M rates at 8 years for its standard printed-and-laminated construction. Polyester with a polyester overlaminate runs 5 to 8 years. Polymeric calendered vinyl falls well short of both, and economy monomeric film can be finished inside a year. But the material is only half the answer — orientation, climate, and how the decal fails matter as much as what it's made of.
Kiss-Cut vs Butt-Cut Labels: How to Choose (With Spec Table)

Kiss-Cut vs Butt-Cut Labels: How to Choose (With Spec Table)

Kiss-Cut vs Butt-Cut Labels: How to Choose (With Spec Table): Choose kiss-cut labels when they'll be peeled by hand off a backer or fed from a roll or sheet, or when the shape is anything but a plain rectangle. Choose butt-cut when the label is rectangular and volume, speed, and unit cost decide the job. Kiss-cut buys flexibility; butt-cut buys throughput. Everything below is detail on that one rule.
Custom Graphic Overlays for Control Panels and Machinery: A Specifier's Guide

Custom Graphic Overlays for Control Panels and Machinery: A Specifier's Guide

If you are responsible for specifying printed components for industrial equipment, control panels, or machinery, graphic overlays are one of those items that rarely get attention until something goes wrong.
Flywheel Brands customer talking about the custom decals and printed graphics we produce for them

Flywheel is our go-to source for stickers! Whether it’s for operational purposes to keep things running efficiently or advertising for lenders and other parties by the thousands, Flywheel gets it done and gets it done fast”

Keith Foster
Keith Foster
Marketing Manager
Carolina Auto Auction

In today's world, you want a partner that will think about your clients as if they are your own, and Flywheel does that...I don't have to worry about looking for another vendor or try to price shop my way to saving pennies. I know I have the perfect combination of customer service and cost with Flywheel."

Brian S
Brian S
EVP & Partner

Flywheel has helped us with everything from our brand refresh to choosing the right promotional products for a trade show. Their full-service partnership has been integral in our marketing for a few years now, and we look forward to continuing that relationship.”

Ann R
Ann R
Education Manager

Representing a nonprofit organization, my purchasing decisions are more budget-sensitive than most, and I find that Flywheel's pricing is beyond competitive. From promotional items to print and graphics work, they've become my go-to, and I appreciate the sense of partnership they've worked so hard to cultivate."

Craig I
Craig I
Public Awareness Manager

Marketing isn’t always about spending a lot of money. Flywheel has helped us to find cost-effective solutions that have a big impact on our efforts, from pens to our employees’ uniforms. Their high-level service makes them an easy choice as a creative partner.”

Zach M
Zach M
Vice President, Sales & Marketing

The Maryland Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Authority (the Authority) has utilized the services of Flywheel for a number of years with ever increasing confidence.  As providers of promotional items we have found them to be reasonable, reliable and timely.

Susan S
Susan S
Deputy Director

Our retail presence is so critical to the growth of our company. It was reassuring to be able to partner with Flywheel, knowing that they fully understand our brand, our image and our audience.”

Laura H
Laura H
Director of Marketing

We appreciated being able to rely on Flywheel to not only choose the right custom apparel for our marketing campaign but also deliver the product exactly as promised.”

Stuart L
Stuart L
Marketing Manager

Flywheel is our go-to for all of our merch and apparel. With Flywheel we know we are going to get a fast turnaround on our orders, quality goods, and a competitive price.

Michael Wolf
Michael Wolf
Wolfoods

Flywheel is great to work with. A wide variety of customizable options and customer service is quick to respond and adjust “on the fly."

Nathaniel Jones
Nathaniel Jones
Farm and Home Supply

Awesome company! Super fast service, super high quality!

Richard Boisvert
Richard Boisvert
AA Tampa Bay

John Langworthy and the Flywheel team were absolutely fantastic to work with. Every detail was given the highest of attention, which made me as the customer have peace of mind that our exhibit show would go smoothly, and be a huge success with our new booth. I have worked with other companies previously, and the bar that John and his team set and way over exceeded will keep me as a satisfied customer for a long time.

Wes Moore
Wes Moore
Business Manager
Chattem Chemicals

I just wanted to pass along my thanks for the incredible work and service that you and Flywheel have provided Sulzer this past year. I am sure we are not your largest account, but you have made us feel immeasurably valuable.

Ray Clawson
Ray Clawson
Sulzer
Lets collaborate
Ready to get started with Flywheel?

Got some ideas but not sure how to execute?

Button Text