By Cassandra Balentine
Part 2 of 2
Silicone edge graphics (SEG) are versatile display systems. From airports to museums, a variety of organizations look for clean, professional graphics that are easy to install and change out.
Big Printing Las Vegas of Las Vegas, NV is a full-service, grand format graphics provider. The current iteration of the company was established in 2017, but has more than 25 years experience rooted in production, employee expertise, and ownership in Sin City.
“We bring the same personal service, unmatched quality, and fanatical devotion to all of our customers and their projects, regardless of size or history. For most, working with Big Printing Las Vegas is a unique experience in the industry. We don’t stop until our customer is elated,” comments Jay Castellano, president, Big Printing Las Vegas.
The print service provider (PSP) serves a range of clients including event producers, meeting planners, gaming establishments, retail outlets, construction companies, and architects. It produces grand format graphics such as banners, building wraps, adhesive vinyl wraps, wall murals, acrylic signage, museum graphics, and ADA and tactile signage.
Among this vast selection of offerings is SEG displays. The solutions are popular for trade shows, special events, parties, and any gathering that requires a sturdy, easily built, and superb quality graphic.
Between five and six years ago, Big Printing of Las Vegas’ SEG fabric display business began to explode. “We attribute this to our fantastic sales team, our online content creation, and most of all, the increased realization in the trade show and special event industry as to the ease of use, the inexpensive shipping, the durability, and the sharp increase in quality available in the SEG display space,” offers Castellano.
The print provider finds these graphics appealing because they are easy to produce, install, and change out or remove when needed. “The ease of setup and strike as well as a reduced shipping expense also play a factor in making the decision to use an SEG display system over other display options,” notes Castellano.
To print the fabric used in many of its SEG frames, the PSP utilizes its EFI VUTEk FabriVU dye-sublimation (dye-sub) printer and EFI inks. Printed graphics are sublimated with a Monti Antonio heat press.
The EFI VUTEk FabriVU series of fabric printers offer ultra-high resolution of up to 2,400 dpi and four-level grayscale printing with four to 18 picoliter drop sizes.
Its material favorites include options from Fisher Textiles, TVF, and Ultraflex Systems, Inc. When selecting fabric and framing systems, Castellano is careful to choose the solutions the company feel are the most effective for each project’s specific needs. “One of the biggest challenges in producing SEG is to provide consistent, high-quality color and graphic image quality on a truly bright white fabric, and to provide this consistently,” he adds.
For the display systems themselves, Big Printing of Las Vegas has experience with beMatrix USA and Brite Frame Fabricators along with the production of its own extrusions such as an F-Track.
SEG Production
Big Printing of Las Vegas has perfected the production of SEG display graphics. It produces high-quality options to suit a range of customers.
“One of the most common questions our sales team is asked is whether or not the quality of a print on fabric will be good enough for the customer’s project. As soon as they see the printed samples we send on their chosen fabric, this is no longer a concern,” admits Castellano.
Accurate measurements are crucial to a successful display. Castellano notes that before anything happens with a file, its seamstresses measure each piece of the SEG framing system and provide the customer with an accurate size so that they can build or resize their file accordingly. Files are typically submitted via FTP or emailed.
All files are preflighted by its graphics team and any concerns with resolution, verbiage, color, or size are flagged and relayed to the customer. A PDF proof is submitted to the customer for approval, and when that proof is approved it is sent to the printer.
SEG are typically produced on the EFI VUTEk FabriVU on specially manufactured dye-sub transfer paper and sublimated on the Monti Antonio at a carefully selected heat and speed given a number of variables.
After the image is sublimated to the fabric, the graphic is rolled safely on a core and brought to the finishing department and the seamstresses go to work. The PSP’s team of seamstresses then double check the size of the graphic to ensure there is enough safety and bleed to fit the frame correctly and to add the required silicone beading to all of the edges. The beading is sewn on to all sides, the graphic is installed into its frame, pictures are taken, and everything is carefully taken apart, wrapped, and prepared for shipping, pickup, or delivery.
What’s Next
Like all businesses, the pandemic tested the company’s resilience, but it perseveres.
“Our one and only goal during this outrageous time is to continue to employ as many families as we can and to continue to increase our employment through 2021 and further. We achieve this goal through our continued dedication to our customers and their needs by providing the one-of-a-kind experience we and our customers are familiar with,” says Castellano.
High-Quality Displays
Big Printing Las Vegas prides itself on its range of high-quality offerings across the board. SEG displays are one of many.
Mar2021, Digital Output
