A blimp is a simpler object than people assume. Understanding how it is built explains most of what you need to know about owning one.
It is a pressure vessel, not a structure
There is no frame inside. Nothing rigid at all.
The shape comes entirely from gas pressure against a sealed envelope, which is why a soft balloon looks wrong long before it is actually low. It is also why the material choice matters so much: the material *is* the structure.
Polyurethane holds its shape as pressure drops. PVC wrinkles and looks deflated early, which is one of those differences you only notice after you own one.
Panels and seams
Flat sheet is cut into panels shaped so that, joined together and inflated, they make a smooth body rather than a faceted one.
The seams are where a balloon fails if it is going to. Ours are welded rather than glued, which is the difference between a joint that ages with the material and one that ages differently from it.
If you are comparing suppliers, ask how the seams are made. It is a fair question and the answer tells you a lot.
Printing happens before assembly
Artwork is printed onto the white panels during the build, not applied to a finished balloon afterwards.
That is why we can put full colour on both sides and include it in the $1,512 rather than charging for it. It is also why production runs three to seven days from **artwork approval** rather than from order: your artwork is part of the manufacturing, not a decoration added at the end.
Anything applied afterwards as a decal or a wrap will lift at the edges eventually. Printed panels will not.
Why it is made in North Carolina
Because a two-week lead time is only possible if the factory is here.
Most advertising balloons sold in the United States are imported, which means containers and a lead time nobody can shorten once the order is placed. Ours is three to seven days of production plus two to five days on a truck.
It costs more to make them here. It is also the reason we can answer your question about seams instead of forwarding it.
Ask for a quote. Call 1-800-791-1445 or email [email protected] and tell us the size and whether you want it printed.
More at usblimps.com.