TheMission Viejo CityScoop

Sign Company News
Mission Viejo, CA

Mission Viejo, CA – Signage FAQs | Do you offer die-cut stickers? | SignageNews

BY: Your Name, Your Business

If you need to have stickers made for your company or event, we can help. Having an understanding of terminology may help in determining the best manufacturing process. However, if you are unsure, it’s best not to use terminology that may limit you in suppliers.

We do offer die-cut stickers, though the majority of the time, the term “die-cut” is misused, and what is actually meant is “plotter cut” or “contour cut”. Unfortunately, many in the sign industry use the term “die-cut” incorrectly. Unless you’re making thousands of stickers, and in relatively simple shapes, you probably want plotter-cut. The key differences are explained below.

Plotter Cut

A plotter is a computer-controlled device that can plot (drawing with a pen) or cut (with a razor sharp knife). The plotter moves the media and its cutting head to make precision cuts across the surface of vinyl film. The movement of the media and cutting head is controlled by a computer.

This cutting process is similar to tracing, the knife is moved along the stroke each drawing object in your vector art. Unlike “die-cut” stickers, there is not setup cost associated with making a metal cutting die. As such, production of even small quantities of stickers can be affordable. Vector art is required for the computer and plotter to be able to cut your design. Though a plotter is very fast, a knife is moved across the surface of the vinyl media and it may take several seconds to several minutes to plot a single graphic depending on the size and complexity.

Die Cut

A “die” is similar to a cookie-cutter. A press is used to push a sharp edge through material to cut it. Like a rubber stamp, the entire graphic is made / cut in a single operation in a fraction of a second. With automation, die cut stickers can be cut very quickly, many thousands in a minute. However, most often there is a setup cost associated with making the metal cutting die and setting up the automated press to die-cut your stickers. For simple, standard geometric shapes, we can use existing, pre-made dies. If you need a circular, rectangular, or rectangular sticker with rounded corners, the die may already exist and be ready to use without the associated cost of die creation.

Kiss Cut

A “kiss cut” is a type of die-cut with one significant difference. A die-cut sticker cuts through both the adhesive vinyl and its backing paper in one operation. A “kiss cut” cuts through the vinyl, but not the backing sheet. Depending on your requirements, kiss-cut stickers may involve the creation of 2 dies, one for the adhesive sticker and one for the backing sheet.

Depending on the size and complexity of your graphic, the cost of die creation may be $150 or more. As such, the quantity of stickers must be significant (typically in the thousands) to offset the cost of die creation before die-cut becomes more affordable than plotter cut.

Determining Costs

To provide a quote, minimally we will need to know the type of material, size and quantity needed. Our quote for fabrication will assume that production-ready vector artwork is being provided.

Artwork Requirements

Plotter cut or contour cut graphics require vector art. If you do not have vector artwork, your bitmapped graphic or logo can probably be recreated as vector artwork. There are affordable vector conversion services available on the internet – you can find them by doing a search for “vector conversion” in your favorite search engine.

“Best Sign Company in Mission Viejo, CA”

Top Rated Local Custom Sign Shop / Store / Business

Orange County: Mission Viejo, , , , , CA

Recent

Your company's sign is an investment that requires consideration to ensure that it is effective and presents your company's image adequately. In this week's article,…
When you're looking for a quote on signage, you'll need to provide sufficient detail to get an accurate quote and avoid frustration when ordering subsequently. In th…
Most sign companies offer products beyond traditional signage. When it comes to promoting your company, event or organization, it's worthwhile checking with your sig…
The term "window graphics" covers a range of products from simple vinyl lettering and designs to complex full color vinyl or window perforation. Window graphics are…
Banners are one of the most often requested sign types at Spectrum Signs. Banners are portable, economical and easy to display. In this week's article we'll define c…
The use of acrylic (also known by the trademarked name "Plexiglas") in making signs is popular as the material is attractive and versatile, but does require some car…
We all appreciate a good bargain, but a cheap sign isn't always a bargain and may reflect poorly on your company. In this week's article, we present some common pitf…
The use of sign letters made from foam is an effective and affordable way of adding dimension to your sign. In this week's article we present how foam can be used in…
We are frequently asked to quote on vehicle wraps only to discover subsequently that what the customer really wanted was vehicle graphics - not a wrap at all. In thi…
Custom labels printed in full color offer affordable advertising and promotion even when made in small quantities. In this week's article, we present innovative idea…
Finding a sign supplier that suits your business need can be a challenge. In this week's article, we present some helpful tips in shopping for a sign manufacturer th…
Vinyl is a natural choice for many types of signage, whether cut from solid color vinyl film, digitally printed in full color, or printed and contour cut. From simpl…
When you need a banner, consider how it will be displayed and used to determine how best to have the banner made. In this article, we'll review common banner finishi…
Stickers and decals are an indispensable means of marketing for some businesses. If you are considering decals as a means of marketing, or if you're just curious abo…
Banners are a relatively inexpensive way of displaying a large sign to promote your company or event. Though your first thought may be to make the banner as big as p…

“Best Sign Company in Mission Viejo, CA”

Top Rated Local Custom Sign Shop / Store / Business

Orange County: Mission Viejo, , , , , CA

CityScoop is the top ranked local business news network in the United States. Established in 2008, CityScoop has been providing local communities with high quality news about local businesses and their most recent projects.

About Cityscoop
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LOCAL EXPERT

AUTHOR & CONTRIBUTOR
Profile Avatar Click to view Author Bio

Your Name

Your Business

Leave a message

Please wait...

Location

No address found...

Recent

Your company's sign is an investment that requires consideration to ensure that it is effective and presents your company's image adequately. In this week's article,…
When you're looking for a quote on signage, you'll need to provide sufficient detail to get an accurate quote and avoid frustration when ordering subsequently. In th…
Most sign companies offer products beyond traditional signage. When it comes to promoting your company, event or organization, it's worthwhile checking with your sig…
The term "window graphics" covers a range of products from simple vinyl lettering and designs to complex full color vinyl or window perforation. Window graphics are…
Banners are one of the most often requested sign types at Spectrum Signs. Banners are portable, economical and easy to display. In this week's article we'll define c…
The use of acrylic (also known by the trademarked name "Plexiglas") in making signs is popular as the material is attractive and versatile, but does require some car…
We all appreciate a good bargain, but a cheap sign isn't always a bargain and may reflect poorly on your company. In this week's article, we present some common pitf…
The use of sign letters made from foam is an effective and affordable way of adding dimension to your sign. In this week's article we present how foam can be used in…
We are frequently asked to quote on vehicle wraps only to discover subsequently that what the customer really wanted was vehicle graphics - not a wrap at all. In thi…
Custom labels printed in full color offer affordable advertising and promotion even when made in small quantities. In this week's article, we present innovative idea…
Finding a sign supplier that suits your business need can be a challenge. In this week's article, we present some helpful tips in shopping for a sign manufacturer th…
Vinyl is a natural choice for many types of signage, whether cut from solid color vinyl film, digitally printed in full color, or printed and contour cut. From simpl…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author bio information not available!

QR CODE

Mission Viejo, CA – Signage FAQs | Do you offer die-cut stickers? | SignageNews