THE ARTWORK
In preparation for screen printing, the Signet artists take your logo or art file and, depending on the format, place it into one of our drawing programs such as Corel Draw or Illustrator. They will convert your image to a vector drawing—vectors are any scalable objects that keep their proportions and quality when sized up or down and are constructed with paths and points. Refer to the Screen Printing Art Specifications for more information.
The artists size the art to the correct proportions for your screen printing job. For example, the size of the art for an adult shirt, full front or back, normally runs between 10”-13” wide and no more than 14” high. Refer to our Imprint Positions and Size Reference Sheet printable pdf. Colors are chosen at this stage, if not already decided. There are two types of ink colors from which to choose: PMS colors or “Bucket” standard colors.
PMS colors are “Pantone Matching System” colors and are mixed to recreate an exact color match to a standardized color. This involves exact ink formulas, additional time and the skilled eyes of the printer; additional charges are incurred when ordering PMS colors. “Bucket” colors are pre-mixed, standard colors that are ready to use and have no additional cost involved to utilize. See our Bucket Ink Color Swatch printable pdf.
The art is then sent back to you for your review in the form of a proof. Click the Proofing Process to get more important points to keep in mind when proofing.
After your approval is given, your design is separated and printed on positive film (one per color) and given a final check by the art department.
PRODUCTION (Screen Preparation, Printing, Drying and Shipping)
The film then goes to our printing department where the image is transferred onto a re-usable screen (one for each color). The screen(s) are prepared for printing and loaded onto either a manual or automatic press. Each screen is positioned to print onto the proper area of the substrate. Ink, pre-mixed and/or custom prepared, is then loaded into the screens and a squeegee is pulled across the image on the screen.
The ink is pressed through the screen onto the substrate (clothing, hats, posters, etc.). The completed print is then inspected for quality of coverage, alignment, and registration. Once it passes, the run begins.
After being printed, the ink must be cured. Various inks require different curing methods, most commonly by heat. This particular print is loaded onto a conveyor belt and sent through a dryer at 325° F.
This whole process is repeated for each position, from screen preparation to curing.
Once the run is completed, the garments, etc., are packed and prepared for customer pick-up or shipping.