If you have a need for signage in order to promote your business, you will be considering how to get these made up. You will of course be interested in getting top quality output and the most professional looking signs available and should know that there are different printing methods according to your goal. Each of the three methods has its own particular approach and works best on specific types of material. What do you need to know about these processes, as you plan your strategy?

Digital UV

The first of the three processes is known as digital UV, or ultraviolet. The printing process will dry a specialised ink onto the material you use and typically the ink dries a lot more quickly than any other method. This type of process can produce a colour that is more vibrant and that works well with a variety of different surfaces, as the quick drying process enables the ink to be absorbed more readily.

Screen Printing

Screen printing is the second option to consider and this is one of the original processes, dating back more than a century. It's very popular and is typically used on clothing, but can also be successful on a variety of materials such as metal, glass or plastic. A special screen called a stencil is used to imprint the images on top of the material, like a stamp. The pressure of the stamp forces the ink onto the surface and different stencils are used for each different colour. This means that there are some limitations when it comes to very intricate designs, or when trying to reproduce photos. The final product will require curing and therefore is somewhat slower than the previously mentioned option, but it is an affordable solution as well.

Offset

Offset printing is a "heavy duty" solution for mass production of flyers, brochures or magazines, etc. One colour at a time is handled as part of a full colour CMYK format. This process uses ink instead of toner and the result is a very solid, more vibrant colour. You will find that this option is best for larger quantities and is more cost effective at those levels.

Asking the Experts

Have a word with a specialist printing company to determine what approach would be best for your needs. It could be that a combination of several different solutions would enable you to come up with your finished product.