Printed Panels customization
Digital printing is the latest addition of our extensive range of customization, which means Eldon can provide our customers with fully finished front panels and custom enclosures with consistent quality and total reliability.
WHEN AND HOW
The new Printed Panels customization for our enclosures is ready from April 24th 2017.
The printing system, based on alignment pins, offers highly precise positioning and alignment of your graphic design. Compared to the use of stickers, the placement of your design will be constant from one box to another! Common applications for digital printing include labeling connectors, switches and ports, adding special and detailed graphics such as company logos, bar codes and QR codes, to substitute labels/stickers from the doors of the electrical enclosures; saving effort, time and possible mistakes, making paints lifetime also longer and maintaining a low cost for the customization. Multiple sources state that an UV print will last 100+ years.
BENEFITS
| Flexibility | Our digital printing uses the halftone technique, creating colour prints by blending various densities of small droplets, ideal for graphics with high amounts of detail, such as a gradient finish, CGI effects or overlapping colours, using all colours desired without affecting the final price |
| Durability | All our digital ink offers excellent adhesion and durability |
| Use | Compatible for both indoor and outdoor applications, scratch resistant. Printed Surface is UV resistant |
| Fast and cost effective | With easy set-up and low waste, digital printing is much faster and more economic than serigraphy or traditional use of stickers/labels |
PRINTING CAPABILITIES
| What | Complex quality graphics in full colour CMYK |
| Where | Possible on different kinds of textures and materials such as Mild Steel, Aluminum, glass and plastics |
| Maximum object height | Printing is carried out on a large flatbed area with a maximum object height of 64 mm |
| Surface dimensions | Up to 1.600x3.000 mm can be printed |
| Font size | For texts from 4pt can be readable, minimum of 8pt is advisable |
| Bar code | The thickness of a single bar from a bar code cannot be smaller than 0.25 mm, which is valid for standard dimensions as per standard EAN-13 bar code |
HOW TO GET A QUOTATION for a customized enclosure with printing
We will follow same procedure as per our special enclosures. The requirements will be:
- Product to be printed. Part of the product to be printed.
- Approximate dimensions of the total objects to be printed.
- Quantity (units)
HOW TO ORDER a customized enclosure with printing
We will follow same procedure as per special enclosures. The required information is:
- Image file for the objects to be printed: to ensure highest print quality, vector graphics files (particularly DXF or DWG) are recommended, JPEG/PDF/AI/CDR/EPS/PSD are also accepted. We need exact instructions to provide the products in conformity with your demands.
- Specification about the position of the design within the enclosure
AFFECTED PRODUCTS
Floor standing range | Door, removable panels |
Wall mounted range | Door, gland plates |
Terminal boxes | Cover |
HMI consoles | Doors, lids and removable panels |
HMI control enclosures | Front plate and door |
FAQ's
Differences using digital printing or serigraphy
- Why is digital printing more cost effective than serigraphy?
It is more cost effective because there are no expensive tooling costs – ideal for low volumes.
- What kind of printing is faster?
Digital printing is significantly faster than traditional silk screen printing. With easy set-up and low waste, digital printing is much faster than silk screen, including the added value of being easily modified and updated at any time.
- How many colours can I print per project?
With full CMYK spectrum of colors offered, the cost will be the same, only white colour will be quoted separately. In screen printing, each color needs to be silkscreened separately; the more colors used, the more time it will take to silkscreen and only around fifteen standard colors could be offered.
Technique
- Are we specialized in digital printing? Screen printing? Both?
We are specialized in digital printing. We have the technology to make screen printing, but we do not offer it for this service due to fast performance of digital printing, high quality and durability.
- Comparing to serigraphy, what is the technology used?
Digital print produces a slightly raised and textured surface, especially compared to silkscreening, as the self-levelling silkscreening ink used produces a smooth finish that’s virtually indistinguishable by touch. Digital print is laid down linearly by scanning UV ink jet heads, and cured immediately after. This means the ink can self-level (flow), so there is a slight linear texture that becomes visible in large areas of single color.
Images/Text
- In terms of design, what are the constraints?
Digital printing enables different iterations to be created much more easily. Detailed drawings such as barcodes, QR codes or numbering are easily created.
- What file format do we support?
Any file format. We prefer DXF for the best quality of printing. Solid Works is also fine.
- Do we need a minimum resolution (pixels)?
Minimum resolution is 150x150; this may vary depending of the printed image complexity and size.
- Is there a maximum file size?
There is no maximum file size limit.
- How can we define location over surface? Do we need a file with location?
We need exact instructions in order to provide the products in conformity with your demands.
Pinted Panels Customization
- Do we have any limitation in what can be printed?
No, we can print any image
- Do we have any limitation on the material we want to perform the printing?
We can print on almost any surface including: glass, steel, aluminium and mild steel.
- Is there a minimum plate thickness? And maximum thickness?
Yes, 0-64 mm thickness. We are able to increase maximum thickness to 100 mm while printing with the back up equipment, but all our offered products (doors, laterals and panels) are below 64 mm height.
- Could we manage any plate dimension? Do they have minimum or maximum restrictions about it?
We can manage any plate with dimensions under 1.600x3.000 mm
- Does our product need any treatment or finish over surface before receiving it?
No, the surface should be clean and degreased but no special treatment is required.
- Could we print over any plate shape (i.e. curved, flat)?
Printing can be made on flat surfaces, with variation of height under 5 mm. The best printing is made on flat surface, the quality of printing decreases while the variation of height increases.
- Do we provide technical documentation (UV resistance, selection criteria to choose what print quality works best under certain conditions, comparisons between different techniques)?
Yes, if requested.
- Are printed panel able to indoor an outdoor installation? Is paint UV resistance?
Yes
- Why is white colour more expensive than other colours?
Each time white ink printing is required, we have to make a 2 hours long cleaning process for the equipment. If you have more orders involving white ink printing and we can group them to be made at the same time, we will only charge 1 fee for white printing. This cleaning process is necessary every time we print using white ink as the white ink cartridge should be installed on machine only while printing white, and it is not very frequently requested in the market.