The different methods of printing
Made to USB provides you with 4 methods of printing for your personalized USB sticks, to choose according to the desired rendering colour.1. Silk screen printing: ideal for your logo up to 4 colors.
Silk screen printing is a marking method that creates an image using a stencil and a porous cloth.
Here is the process applied when printing your custom USB flash drives:
A finely woven porous fabric is placed on a frame. Some parts of this canvas are covered with an impermeable stencil which is the positive of the image to print (the ink will be distributed over the remaining parts that are not covered).
In multi-color printing, a new stencil is made for each color and the different colors are printed sequentially. Silk screen printing is the most appropriate method for 1-4 color logos without shading or degrading.
The ink is mixed before application so that the color matches the desired Pantone® reference colors.
The printed metal components are then heated in an oven before the final product’s assemby.
The high reliability and respect of the Pantone® colors offered by silk screen printing make it the most widely used type of marking on plastic.
Our factory has its own silkscreening department to ensure that the printing of your logo on your personalized USB stick is carried out in compliance with the strictest standards.
2. Quadri (or photographic) printing: Ideal for logos with a large number of colors.
Widely used in the manufacture of high-quality custom USB business cards, the photo printing process could be compared to a simple office printer.
Customizing your USB flash drive is done through the combination of variable amounts of 4 colors known as CMYK.
Our factory combines this method with polyurethane resin to obtain a logo of incomparable durability and very resistant to friction and shock. Photo printing is definitely the best choice for logos with a large number of colors and shades.
3. Laser engraving: Ideal for logos with full engraving areas
Laser engraving is unquestionably the most accurate for your custom USB stick and provides a fine finish.
We have at our disposal a large number of machines that allow us to engrave on all types of materials, from stainless steel to wood.
Laser engraving has no color, your logo is marked on the product with a laser.
Laser Operation: The laser is designed to transfer energy to the surface of the product, so that a high percentage of the light energy is converted into heat. The place where the laser comes in contact with the material evaporates and leaves a mark on the product. A computer allows us to control the position and movement of the laser, making engraving extremely precise.
4. Embossing: Ideal for leather prints
Embossing gives your leather surface a stunning 3D effect.
A metal matrix representing your logo is pressed onto the surface of the leather at high pressure and high temperature.
Once the matrix is removed, the shape of your logo remains anchored in the leather.
This printing method does not allow, however, to print very detailed logos.