Our silkscreening process utilizes the latest in screen-preparation technology, as well as durable epoxy-based inks, to ensure a high resolution and quality finish. ProtoSpace stocks a variety of standard silkscreen ink colors, and can provide custom colors upon request.
Minimum 9 pt font size required, with the exception of silkscreening over sandtex powdercoat, which requires a minimum 11 pt font size.
To ensure the highest print quality and clarity, vector graphic files are recommended:
.AI - Adobe Illustrator
.EPS - Encapsulated PostScript
.SVG - Scalable Vector Graphics
.PDF - Portable Document Format
.DXF or .DWG – AutoCAD
We can accept the following raster image files; however additional processing charges may apply:
.PNG - Portable Network Graphic
.JPG (.JPEG) - Joint Photographic Experts Group
.TIF (.TIFF)- Tagged Image File
.PSD - Photoshop
.VDX, .VSD, or. VSDX - Visio
.DOCX - Microsoft Word
.PPTX - Microsoft PowerPoint
As with everything in the manufacturing process, there are always some variances between parts and images (spatial registration). We use an X, Y and angular micro-adjust, which allows for a respectable tolerance of 0.020" | 0.51mm, which is more than adequate for most applications.
However, there are certain situations that are much more sensitive to disparation. Please see diagrams below for examples.
Figure 1 - Eccentric Circles: Left 0.020" (0.50mm) eccentricity x & y, middle 0.002" (0.05mm) x & y Right 0.010" (0.25mm) eccentricity x & y
We recommend any part or enclosure with digital print or silkscreen be cleaned using a mild soap/degreaser (for example: dish detergent), or water with a soft (non-abrasive) cloth or sponge.
Avoid using isopropyl alcohol, Lysol wipes, acetone or hand sanitizer. For cloths, we do not recommend paper towel, as it is abrasive.
| Process | Tolerance |
|---|---|
Silkscreen Positional | 0.020" | 0.51mm |
Digital Printing Positional | 0.020" | 0.51mm |
We believe the onboarding process should be as simple and hassle-free as possible.
Our team can process all of your paperwork to get the ball rolling in order to serve your custom manufacturing needs.