Promotional Custom Pencils
Updated: Jan 19
Writing instruments are used in our everyday life, whether it's your favorite pen at work or pencils used in an art decoration. They are one of the leading promotional products categories with hundreds of shapes and styles. Today, we are going to focus on the number two pencil.
The artist must first set up the artwork to fit the shape and style of pencil. Then the artwork is printed onto clear material to create films. This sheet is used to transfer the artwork onto silk screens. The artwork is separated by color and each color gets its own screen. The film must be cut down to smaller sizes to fit the screen size.
Now the worker checks to make sure the registration marks line up, the films are now placed on their own silk screens. Next, they are placed into a light box to cure the emulsion. The lid is closed and vacuum sealed onto the screens to make sure nothing moves. During the curing process, the U V light will harden the emotion that is not being blocked by the print on the film.
After 10 to 15 minutes, the films are removed from the screens, then the un cured emotion is washed out, leaving behind the logo, the screens are dried and then sprayed with compressed air to make sure all the un cured emulsion has been removed. Next, a layer of ink stop is added to the screen to ensure that no ink leaks through any imperfections. Once the whole screen except the logo area has been coated, the screens are placed into an oven to drive the ink stop.
Now, the product is ready to be pulled from the warehouse for production. The correct pencil style is matched up with what was ordered and the color of product is double checked. The pencils are walked out to the machine that will be printing the logo. Next, the correct ink colors are gathered for the order production is ready to begin. The pencils are loaded into a hopper, they are then placed on the belt one at a time.
The first stop the pencil makes is to have a rubber piece added to the top because pencils are around and have no front or back. This rubber piece will create a start stop point for each imprint color. Now, the first color is printed, the pencil is rotated by the rubber piece as the screen adds the color.
Then the imprint is dried in a heater. The second imprint color is now prepared and printed onto the pencil. The operator will check to make sure the registration is good and continue with production. After the second color is dried in a heater, the rubber piece must be removed. Once removed ,the rubber piece drops into a box to be added to the hopper at the beginning. Ready for the next job, the pencils fall into a bed at the end of the line.
Now, the worker will count out how many pencils have been produced and box them up. The box is then taken to a shipping area and quality checked one last time before shipping.