Printing colorful vinyl jackets for crowd control barriers
Blockader ® has produced jackets with a large variety of graphics for 13 years -- everything from simple logos to complex photographs. In order to best meet the requirements of any given project, Blockader® offers two methods of printing: Silk Screening and Solvent Inkjet Printing.
Silk Screening
Recent advancements in equipment and technology have made screen printing better then ever. As the leader in barrier jackets, Blockader® uses the best that technology has to offer.
Silk screening is the perfect method for applying logos and text to jackets. This method keeps edges crisp and the colors brilliant, assuring that your message will make an impact at any distance. The materials and the inks are durable, allowing years of effective use.
Blockader® has established procedures for printing jackets – procedures that don’t cut corners.
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We start by using equipment specially suited for large format printing, run by journeymen press operators with years of experience. |
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We use quality vector software that guarantees that your logo is as crisp and clear at three feet wide as it is on your letterhead. |
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We utilize the Pantone Color Matching System so your jacket will match current advertising printed on any type of different media. |
The process begins with the graphic...
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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. |
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A large 96” x 48” screen, consisting of a fine polyester mesh 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 jacket with no repositioning. |
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The films containing the graphic are sandwiched with the frame and exposed to UV light. |
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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. |
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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 jacket. |
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The screen is inspected for quality and any pin holes are repaired. |
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The inks are prepared. Blockader® utilizes the Pantone Color Matching System which has long served as the standard language of color communication in the design and printing industries. Inks are mixed by experienced professionals using specific formulas. |
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Before the ink is used on the press, a draw down is made to evaluate the ink’s appearance and compatibility with the jacket material. |
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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. |
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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 be utilized. |
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After the jacket is properly cured and inspected, it is returned to the sewing department for completion. |
Solvent Inkjet Printing
Blockader® also has three inkjet printers, 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, and can allow for eye-catching images to be printed onto a jacket.
Inkjet printing utilizes four color process imaging. Both vector and 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.
Blockader® inkjet printing is so good that only an experienced eye can tell the differences between a true silk screened jacket and one that has been printed on the inkjet printer.
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 the Blockader® process from the rest!
Knowledgeable Staff
The above was a simplified overview of our processes. There are often several ways to achieve similar, if not exact, results.
When you call Blockader®, you will talk to a knowledgeable staff person who can help determine the best way Blockader® can satisfy your jacket printing needs. |
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