If you’ve ever delved into the world of custom apparel and sought the services of a screen printing company, you might have come across a term called “screen charge.” You’re not alone if you’ve wondered why this fee exists and what it covers. In this post, we’ll break down the process of screen printing and shed light on the reasons behind the screen charge.
The Screen Printing Process: A Brief Overview
Screen printing is a popular method for transferring designs onto various materials, especially apparel. The process involves several key steps:
- Design Creation: Customers provide their artwork, which is then digitally adapted for screen printing.
- Screen Preparation: Screens are created for each color in the design. These screens, made of mesh material, have stencils corresponding to specific colors.
- Ink Application: Screens are set up on the printing machine, with each color requiring a separate screen. Ink is applied, and a squeegee presses the ink through the stencil onto the material.
- Curing Process: The printed material undergoes a curing process, utilizing heat to set the ink permanently.
Why the Screen Charge?
Now, let’s address the burning question: Why are you charged a screen charge?
- Upfront Cost Coverage: The creation of screens involves materials, labor, and equipment. The screen charge helps offset these upfront costs associated with preparing the screens for printing.
- Color Separation Effort: Designs with multiple colors require separate screens for each color. The screen charge reflects the effort and resources needed for color separation and screen preparation.
- Reusability Benefits: Screens can be reused for future orders of the same design. While the initial screen creation is a one-time cost, the screen charge facilitates the recovery of this cost and enables printing companies to offer lower per-unit costs for subsequent orders of the same design.
In Conclusion: Understanding the Investment
In essence, the screen charge is a standard practice in the screen printing industry, ensuring that the costs incurred in setting up the printing process are covered. It is a one-time fee associated with the initial preparation of screens, and subsequent orders of the same design benefit from lower per-unit costs as the screens are already in place.
So, the next time you encounter a screen charge, you can rest assured that it’s an investment in the quality and precision of your custom prints, allowing you to showcase your unique designs with confidence.
