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| Pantone
Matching System (PMS) |
A
book of standardized color usually in a fan format used
to identify, match and communicate colors in order to
produce accurate color matches in printing. Each color
has a coded number indicating instructions for mixing
inks to achieve that color. Please feel free to use our
Color Chart as a guide if you
do not have access to a PMS Chart. |
Personalization |
Imprinting
an item with a person's name using one of several methods
such as mechanical engraving, laser engraving, hot stamping,
debossing, sublimation, or screen printing, just to name
a few. |
Set-up
Charge / Screen Fee / Plate Charge |
A
fee charged by the manufacturer for labor and materials
needed in order to transfer your logo to the printing
method. A silk-screen requires a screen fee for every
color, this is needed to manufacturer you the screens
you will need for printing your logo. A deboss or hot
stamp requires that we make you a metal
plate for which the machine makes your imprint witch is otherwise
known as a plate or a die. Digitizing for embroidery is the
most expensive process, we need to make you a digitized tape
so the stitching machine can recreate your logo on fabric.
Many of these setups are outsourced to companies who specialize
in correctly making these items, and the fees are the costs
for this service. Often times we will keep your plate, screen,
or mold on hand for a few years for reorders, this way you
will not have to pay another setup charge again. |
Exact
Re-Order |
Usually
there is not a setup charge on exact repeat orders. However,
there are companies that require a re-order set up charge
which is usually less than the original set up fee. We
will inform you up front if you will have a re-order
set up fee. |
Color
Match |
Sometimes
the factory will have to charge a small fee to custom
blend a special color that you have requested. If you
select from their normal colors, you will be able to
avoid this fee. |
Camera-Ready |
Artwork
that is black and white and has very clean, crisp lines
that make it easy to scan and suitable for photographic
reproduction. |
Paper
Proof |
Impression
of type or artwork on paper so the correctness and quality
of the material to be printed can be checked. All of
our non rush orders receive a paper proof to make sure
your order will be completed as you desire. |
Pre-production
Proof |
An
actual physical sample of the product itself produced
and sent for approval before an order goes into production.
This process has high costs ($30.00- $200.00) due to
the labor involved, and having to slow production at
the factory to make the sample. |
Production
Time |
The
amount of time needed to produce and ship an order, once
an order has been received and approved. Stock products
with a one-color imprint usually ship within 10-12 working
days. Custom products and those with multi-color imprints
can require longer production time. |
Overruns
/ Underruns |
The
number of pieces that were printed in excess of the quantity
specified/ the production run of fewer pieces than the
amount specified. The industry standard on most products
is + 2-5%, with the exception being on paper and plastic
bags. They can range from +10 to +25%. Suppliers bill
on the actual quantity shipped. Most suppliers will print
more than ordered in case there is a problem with a few
items so you do not have to leave someone shorthanded
during an event. Also you will have extra items on hand
for warranty purposes. |
Copy
Change |
A
fee charged for changing the imprint copy on a product
at time of the original order. For instance if your company
has several locations and all have the same logo you
will be charged a set up charge for the logo and first
location information then there will be copy changes
for each additional location. |
Quantity
Pricing |
These
are the prices for which we discount your items based
on the quantity you would like to purchase. They are
usually always clearly posted on our website. |
Drop
Shipment |
Where
we ship direct from the factory to your location. An
order shipped to more than one location will be charged
a fee for each additional destination. This option is
not always available on all products. |
Halftone |
An
image produced by breaking the subject into small dots
of varying intensities of gray ranging from white to
black. |
Bleeds |
Printers
cannot print right to the edge of a paper sheet. To create
that effect, the printer must use a sheet, which is larger
than the document size. Then the printer prints beyond
the edge of the document size (usually
1/8”), then cuts the paper down to the correct document
size. |
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| Screen Printing
/ Silk-Screening |
An
image is transferred to the printed surface by ink, which
is pressed through a stenciled screen and treated with
a light-sensitive emulsion. Film positives are put in
contact with the screens and exposed to light, hardening
the emulsion not covered by film and leaving a soft area
on the screen for the squeegee to press ink through.
Also, you must create a different screen for every color
you are going to print, and then screen each color separately
allowing drying time in-between. |
Embroidery |
Stitching
a design into fabric through the use of high-speed, computer-controlled
sewing machines. Artwork must first be "digitized," which
is the specialized process of converting two-dimensional
artwork into stitches or thread. A particular format
of art such as a jpeg, tif, eps, or bmp, cannot be converted
into
an embroidery tape. The digitizer must actually recreate
the artwork using stitches. Then it programs the sewing machine
to sew a specific design, in a specific color, with a specific
type of stitch. This is the process known as digitizing. |
Deboss |
Achieved
by depressing an image into a material’s surface
so that the image sits below the product surface. |
Emboss |
We
Impress an image in relief to achieve a raised surface. |
| Hot Stamp |
| Setting a design on
a metal relief die or plate, which is then heated and pressed
onto the printing surface to achieve a deboss. |
| Etching |
| Using a process in which
an image is first covered with a protective coating that
resists acid, then exposed, leaving bare metal and protected
metal. The acid attacks only the exposed metal, leaving
the image etched onto the surface. |
| Laser or Foil
Stamp |
| Applying metallic or
colored foil imprints to vinyl, leather or paper surfaces.
Usually with a deboss. |
| Die-Casting |
| Injecting molten metal
into the cavity of a carved die (or a mold). |
| Die-Striking |
| Producing emblems and
other flat promotional products by striking a blank metal
sheet with a hammer that holds the die. |
| Colorfill |
| Screen printing an image
and then debossing it onto the vinyl’s surface. |
| Pad Printing |
| A recessed surface is
covered with ink. The plate is wiped clean, leaving ink
in the recessed areas. A silicone pad is then pressed against
the plate, pulling the ink out of the recesses, and pressing
it directly onto the product. |
| 4-Color Process |
| A system where a color
image is separated into 4 different color values by the
use of filters and screens (usually done digitally). The
result is a color separation of 4 images, that when transferred
to printing plates and printed on a printing press with
the colored inks cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and
black, reproduces the original color image. These four
colors can be combined to create thousands of colors just
as your computer printer does. |
| Laser (Engraving) |
| Imprinting method by
which art or lettering is cut into a material by a laser
beam that vaporizes the portion exposed through openings
in a template. |
| Sublimation |
| Dye transfer process
where the image consists of a colored dye permanently embedded
into the material surface of pores. Used to imprint messages,
graphics and photographs on a variety of items, primarily
mouse pads, mugs, T-shirts, caps, and trophy medals. |
| Decal |
| Artwork is produced
on a transparent decal, then applied to product. |
| Offset Printing |
| A process of transferring
ink from a metal printing plate to a rubber-covered cylinder.
Used on more complex artwork and for higher quantity runs. |
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