Production Printing Process

See the Barricade Cover Production Printing Process

Printing your colorful crowd control barricade covers

Barrier Jacket Production Process
 

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Barricade Cover Silk Screening

Silk screen technology has continued to improve, making screen printing of barricade covers better than ever. As the leader in crowd control barricade covers, we use equipment and technology available in the industry.

Silk screening is the perfect method of applying logos and text to barrier jackets. The method keeps edges crisp and colors brilliant, assuring tht your message will make an impact at any distance. The materials and inks are durable, allowing years of effective use of your investment.

See The Established Procedure for Printing Barricade Covers

• The process starts by using equipment specially suited for large format printing, run by journeymen press operators with years of experience.
• We use quality vector software that guarantees that your logo is a as crisp and clear at the three feet wide as it is on your letterhead.
• Our Pantone Color Matching System will make sure your barrier jacket will match current advertising printed on any type of different media.

Barrier Jacket Graphic Process

• You'll receive a digital proof simulating how the graphics will be printed on the vinyl. Once the design is approved, the design elements are separated into colors and outputted to film.
• A large 96" x 48" screen, consisting of a fine polyester mesh is stretched over an aluminum frame, is covered with emulsion that is sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light. This large screen allows coverage to any part of the barrier jacke with no repositioning.
• The films containing the graphic are sandwiched with the frame and exposed to UV light.
• The film positive blocks the light from hitting those areas of the screen where the ink needs to go. All areas exposed to the light harden when cured.
• A spray of water washes the unhardened emulsions away, leaving a negative, or "stencil", through which the ink can be passed through the mesh and onto the barrier jacket.
• The screen is inspected for quality and any pin holes are repaired.
• The inks are prepared by utilizing the Pantone Color Matching System which has long served as the standard language of color communication in the design and printing industry. Inks are mixed by experienced professionals using specific formulas.
• Before the ink is used on the press, a draw down is made to evaluate the ink's appearance and compatibility with the barricade cover material.
• The screen is mounted in the press. The press moves a squeegee precisely across the mesh to force the ink through the mesh and onto the jacket. After each color is applied, the material is placed on a special drying rack until the ink sets.
• A different screen is used for each color of ink in the design. We have had excellent results using as many as seven screens, but any number can e utilized.
• After the jacket is properly cured and inspected, it is returned to the sewing department for completion.

Solvent Inkjet Printing

Three inkjet printers are used on our barricade covers which are specially suited to print on vinyl or canvas, that are large enough to print full bleed on an eight foot barrier jacket. This technology uses special inks that withstand harsh, outdoor conditions.

There is no set-up cost with inkjet printing so small runs, even single jackets, can be printed inexpensively. Complex graphics, such as photos, are possible, an can allow for eye catching images to be printed onto a jacket.

Inkjet printing utilizes four color process imaging. Both vector an quality raster image files can be used. Images are printed at 720 dpi quality.

Quick turnarounds are possible with inkjet printing - sometimes in as little as 36 hours from order to delivery.

There are frequent opportunities where we can combine the two processes to both save money and meet quick turnaround requirements.

Attention to detail is what separates our barricade cover process from our competitors.