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SGIA Blog
New perspectives delivered weekly.
Always fresh, sometimes controversial, usually Wednesday.
May 15th, 2013
Registration for the 2013 Printed Electronics and Membrane Switch Symposium (Orlando, October 22–23) is now open! Due to increased demand after a successful experience alongside the 2012 SGIA Expo, the Symposium will open a day earlier to give attendees the best of both worlds.
Attendees who register* for the Symposium can take advantage of two days of essential Symposium programming and networking opportunities, as well as access to the 2013 SGIA Expo (October 23–25) reduced early registration fee, hundreds of specialty imaging exhibitors on the show floor, a Printed Electronics and Membrane Switch community reception with industry peers and the SGIA Keynote Breakfast.
The Symposium features high-end educational programming commonly regarded as the best of the best, delivering relevant, near-future technical information, with sessions including:
• Better Methods of Screen Printing
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Light Guide Panels (LGP’s)
• Mesh Selection & Stencil Preparation
• Finishing with Cutting Technologies
The Symposium serves as the industry’s gathering point for printed electronics and membrane switch professionals looking for the latest technology updates and new innovations from leaders in the industry.
Register now for the 2013 SGIA Printed Electronics and Membrane Switch Symposium!
*Registration for the 2013 Symposium is facilitated through the 2013 SGIA Expo registration system.
Tags: Expo, Industrial, printed electronics, Printed Electronics and Membrane Switch Symposium, SGIA
Posted in Industrial, SGIA Expo | No Comments »
May 8th, 2013
Registration for the 2013 SGIA Expo in Orlando is now open! This is the specialty imaging event you’ve been waiting for — register now and be the first in line!
The 2013 Expo is the best place to see the full spectrum of imaging technologies and applications:
- Feast your eyes on the latest imaging innovations from printing on glass and 3D imaging, to the newest DTG inkjets and heat transfer materials
- Excite your imagination with the newest digital, wide-format and finishing technologies
- Get your hands on cutting-edge industry applications
Our co-location partner, IFAI Specialty Fabrics Expo, will join us this year for an even bigger (and wider) experience. Hundreds of exhibitors, our Expo-exclusive Zones, innovative educational sessions and so much more — it doesn’t get any better than this.
Register now for your free Expo pass and make your plans to catch the full spectrum of specialty imaging!
See you in Orlando, October 23–25!
Tags: 2013Expo, digital printing, Expo, printed electronics, screen printing, SGIA, social media marketing, Specialty Graphics
Posted in Garment Decorators, Graphic Imagers, Imagers, Industrial, Installers, SGIA Expo, Suppliers | No Comments »
March 27th, 2013
In today’s fast-paced environment, whether or not your clients have a full editorial staff or even just an “editing tree” (in which copy goes down a line of people who glance over it and write “approved”) everyone can benefit from another eye on the printed product — before it’s printed. Here are a few reasons your client might benefit from you saying something if you see something:
- No matter how many people read through it, there might be one thing missed. The project you are working on for your client has likely already been edited 27,368 times before going to press. All the hands (and brains) on the project are possibly sick to death of looking at it, because they’ve gone over it again and again to get it right. And when you go over something again and again, you might be seeing what you want to see, instead of what’s actually there. A fresh pair of eyes on the final product can be a life-saver (or a job-saver).
- Great representation. Your client already loves the work you do — I mean, you have the job, right? Showing your attention to detail on the job you’re printing could further solidify future business. Finding that one pesky typo might be just the ticket to winning the next job and/or a great referral!
Do you tell your clients if you see something spelled wrong or a font that looks wacky? Comment below!
Tags: editing, professional development, proofreading, services
Posted in all | No Comments »
March 19th, 2013
Basketball – you know, that game where you take turns shooting a ball through a net (No touchdowns)
This week, March Madness begins! If you’re not into college basketball, you’ll recognize this time of year as when any business uses brackets to connect themselves to March Madness. The library might have a book bracket, the local bar has a spicy buffalo wing bracket (Mmmm) – The Washington Post even has a yearly Beer Madness bracket tournament! But maybe you want to participate in a bracket contest at work or just want to appear “in the know.” Here is some background info, if you’re a March Madness newbie:
- March Madness is a 68-team college basketball sudden-death tournament – there are no do-overs, sub-tournaments or double-eliminations. You lose, you go home.
- The 68 teams are broken up into four regions: East, West, South and Midwest. In each region, the teams are ranked from 1 to 16. The team ranked #1 always plays team #16 to start the tourney. A #1 team has never lost in the first round. Since the expansion to 64 teams in 1985, no number 16 seed has ever won a game in the NCAA Tournament. Before you plan out your office bracket, remember: The 16s are 0-112 all-time in the tournament (but there is always room for surprises).
- The first two rounds are held the first four days of the tournament. Sixteen teams are left by the end of the fourth day — the Sweet Sixteen. Over the next two weeks, those will be whittled down to the Elite Eight, and then the champions of the East, West, South and Midwest divisions are called the Final Four.
Ready the smack talk – SGIA’s First March Madness Bracket Challenge!
Now that you’ve got the basics down, join SGIA’s Bracket Challenge! Everything is just for fun, there is no ulterior motive here (except kicking your butt! No, I’m being serious – don’t laugh at me like that). If you want to play, click on the link below to create an account with CBS Sports, then use the password to join our group.
http://10015march.mayhem.cbssports.com/e?ttag=13_cbsinv
Password: sgia mm
If you’re participating, your bracket has to be filled out by Thursday! If you have any questions, post in the comments section. See you there!
Tags: Bracket Challenge, interactions, March Madness, SGIA, social media, Specialty Graphics, specialty imaging
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March 13th, 2013
Dye Sublimation is currently one of the fastest expanding markets in digital printing – but why? You can find all kinds of information about the process, equipment, supplies and products, but no straight answers about why this new process in digital printing is so awesome. So I went straight to a trusted source – SGIA’s Johnny Shell, one of our technical experts.
Why would someone choose Dye Sublimation over any other process?
Versatility - Using the same equipment, one can decorate a wide variety of items (metal, plastic, textiles).
Color vibrancy – Dye sub provides excellent color vibrancy compared to other digital technologies.
Eco-friendly – Dye sub uses mostly aqueous dyes vs. harsh solvents used in other ink chemistries.
Are there Pros and Cons?
Pros: Versatility, Color, Eco-friendly.
Cons: Processing variables associated with the transfer process, additional processing steps required by the transfer process, color accuracy, limited substrate availability, limited outdoor use.
Why is it popular right now?
Soft signage is viewed as sustainable due to reduced shipping costs vs. rigid signs, so companies are moving away from anything that costs more to produce/ship and toward projects/substrates that are viewed as less harmful to the environment.
Dye sublimation offers versatility and durability, making it a real contender for new businesses looking to jump into the specialty imaging industry. SGIA has great dye sub education available to specialty imagers – SGIA Subscribers can view past dye sub Webinars through our Webinar Archive. SGIA also offers fun and innovative, hands-on dye sub Workshops:
Introduction to Dye Sublimation
Covers the full spectrum of small-format dye sublimation
May 15-16, 2013
If you are a company that has integrated dye sub into your business, how has it changed your business? If you’re a new dye sub business, what has your learning curve been like and what do your customers think of the results compared to past projects? We want to hear from you!
Tags: dye sub, graphic, Imaging, SGIA, Specialty Graphics, specialty imaging
Posted in Garment Decorators, Graphic Imagers, Imagers, Installers, SGIA Expo, Suppliers | No Comments »
March 7th, 2013
In memory of one of the strongest supporters of the screen print industry, the Academy of Screen and Digital Printing Technologies has dedicated its Student Printing Competition to Tom Frecska, the late editor of ScreenPrinting Magazine. Tom, who passed away suddenly in 2009, recognized the importance of and supported the education of students in the screen printing process. This award places a spotlight on the next generation of imagers and is a great opportunity for students to have samples of their finest work evaluated by ASDPT experts. Winning submissions will be displayed to industry leaders from around the world at the 2013 SGIA Expo, Orlando, FL, October 23-25, 2013.
Highly sought after by graphic arts students, ASDPT awards honor superior imaging work within a variety of categories. Entrants represent secondary (high school and vocational) students and post-secondary (technical school, college or university) students. Show the imaging community that you have what it takes to excel in this industry with an esteemed Tom Frecska Student Printing Competition Award.
Entries must be submitted by July 31, 2013. For more information, visit the Tom Frecska Student Printing Competition page, contact sgia@sgia.org or call 703.385.1335.
Tags: color, digital imaging, Imaging, SGIA, Specialty Graphics, specialty imaging
Posted in Garment Decorators, Graphic Imagers, Imagers, SGIA Expo | No Comments »
February 27th, 2013
Hi.
If you’re reading this, then yes, there you are. But how did you find us?
Well, there is a whole corner devoted to SGIA’s blog on your website, so I clicked on it…
or maybe…
Someone I know retweeted a link to your blog and I thought it was interesting…
or perhaps…
I liked SGIA’s page on Facebook and there was a link to their blog and I was curious…
or even better!
I’m an SGIA member and I practically live on that website, so of course I clicked on their blog…
Did you know we had all of these cool ways to connect with our members? We have our awesome website, but we are also on:
- LinkedIn, where anyone can ask technical questions or talk to us about the Expo through our discussion boards,
- Twitter, for those of you who like your internet experience more abbreviated,
- Facebook, where we can see the new things our members are up to and connect with them,
- And the SGIA blog, where we can start up discussions (like this one) about anything that involves the specialty imaging community.
But – that all seems like a lot of work. And I don’t really know what a Twitter is.
How can you get out there and reach the imaging community? It’s so easy. Just being accessible in any way is the first step. You can choose just one medium (Twitter, a blog, Facebook or LinkedIn), tie it to your website and go from there.
What to write about? Try: showing off the cool things your company is doing in the lab; highlighting a new technology one of your team members has just found out about that you think is really amazing; getting feedback from your peers on what projects are coming up that you most want to try out. Your peers and customers might already be wondering where you are.
You can also check out our sponsored 10 week series on social media with Spark Evolution, “Build Your Online Marketing Machine!” Sign up to learn more about social media marketing and get even more great ideas.
Don’t let yourself be intimidated, just start the conversation! Things might start out slow at first, but once your company and your team are out there, interacting and talking, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll get new contacts, new customers and a new audience.
How do you interact with your customers? Or how do you WANT to interact with your customers? Post comments or questions below!
Tags: interactions, social media, social media marketing, specialty imaging
Posted in Garment Decorators, Graphic Imagers, Imagers, Industrial, Installers, SGIA Expo, Suppliers | No Comments »
February 21st, 2013
Color is everything — when you’re working with a customer that has a specific brand, color can make or break the job. Who doesn’t know Target red or Girl Scout green? Do you think Facebook is concerned about their precise shade of blue? Of course they are — because if that blue doesn’t match up on a monitor, a printout or a plastic gift card, it’s not going to work.
Color can be tweaked through the tools you use, but what if it’s your own eyes that are holding you up? Did you know that, according to X-Rite, Inc., one out of 255 women and one out of 12 men have some form of color vision deficiency?
Everyone sees color a little differently, some more extreme than others. Check out this fun Online Color Challenge, based on the official FM100 Hue Test by X-Rite, to see where you land on the color spectrum. Let us know how you score in our comments below!
After you take the test, check out our sponsored G7 training with M&R companies and sign up! Learn how to control color across multiple platforms and keep your projects color consistent.
Tags: color, digital imaging, Imaging, SGIA, Specialty Graphics
Posted in Garment Decorators, Graphic Imagers, Imagers, Industrial, Installers, SGIA Expo, Suppliers | No Comments »
January 31st, 2013
G7 is an innovative calibration methodology developed by IDEAlliance that enables different proofers, screen presses and digital printers to produce a very similar appearance regardless of substrate, line count, ink type or printing condition. It can also serve as a competitive advantage for speciality imaging companies who need to meet increasing demands of customers.
To help imaging professionals get a handle on G7, SGIA has teamed up with IDEAlliance to offer a four-day G7 Expert/Professional Training class on March 12-15, 2013 at M&R Companies facility in Niles, Illinois. The training includes a lecture on G7 methodology, lab instruction and a demonstration of G7 certified systems. G7 will be demonstrated across both screen and digital output devices, including:
- M&R Screen Press Insignia
- HP DesignJet Z3200
- Epson 9890 for film output
This class is intended for color management professionals looking for certification as a G7 Expert or G7 Professional. Best of all, SGIA members receive a $150 discount off their registration. For more details about this exclusive training class, visit IDEAlliance’s website. To receive the $150 discount, SGIA members should contact SGIA for the coupon code at 888.385.3588.
For information about G7 methodology and additional resources, visit SGIA.org, Keyword: G7.
Posted in all | No Comments »
January 11th, 2013
Hi, I’m Greg Kitson, a 25-year SGIA member currently on my way home from the 2013 SGIA Congress of Committee’s meeting in Florida, where it was 80 degrees. It’s only 25 slushy degrees back home in Decatur, Indiana, where the staff of Mind’s Eye Graphics Inc. is continuing to crank out the decorated apparel our customers demand.
With that said, it’s easy to see why I make time in my schedule to participate in the annual SGIA leadership event. During the garment decorators meeting, however, one of our topics of discussion concentrated on why the 19 committee members made the decision to support SGIA with their personal and company resources.
The participating Association members touched on all the usual reasons, such as information sources, industry networking, the SGIA Expo, their boss told them they had to, and adding to their personal collection of event registration badges with colorful vendor sponsored lanyards were all reasons cited during the lively discussion.
After the joviality and laughter about the event badges, the conversation drilled down to what most of us felt was the real unrealized value of SGIA membership, which was simply the depth of information resources.
In this age of hundreds of thousands of three-minute, free self-produced ‘how –to’ videos, the biggest question at hand is, “How can SGIA bring value to their professional imaging membership?”
In my Mind’s Eye (sorry about the shameless plug) the greatest value of SGIA is the ability to assist the membership when they do not know the question they need to ask to seek help. I readily admit that I don’t know what I don’t know, how could I, but when I’ve called the SGIA staff, they have always listened patiently, asked concise qualifying questions and given me information regarding options and solutions that I had no idea existed.
Rather than spending hours beating my head against the not so soft computer screen in front of me, 10 minutes on the phone to SGIA, followed by two more phone calls with the contact and information provided by their professional staff, my problem was solved. Then I can quickly get back to running my business rather than problem solving and firefighting. This really makes the annual membership investment decision a no brainer!
SGIA is currently making a huge investment in time and resources to improve the amount of information available to the professional garment decorators in our industry. Make the time to respond to this blog entry and tell me your SGIA story. Or email me at greg@mindseyeg.com to make a suggestion or ask a question about what SGIA can do for you.
Thanks for reading, looking forward to seeing you at the SGIA Expo!
Posted in Garment Decorators | No Comments »
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