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 colour you are going to print, and then screen each colour 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 "digitised," which is the specialised 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 digitiser must actually recreate the artwork using stitches. Then it programs the sewing machine to sew a specific design, in a specific colour, with a specific type of stitch. This is the process known as digitising.
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 coloured 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.
Colourfill- 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-colour Process- A system where a colour image is separated into 4 different colour values by the use of filters and screens (usually done digitally). The result is a colour separation of 4 images, that when transferred to printing plates and printed on a printing press with the coloured inks cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and black, reproduces the original colour image. These four colours can be combined to create thousands of colours 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 coloured 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.
