As far as the custom cut stickers are concerned, they have become quite popular in the last few years because they come in different shapes and designs. Conventional stickers are factory-made and fixed in shape while custom die cut stickers can be cut in any shape. Importance is given to the artwork design or any specified creativity. The process of printing stickers has a number of stages which when observed gives great and attractive results.
Design Creation
The cut sticker printing process can’t start out without its identification of the base shape which will fit the image and serve as the canvas for the overall design. There are graphic design programs for computers that will help produce a vile version of the sticker including its inscriptive features and color pattern.
Beautiful and original shapes of the cutout might include additional text, logos or complex illustrations but the more artwork you’ve got, the harder it becomes to cut out such a sticker. The image to be printed should always be saved in rather high-resolution format because it will be dealt with by a printer machine.
Right Material
Once the artwork is ready and approved, the next stage sees the overhead costs of materials for the stickers themselves being incurred at this point. The sheet material can be made from a number of different materials such as vinyl, paper, and polyester films. Because vinyl is so common in use and appears to be quite persistent when in contact with water or ultraviolet rays, it is suitable for external and internal application.
The durability of the sticker will also have to do with the material used to create it, mostly affected by its form factor.
Preparing the Print File
When the material is decided, the design file must be prepared in a way that it can be printed. This comprises saving the file in a format that can be used by the printing machine e.g. a PDF, a tiff, or an EPS file. Moreover, it is also necessary to add bleed areas in the design. Bleed eliminates the possibility of having an unprinted edge when the stickers are cut, hence they give the stickers a neat appearance.
Selecting the Printing Method
The next step entails deciding the most suitable printing method. A variety of methods is available including; digital printing, screen printing and offset printing. Because of its speed and ability to print in many colors, Digital printing is the most widespread in the production of custom die cut stickers. On the other hand, screen printing is preferred for bigger quantities and has good color reproduction; while offset printing is appropriate for bulk runs production.
Printing the Stickers
To get started with printing, it is necessary to settle on the preferred method of printing first. In digital printing, the printers utilize an inkjet or laser printing method where ink is placed directly on the surface of the material to be used. The printer has to interpret the image and carefully apply several layers of ink to the surface until a satisfactory finish is achieved.
It is, therefore, critical to ensure that the printing devices and the types of ink being used are of good quality in order to achieve the desirable results.
Drying the Ink
Once the stickers are prepared and the ink has been applied, the ink still needs to be dried in order to avoid smudging and to make it easier for the ink to set. Ink drying, depending on the printing method and ink type, occurs in several ways. With Virginia tape for example, the ink can be dried for a short period of time as ultraviolet (UV) light treats the area needing treatment. However, there are other approaches such as air pressure drying or heat setting which can simply take a longer time to implement.
Die Cutting Process
Now it is time for the next critical step: die cut. As long as the ink is dry, this is crucial as well. Defining the edges of the cut sticker is the second stage and as the name indicates the die cut is the tool used for this purpose. The cutter does only cut through the material in the shape of the sticker but also reshape the sticker to the desired one. This is an important step in the making of custom die cut stickers as it adds unnecessary but good visual appeal.
Quality Control
After the completing die cutting, quality control processes are undertaken to guarantee that the characteristics of each sticker are met as per requirements. This involves looking at the stickers for any printing defects, looking at whether the cutting was done correctly and checking if the colors correspond with the design. Any stickers that have been failed out of the quality test will have to go for repair work, or be thrown away.
Finishing Options
In addition to quality assurance, customers may want to apply more finishing options. Adding a thinner strong protective covering that enables the stickers to last longer and have a gloss or matte finish is a usual option, in a process known as laminating. Other options may include special effects such as embossing, foil stamping or a customized backing that makes it easier to apply the sticker.
Cutting the Backing
Then the last procedure is over, there is no more work done but, whenever necessary, the backing material is cut. In the case of paper backed stickers, the backing is die cut to the contour of the sticker. It makes it easier for a person who intends to apply a sticker to take it out, as he/she just has to peel off the backing and put the design wherever he/she wants. A backing should comply with the design so that the sticker is applied easily.
Packaging the Stickers
Once all the previous steps are completed, the custom die cut stickers are packaged for delivery. At this point, packaging may differ depending on the weight of the order and the customers’ wishes. Small quantities may be put in sheets and protectors, or envelopes whereas bulk order can be packed in boxes. This is vital because right packaging helps to avoid destruction of the stickers during shipping and that when the stickers get to the customer’s place, they are in good shape.
Shipping the Stickers
The last procedure in this process is the delivery of the finished stickers to the client’s articulation. These methods in this case are defined by how quickly and where the order is to be sent. A number of printing companies have listed various options including the standard and expedited options. Often the customers are provided with order tracking information and expected to see how their order moves along.
Final Thoughts
The whole cycle from creation of designs to the last stage before shipping covers all the necessary factors which contribute greatly to the quality of custom die cut stickers. Every order goes through different activities such as design drawing, cutting, pasting, and the likes, the last being shipping-out, all these contribute to the customers’ satisfaction when they receive their colorful tailored-made stickers.
An awesome feature of business-wide interest and for personal use, die cut stickers – the ability to generate any shape the customer wants. Knowing this process helps customers to understand the creativity used in making the stickers thus increasing the value of the stickers.
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