How Tin Signs are Produced

There are five processes to produce a tin sign.

1. Image Processing
2. Proof
3. Plate Making
4. Printing & Drying
5. Finishing
   

Image Processing

First the Graphic Artist produces the image from scratch, once it's been accepted and licensed the job will be photographed to produce transparencies. For full-color images a color separation has to be made to provide a single-color image, this is used to produce a single color printing plate for lithography or cylinder, once it is done and checked it will be sent to plate or cylinder making operation.
A photographic negative is used when letters or lithographs are involved in original image, these are done by printing negatives into film.

Proof

At this stage a proof is made for job control and approved by the client.

Plate Making

Photmechanical plating is the common method of plating, these plates use light sensitive coating on which images are produced photographically, four plates are made for four color images.

Printing & Drying

The four plates are being attached to plate cylinder of the press machine. Each plate of printing press prints a single color to come up with full color. Four plates have colors of magenta, cyan, yellow & black, which one after another presses over the job to come up with the full-color. After printing the subject can be dried depending on the paint used. The drying is done using either a heat dry or a non-heat dry method. Heat dry method is done by hot air and non-heat method is done by absorption.

Finishing

Finishing is being done by trimming, folding the edges and laminating the surface if needed or required.