At SignWorld.org, our mission is to bring business owners across America the highest quality signage without straining their budgets. Of course, quality signage means different things for different people; beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say. Some design desires simply won’t be fulfilled without some funky new printing methods, but there are so many available to business owners that the decision-making process can be overwhelming.
In today’s post, we outline two of the most popular printing methods used for commercial signage: UV printing and screen printing. Each process is unique, with its own set of pros and cons, and the SignWorld team describes them all below. Read on to inform your sign design and give your business the best chance at making an impression on your desired audience!
Digital UV or Ultraviolet Printing
The first thing that comes to mind when the world ultraviolet is mentioned is probably the sun. Believe it or not, you’re not far off! While SignWorld’s digital UV printing process doesn’t quite harness the power of the sun, it does use similar UV lighting to dry specialized ink onto a print material of your choice. This is a much different process than you’d get with a solvent ink, which is either air dried or cured using heat. Broken down to the barebones basics, UV ink reacts instantly when exposed to UV light, drying right away. This is useful for signmakers and sought after by business owners because rapid drying gives ink less time to evaporate or absorb into the printing medium, thereby creating a much more vibrant and enticing finished product. Think of it like this: the faster the drying process, the more of the color your signage can capture and use to attract customers.
Environmentally conscious business owners may also opt for UV printing. This method of printing and drying has an eco-friendly effect, as it avoids creating the air pollution typically created when ink evaporates into the atmosphere.
We can summarize the benefits of UV printing as follows:
- Can be printed on basically any surface
- Environmentally friendly
- Produces vibrant colors
- Dries extremely quickly
On the other hand, UV printing does have some drawbacks, which include:
- Relatively high cost of printing equipment
- Ink can turn brittle if the curing process is imperfect
- Ink does not dry “flat”
Screen Printing
This style of printing has been around since the 1900s and has generally been accepted as the go-to method for printing on cloth, plastic, glass, and metal. This process involves the use of a stencil to imprint designs on your chosen printing material. Think of it like a more sophisticated stamp.
The pros of screen printing include:
- The ability to work on a wide range of substrates
- Screen printing can endure multiple washings if done on cloth or banner
- Screen printing is very affordable for bulk orders because the start-up cost is absorbed
The cons of screen printing include:
- Higher set-up costs compared to some alternatives
- Reduced cost efficiency for small orders
- Limited material size due to need for stencil
- Slower turnaround time due to set-up and curing requirements
Learn more about signage styles and design
Visit http://www.signworld.org to learn all you need to know about sign design, or to book a free consultation with one of our experts.
About Signworld
Signworld is a national organization with more than 240 independently owned sign companies, which provide commercial custom signage and graphics. It’s personable, creative, rewarding and ideal for people-oriented individuals who have the desire to learn how to manage a sales and production business. Signworld has been a part of the industry’s profit and fun since 1988. With over 27 years in the business, Signworld has established itself as the leader in the no-royalties and no-rules sign business concept. The ongoing support and training along with state-of-the-art equipment helps leave the competition behind. For more details visit – https://signworld.org/
